Re: Horizon - Why We Are Fat
Originally Posted by
Realist
->
OMG!
Now they are developing hormone injections to fool the body into thinking it has had sufficient food. The guinea pigs trialling it are supposedly eating 17-22% less after each injection. Why don't they just cut out the sugar which is equally fooling the body into thinking it is hungry when it is not?!
Natural hormones do just that in our bodies already, some people lack these among other things. You cant say cut out sugar every human being is different.
Ghrelin, the most predominant “hunger hormone” identified to date, is a peptide released by endocrine cells mostly within the stomach’s lining. It counteracts leptin to increase metabolic efficiency and stimulate appetite. It normally indicates hunger: “If your stomach’s growlin’, you’re making ghrelin.” Though, it can also be released after a high-protein meal.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an extremely potent stimulator of feeding behavior. It is also the most abundant neuropeptide in the brain. In addition to its function in feeding behavior, it also takes part in circadian rhythms, sexual functioning, and anxiety responses. Clearly, NPY is a key player!
Much research is being done on this hormone as many are very invested in finding out what the magic answer is for obesity.
Leptin. From leptos, the Greek word for “thin,” leptin is synthesized within fat cells, and works as a “satiety factor” on the hypothalamus to dampen eating behavior while increasing energy expenditure. Leptin appears to act, at least in part, by inhibiting NPY synthesis and release in the hypothalamus. New hopes of a magic weight-loss pill based on leptin have yet to reach fruition.
Adiponectin, a mixture of anti-inflammatory peptides secreted by fat cells, helps regulate energy balance and the metabolism of sugars and fats, as well as increasing insulin sensitivity. Paradoxically, overweight people often have less circulating adiponectin than slim individuals. What triggers its secretion from fat cells is still unclear. More than likely this is a very complex system that will take some time to understand.
Peptide YY (PYY) has been shown to slow digestion, suppress appetite, and significantly reduce food consumption.
Cholecystokinin (CCK) is released in the duodenum in response to high-fat or high-protein meals. It signals the brain to produce a sense of fullness or satiety. Fatty meals are an especially effective trigger in the release of CCK.