Thermogenic responses to noradrenaline are unaltered following energy supplementation in chronically energy-deficient human subjects.

A group of chronically undernourished labourers underwent a period of controlled supplementary feeding (3.35 MJ per day) over a period of 12 weeks. Thermogenic responses to Noradrenaline (NA) (0.15 microgram kg-1 fat-free mass per min) were assessed (1) before supplementation (2) during the 12th week of supplementation and (3) 12-16 weeks following the cessation of supplementation. There were significant changes in anthropometric indices and basal metabolic rates (BMR) during the three stages of the study; however, these were not accompanied by significant changes in the thermogenic responses to NA.