Hi,
I am curiously asking if there have been any strides in the medical field as far as suppressing or stimulating appetite with appetite-regulating hormones that are found naturally in the body. In case anyone does not have any prior knowledge on this subject, here is some info:
Four appetite-regulating hormones found in the human body are Ghrelin, Insulin, Leptin, and PYY.
Ghrelin is an appetite-stimulating hormone, which is secreted by the stomach wall, and is one of the signals that triggers feelings of hunger as mealtimes approach.
A rise in blood sugar after a meal stimulates the pancreas to secrete
insulin. In addition to its other functions, such as enhancing the transport of glucose into body cells and stimulating the liver and muscle cells to store glucose as glycogen, insulin suppresses appetite by acting on the brain.
Produced by adipose (fat) tissue,
leptin suppresses appetite as its level increases. When body fat decreases, leptin levels fall, and appetite increases.
The hormone
PYY, secreted by the small intestine after meals, acts as an appetite suppressant that counters the appetite stimulant
ghrelin.
With that being said, has anyone thought of somehow emulating or extracting the appetite-suppressing (PYY, Leptin, Insulin) hormones that are naturally found in the body? Also, for those that have problems with poor appetite, maybe ghrelin "supplements" could be useful... or maybe it's just best not to try playing God and to just let the body be the way it was naturally meant to be?
