In a recent study , researchers at Baylor College of Medicine found that when you eat a high-fat diet , your gut produces a hormone that prevents the satiety hormone leptin from being released in time. This is the reason why people can continue to eat even though they actually already have enough.
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No satiety without leptin
The hormone leptin is responsible for the feeling of satiety. It is released when the body feels full. However, in obese people, there is a link between leptin and obesity. Often the delicate balance between leptin and the hunger-inducing hormone ghrelin is disrupted, causing people to eat more than they need.
In addition to ghrelin, another hormone should also be responsible. The researchers have demonstrated in mice that their intestines produce the gastoinhibitory peptide hormone (GIP) the higher the fat diet. If there is an excess of GIP, part of it goes to the brain, where it curbs the release of leptin. As a result, the mice kept eating and gained weight accordingly.
Proper nutrition is crucial
To reduce the animals’ overeating, the mice were given monoclonal antibodies that prevented interaction between GIP and the brain. This released enough leptin that the mice instinctively stopped eating when they were full.
The researchers hope that these results can be used for long-term weight loss strategies. However, no chemical agents that act on leptin should be used in humans. The key is a healthy and balanced diet low in trans fats, hydrogenated fats and saturated fats.
