The Lack Of A Certain Hormone Makes People Overeat

Author: Maryam Ayres Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

The Lack Of A Certain Hormone Makes People Overeat

The lack of the hormone leptin causes people to continue eating, even when they do not feel hungry.

Leptin is a hormone that is normally produced by fat cells and reaches the cerebral cortex through the bloodstream. There it binds to certain receptors and leads to the suppression of hunger. In this way the body is protected from excessive food intake. However, when this hormone is missing, people begin to ingest huge amounts of food, begin to eat even foods that they do not like at first glance. If such patients are given leptin, the amount of food they eat is significantly reduced, and their weight is reduced.

The action of leptin is relatively simple, scientists say. There is a certain area in the cerebral cortex called the nucleus accumbens, thanks to which we perceive the food we love. Stimulation of this part of the brain provokes the feeling of appetite and makes people continue to eat even though they are already full. Leptin, in turn, reduces the sensitivity of the nucleus accumbens and suppresses people's appetite, especially to the foods they love.

If we understand how the brain and hormones interact in terms of appetite and satiety, we would certainly find a new way to fight overweight and help many people, scientists say.

The Lack Of A Certain Hormone Makes People Overeat

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