What if we could, for one day, create our bodies and change them as we please to improve our physical nature? How would we enhance our strengths and address what we see as problems? How would we change our bodies and minds to alleviate stress, anxiety and physical problems? Related to weight, we would probably make it easier and very straightforward to lose pounds and fat and to keep the weight off our bodies.
If we had this power, we might consider simplifying hormonal actions that fuel and curb hunger so these actions are clear-cut and we comprehend exactly how to lose weight. In fact, in real life, two hormones do appear to be this direct in their actions on eating and weight. Ghrelin (grell-in) is the hunger hormone and leptin is the stop appetite hormone. Many believe that the actions of these “go and stop” appetite hormones are straightforward, and that one is bad and the other is good.
Ghrelin, the appetite increaser, is released primarily in the stomach and is thought to signal hunger to the brain. You’d expect the body to increase ghrelin if a person is undereating and decrease it if they are overeating.
Because ghrelin affects appetite, it can impact weight loss, especially when someone diets. When someone is strictly controlling calories, ghrelin levels increase. This, then, causes the rebound of the pounds lost that happens right after a diet for many people. People who struggle with anorexia nervosa may also have high ghrelin levels, which occurs as part of the body’s natural response to starvation.
Ghrelin has numerous functions. It is termed the ‘hunger hormone’ because it stimulates appetite, increases food intake and promotes fat storage. When administered to humans, ghrelin increases food intake by up to 30%; it circulates in the bloodstream and acts at the hypothalamus, an area of the brain crucial in the control of appetite. Ghrelin has also been shown to act on regions of the brain involved in reward processing such as the amygdala.
Ghrelin is a multifaceted gut hormone which activates its receptor, growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). Ghrelin’s hallmark functions are its stimulatory effects on food intake, fat deposition and growth hormone release. Ghrelin is famously known as the “hunger hormone”. However, ample literature indicates that the functions of ghrelin go well beyond its role as an orexigenic signal.
Ghrelin also plays a role in the pituitary gland’s function, where ghrelin receptors trigger the stimulation of the hormone. It appears to help control insulin release, and plays a protective role in cardiovascular health. This well-rounded hormone has a job in many different bodily systems.
German researchers have suggested that ghrelin levels play a big role in determining how quickly hunger comes back after we eat. Normally, ghrelin levels go up dramatically before you eat; this signals hunger. They then go down for about three hours after the meal.
Studies suggest that ghrelin enters the hippocampus of the brain from the blood and alters the connections between nerves and cells to enhance learning and memory. Learning is most effective throughout the day and when the stomach is empty, which is when ghrelin levels are higher.
Ghrelin levels are primarily regulated by food intake. Levels of ghrelin in the blood rise just before eating and when fasting, with the timing of these rises being affected by our normal meal routine. Hence, ghrelin is thought to play a role in mealtime ‘hunger pangs’ and the need to begin meals. Levels of ghrelin increase when fasting (in line with increased hunger) and are lower in individuals with a higher body weight compared with lean individuals, which suggests ghrelin could be involved in the long-term regulation of body weight.
sources:
sciencedirect.com,yourhormones.info,ncbi.nlm.nih.gov,healthline.com,obesityaction.org,hormone.org,news-medical.net