Circadiane Uhren und Energiemetabolismus: Warum Schichtarbeit krank machen kann

Chrononutrition - circadian clocks and energy metabolism Genetically encoded endogenous clocks regulate 24-hour rhythms of physiology and behavior. A central pacemaker residing in the suprachiasmatic nucleus synchronizes peripheral clocks found in all tissues with each other and with the external day-night cycle. One function of circadian clocks is the regulation of energy metabolism via rhythmic activation of tissue-specific clock-controlled genes. In the liver, genes involved in glucose and lipid metabolism are regulated in this fashion, while in adipocytes, fatty acid release and adipokine secretion are controlled by the circadian clock. Disruption of circadian rhythms as seen, for example, in shift workers promotes the development of metabolic disorders such as obesity and type-2 diabetes.