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“You could speculate whether the people who put on weight again simply lack the appetite-inhibiting effect which neurotensin appears to have,” says senior creator Signe Sørensen Torekov. Credit: Cathrine Sixhøj Chrone (University of Copenhagen)
In quite a few nations at the moment, roughly fifty % of the inhabitants is obese, a determine that’s on an upward trajectory. While a major quantity of persons are capable of shed weight, the difficult side is sustaining that weight loss.
Recent analysis performed at the University of Copenhagen means that the hormone neurotensin might probably function a predictor for a person’s potential to maintain weight loss.
The examine, which has been printed in the scientific journal Metabolism, is a so-called proof-of-concept examine, which signifies that it’s the first time that the hormone has been investigated in relation to weight loss induced by a low-calorie food plan.
“Initially, we examined the effect of weight loss in obese mice and concluded that weight loss led to decreased amount of the hormone neurotensin. Subsequently, in a clinical study, we found that weight loss also led to a decreased amount of neurotensin in humans. Interestingly, people who maintained weight loss released more neurotensin than people who regained weight again,” explains Professor Signe Sørensen Torekov, who’s the final creator of the examine, at the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Copenhagen.
“It may help explain why some people are more successful than others at maintaining weight loss.”
Like different urge for food intestine hormones, neurotensin is launched by the intestines once we eat, and the info is compiled in the mind, which is able to decide whether or not we should always proceed eating or really feel full.
The contributors misplaced weight throughout the eight-week, low-calorie food plan. The researchers concluded that the individuals who misplaced much more weight in the 12 months following the food plan launched extra neurotensin than individuals who gained weight after finishing the food plan.
“It is an interesting result. You can speculate whether the people who put on weight again simply lack the appetite-inhibiting effect which neurotensin appears to have,” says Signe Sørensen Torekov.
Studying urge for food hormones to find out how people could preserve weight loss
We know that individuals who have undergone bariatric surgical procedure to lose weight launch extra neurotensin after they eat. It was this perception that impressed the researchers to review the impact of neurotensin on weight loss.
“We know that other gut hormones, released in greater amounts after obesity surgery, help explain why people who have undergone obesity surgery are able to maintain weight loss. But no one had studied the role of neurotensin in connection with diet-induced weight loss,” says MD and Ph.D. Student Joachim Holt, who’s the first creator of the examine.
Whether a drug simulating neurotensin launch in the mind or intestines is fascinating, explains Signe Sørensen Torekov.
“Another interesting thing about studying these appetite hormones is to learn how humans may respond to potential treatment and especially the combination of several appetite hormones to maintain weight loss,” says Signe Sørensen Torekov.
However, when researchers first found leptin, a key hormone in weight regulation, they realized that quantities drop throughout weight loss. This might point out that rising the quantity of leptin in the body would trigger folks to lose weight
“But it turns out that people who live with obesity are leptin resistant, which means that they do not respond with weight loss to the hormone. We do not know whether this also applies to neurotensin. So we still have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Reference: “Increased meal-induced neurotensin response predicts successful maintenance of weight loss – Data from a randomized controlled trial” by Annemette Overgaard Brethvad, Hannah Louise Zakariassen, Joachim Holt, Julie Rehné Lundgren, Alexander Jakobsen, Bolette Hartmann, Eva Winning Lehmann, Hannelouise Kissow, Jens Juul Holst, Sten Madsbad, Signe Sørensen Torekov and Birgitte Holst, 16 March 2023, Metabolism.
DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2023.155534
