Darrick Robles Hormones play a key role in affecting our mood and can improve our sleep . But they also have a significant impact on our appetite and eating habits. Knowing about these hormones can help you maintain a healthy weight .
There are two main hormones involved in regulating our appetite: ghrelin, which causes hunger, and leptin, which tells your brain when you’ve eaten enough.
What is ghrelin?
Ghrelin is the “hunger hormone”. It stimulates our appetite and signals the brain that it’s time to eat. Not only does it make you want to eat more, it also promotes fat storage . Ghrelin is produced in the stomach. Smaller amounts are secreted by the brain, small intestine and pancreas.
“This hormone primarily has an appetite-stimulating effect, but it is also involved in the regulation of glucose and insulin, taste sensation and sleep,” explains Dr. Guyomar. Ghrelin also promotes and increases the release of growth hormones in the pituitary gland. These support your metabolism, reduce body fat and build muscle.
What causes ghrelin levels to rise and fall?
Ghrelin levels fluctuate throughout the day. It increases dramatically before a meal and decreases after a meal. Ghrelin is released when the stomach is empty, enters the blood and is carried to the hypothalamus region of the brain, where it stimulates our neurons to produce feelings of hunger.
Dieting and fasting can increase ghrelin levels. When we eat fewer calories and lose weight as a result, ghrelin levels rise significantly. In one study , ghrelin levels increased by 24% in participants who completed a 6-month diet program.
“Blood ghrelin levels increase during dieting or fasting. This could explain exactly why classic diets don’t work in the long term,” says Dr. Guyomar.
Elevated ghrelin levels can also be found in anorexia nervosa. Those affected by this eating disorder feel the need to keep their weight as low as possible.
What is leptin?
Leptin is a “satiation hormone”. It is mainly produced by fat cells and plays an important role in controlling appetite by signaling to the brain when we are full. It also helps regulate our body weight and metabolism .
“Leptin has many other jobs in the body, such as regulating the reproductive system. It also has a major impact on the immune system,” says Dr. Guyomar.
What affects leptin levels?
The level of leptin in your bloodstream is directly proportional to the amount of body fat. The more body fat, the more leptin. Similarly, when body fat levels drop, leptin levels also drop.
“People with a higher body mass index [BMI] and more body fat have more leptin circulating in their blood,” says Dr. Guyomar.
But sometimes the brain stops responding, even when leptin levels are very high. In this case one speaks of leptin resistance . The brain is no longer signaled that the stomach is full. This makes you hungry all the time, even though you have already eaten enough.
Why is it important that ghrelin and leptin are in balance?
Do you often feel hungry again after a meal? The balance of ghrelin and leptin is critical for the appetite to function normally.
The hormones work together to help you eat the right amount – with ghrelin increasing your appetite and leptin making you feel full. These two hormones are opposites and must be in balance. When the balance of these hormones is out of whack, you may not feel hungry, or you may still have an appetite when you are already full.
“A balance between ghrelin and leptin is important for maintaining a healthy body weight,” says Dr. Guyomar. An imbalance, on the other hand, can lead to significant weight gain or loss and has also been linked to eating and mood disorders.
What other hormones affect appetite?
Cortisol: Cortisol is the “stress hormone” and is released when your body is under stress. It can increase appetite and tempt you to overeat. One study found that people who were stressed ate more and craved sugary foods more.
Pancreatic Polypeptide (PP): This peptide hormone is made by the pancreas after eating and can reduce appetite.
Female sex hormones: The female sex hormones play an essential role in regulating appetite. Studies have shown that progesterone and testosterone increase appetite while estrogen inhibits it.
How can I balance my appetite hormones?
A few simple lifestyle changes can help manage appetite hormones and maintain a healthy weight.
1. Healthy sleep
Are you not getting enough sleep on a regular basis? This can lower leptin levels and increase ghrelin levels, which in turn increases your appetite. Try to sleep at least 7-8 hours a day. These tips can help you improve the quality of your sleep .
2. High protein breakfast
Are you always hungry after breakfast? Eating a high-protein diet will keep you feeling full for longer and control your hunger pangs.
3. Avoid crash diets
Drastic weight loss and crash dieting can upset the balance of the hormones that control our appetite. Ghrelin levels increase after or during a diet. This explains why after the diet it is easy to go back to the old eating habits and gain weight again. Eating a balanced diet can help you maintain a healthy body weight and your hormones in balance.
4. Eat mindfully
Eating slowly is not only healthier, it also helps you lose weight. You feel full faster. It also improves the response of the appetite hormone. When you take the time to enjoy yourself, you’re less likely to eat more than you need to.
5. More exercise
Physical exercise not only helps maintain a healthy weight and reduces leptin resistance . It can also reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes , heart disease, and stroke. Integrate more exercise and sports into your everyday life with activities such as cycling or walking .
