Compensatory growth (organism)

Compensatory growth, known as catch-up growth and compensatory gain, is an accelerated growth of an organism following a period of slowed development, particularly as a result of nutrient deprivation. The growth may be with respect to weight or length (or height in humans). For example, oftentimes the body weights of animals who experience nutritional restriction will over time become similar to those of animals who did not experience such stress. It is possible for high compensatory growth rates to result in overcompensation, where the organism exceeds normal weight and often has excessive fat deposition.

An organism can recover to normal weight without additional time. Sometimes when the nutrient restriction is severe, the growth period is extended to reach the normal weight. If the nutrient restriction is severe enough, the organism may have permanent stunted growth where it does not ever reach normal weight. Usually in animals, complete recovery from carbohydrate and protein restriction occurs.

Compensatory growth has been observed in a number of organisms including humans, other species of mammals,birds,reptiles,fish,plants (especially grasses and young tree seedlings and saplings),fungi,microbes, and damselflies.

In 1911, Hans Aron performed the earliest study of growth after periods of undernourishment. He underfed a dog and found that it still had the capacity to rapidly gain weight, though it did not reach the final weight of a dog that was fed normally. In 1915, Osborne and Mendel were the first to demonstrate that rats fed after growth restriction had an accelerated growth rate. In 1945, Brody developed the idea of “homoestasis of growth” in the book Bioenergetics and Growth. In 1955, Verle Bohman was the first to use the term “compensatory growth” in an article pertaining to beef cattle.

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