During prolonged starvation, why does the liver increase gluconeogenesis despite elevated circulating cortisol levels, which would seem to suppress glucose demand?

💡 Explanation

The liver increases gluconeogenesis during starvation to maintain blood glucose homeostasis for essential tissues like the brain, because this overrides the typical cortisol-mediated suppression of glucose production. Therefore, glucose maintenance dominates, rather than other hormonal influences like suppressing insulin, since survival depends on glucose delivery.

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