Linda
01-27-2004, 07:10 AM
Ghrelin Newly-Identified as Factor in Weight Loss
By Larry Axmaker, EdD, PhD
Now you know – those overwhelming hunger pangs when you’re dieting are for real, not just in your head. A recent study indicates that dieting may stimulate increases of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite and eating in humans, thus making it much more difficult to manage eating and weight.
In the study, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, researchers found that the hormone ghrelin increases sharply before eating and decreases after eating. Subjects who lost significant weight through dieting had an increased level of ghrelin on a 24-hour basis. Ghrelin is produced primarily by the stomach and acts to stimulate hunger.
According to lead researcher Dr. David Cummings of the University of Washington, the rise of ghrelin as a result of dieting is part of the body’s normal adaptive response to famine — the body interprets dieting as starvation. The body triggers a survival mechanism to keep weight constant. The result is increased hunger.
Up to now, gastric bypass surgery has been the most effective method for maintaining long-term weight loss for thousands of Americans who suffered from obesity. It is a complicated surgical procedure and not without risk. Researchers now believe that the reduced availability of the ghrelin hormone could be a major reason for it’s long-term effectiveness.
This newest discovery may lead to safe and effective ways to block or slow ghrelin — making losing weight and maintaining weight loss easier. With over half of all adult Americans overweight, this is a very important discovery.
Source: http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/Content.asp?ID=778
By Larry Axmaker, EdD, PhD
Now you know – those overwhelming hunger pangs when you’re dieting are for real, not just in your head. A recent study indicates that dieting may stimulate increases of ghrelin, the hormone that stimulates appetite and eating in humans, thus making it much more difficult to manage eating and weight.
In the study, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, researchers found that the hormone ghrelin increases sharply before eating and decreases after eating. Subjects who lost significant weight through dieting had an increased level of ghrelin on a 24-hour basis. Ghrelin is produced primarily by the stomach and acts to stimulate hunger.
According to lead researcher Dr. David Cummings of the University of Washington, the rise of ghrelin as a result of dieting is part of the body’s normal adaptive response to famine — the body interprets dieting as starvation. The body triggers a survival mechanism to keep weight constant. The result is increased hunger.
Up to now, gastric bypass surgery has been the most effective method for maintaining long-term weight loss for thousands of Americans who suffered from obesity. It is a complicated surgical procedure and not without risk. Researchers now believe that the reduced availability of the ghrelin hormone could be a major reason for it’s long-term effectiveness.
This newest discovery may lead to safe and effective ways to block or slow ghrelin — making losing weight and maintaining weight loss easier. With over half of all adult Americans overweight, this is a very important discovery.
Source: http://vanderbiltowc.wellsource.com/dh/Content.asp?ID=778