Controlling Hunger HormonesHormones play a role in our physical development, our moods, the proliferation of our species and our weight. Scientists have found that one of our hormones, ghrelin, is responsible for communicating to the brain and expressing hunger. Yet another hormone, PYY, is responsible for sending a message to your brain expressing satiety. Experiments are currently being done with PYY, ghrelin and mice. By injecting them with PYY and ghrelin and studying how their bodies and weight react, scientists are better able to predict how these hormones may help the general population. It is possible that increasing the amount of PYY in a dieters system and decreasing their ghrelin could help in weight loss. It is anticipated that these methods will only be beneficial in weight loss when the weight problem is caused by excessive hunger. If a weight problem is caused by choosing the wrong foods to eat, not exercising, or emotional eating, then chances are changes in PYY and ghrelin will do little to help in long or short term weight loss. Ghrelin is produced primarily in the top part of the stomach called the fundus. During the Sleeve Gastrectomy weight loss surgery, the fundus is removed along with between 60% and 80% of the stomach. Removal of the ghrelin producing area of the stomach is most likely responsible for the dramatic decrease in hunger that sleeve gastrectomy patients experience following surgery. |
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