Starvation and infection: The role of sickness-associated anorexia in metabolic adaptation during acute infection.

Sickness-associated anorexia, the reduction in appetite seen during infection, is a widely conserved and well-recognized symptom of acute infection, yet there is very little understanding of its functional role in recovery. Anorexic sickness behaviours can be understood as an evolutionary strategy to increase tolerance to pathogen-mediated illness. In this review we explore the evidence for mechanisms and potential metabolic benefits of sickness-associated anorexia.