Why adrenaline makes your body burn fat for fuel
Epinephrine's ketogenic effect in humans is mediated principally by lipolysis.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Epinephrine increased ketone production even when insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone were held constant via islet clamp.
Common belief: insulin suppresses ketosis. This shows adrenaline can override insulin’s suppression, making ketones regardless of insulin levels.
Practical Takeaways
If you're trying to boost ketones during exercise or stress, intense activity or cold exposure (which raise adrenaline) may help—even if you're not fasting.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Epinephrine increased ketone production even when insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone were held constant via islet clamp.
Common belief: insulin suppresses ketosis. This shows adrenaline can override insulin’s suppression, making ketones regardless of insulin levels.
Practical Takeaways
If you're trying to boost ketones during exercise or stress, intense activity or cold exposure (which raise adrenaline) may help—even if you're not fasting.
Publication
Journal
The American journal of physiology
Year
1992
Authors
A. Avogaro, P. Cryer, D. Bier
Related Content
Claims (3)
When your body gets a boost of the stress hormone epinephrine (like during intense exercise or panic), it starts turning more of your stored fat into ketones — the fuel your brain can use — and this study says it jumps from about 6-7% to 11%.
When your body releases adrenaline (like during stress or exercise), it speeds up the swapping between two energy molecules called ketones, even if your other hormones aren’t changing—kind of like adrenaline giving ketones a little push to switch forms faster.
When your body gets a surge of stress hormone (epinephrine), it breaks down fat to make ketones—just like when you get a direct fat drip into your vein. This suggests it’s not the hormone itself, but the fat it releases, that actually makes your body produce ketones.