mealstimulated

Mealstimulated is an adjective used in nutrition science and physiology to describe responses or processes triggered by the ingestion of a meal. The term combines meal with stimulated to emphasize that the observed effects arise in the postprandial period rather than in fasting conditions. While not a formal niche term with a single definition, it appears in discussions of postprandial metabolism, hormone secretion, and digestive physiology.

Postprandial processes commonly described as mealstimulated include increases in energy expenditure (the thermic effect of food), postprandial insulin release, and the secretion of gut hormones such as GLP-1, GIP, PYY, and CCK. Gastric emptying and bile secretion are also mealstimulated, shaping substrate use and nutrient absorption. In research, mealstimulated responses are quantified with standardized meals and measurements taken over several hours, using indirect calorimetry, blood sampling, and sometimes imaging.

Applications and notes: The term is often used descriptively rather than as a formal diagnostic category. It is useful for comparing how different macronutrient compositions or food patterns elicit postprandial responses, or for assessing metabolic health in fasting vs meal-stimulated conditions. Variability exists due to meal size, composition, circadian factors, and individual metabolic status.

See also: postprandial state, thermic effect of food, incretin effect.