Metabolic shift triggers the use of backup fuel regardless of calorie intake
Written by Michela Luciano, PhD | February 20, 2026
- Parkinson’s weight loss stems from a metabolic shift, burning fat instead of glucose, not just reduced calorie intake.
- Patients primarily lose body fat, not muscle, due to impaired glucose processing and mitochondrial dysfunction.
- Future interventions should target metabolic pathways, as increased calories alone may not prevent weight loss.
The weight loss commonly seen in Parkinson’s disease isn’t just about eating less. It’s about a fundamental shift in how the body fuels itself.
According to a new study, Parkinson’s patients primarily lose body fat, not muscle, because their bodies struggle to process glucose, a complex sugar the body normally relies on as its primary energy source. As a result, their bodies are forced to burn fat and protein as a “backup” energy source, especially those with lower body fat or with more advanced disease.
This discovery by Japanese researchers suggests that simply increasing calorie intake may not be enough to stop weight loss if the body’s primary energy pathway is disrupted.
“We clarified that it is not the muscle that is decreasing, but the fat,” Hirohisa Watanabe, PhD, professor at Fujita Health University, who led the study, said in a university press release. “This changes how we should think about weight loss in Parkinson’s disease.”
Although “future longitudinal studies … are needed to clarify these metabolic shifts,” researchers noted the results “highlight metabolic pathways as potential targets for interventions to mitigate weight loss in [Parkinson’s].”
The study, “Metabolic profiles associated with fat loss in Parkinson’s disease,” was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Read more here: Parkinson’s weight loss driven by burning fat instead of glucose
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