Low Carb Diets Alter Hunger Singals To Brain Function
Obes Res, 13: 1672-1682, 2005 ..
The hypothalamus is located in the lower part of the brain and is responsible for hunger and satiety (satisfaction of hunger). Factors affecting the drive for food include blood sugar, fat cell content, leptin, ghrelin, amino acids, brain temperature, psychosocial factors and
hormones sensitive to nutrients. When you diet or haven't eaten for several hours, the stomach secretes ghrelin and the fat cells release leptin which stimulates the hunger center in the brain to increase appetite and preserve fat cells.
Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that rats fed a high-fat diet (HF) con increas sumed more food and gained more weight than rats fed chow (mixed diet) or a low-carb, high-fat diet (LC-HF). The take away message? High fat, low carbohydrates at least in the short
run are effective for weight loss because they don't promote overeating in response to food deprivation.
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