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Ghrelin: The hunger hormone

Your weight is controlled, in part, by your brain. There is a complex feedback system that lets your brain know how much energy you have stored — and a hardwired drive to eat when your brain thinks you need more food.

This article dives into the science of ghrelin, a hormone involved in the appetite control system. We will explore how ghrelin controls appetite and then explain the genetic variants that link ghrelin to weight gain.

What is ghrelin?

Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that stimulates appetite and regulates metabolism. It drives us to seek out food and eat.

At the most basic level, we are all driven to seek out food. The motivation to eat is inherent to all animals because we simply can’t live without energy from food.

Tasty foods like Doritos and pizza haven’t always been at our fingertips. Our ancestors had to eat to survive. Thus, the innate drive to eat is strong enough to drive people to eat less tasty foods, such as liver, insects, or turnips. This is where ghrelin comes in, prompting us to eat to survive.

Ghrelin was discovered about 20 years ago and first investigated as a hormone controlling the release of growth hormone (GH). Over the past decade, research shows that ghrelin stimulates appetite.[ref]

What causes ghrelin to rise and fall?

The cells lining the stomach secrete ghrelin, and then the hormone travels to the brain.

In the hypothalamus, ghrelin receptors (GHSR receptors) receive the signal for the need for food. This triggers a series of actions that result in you seeking food.[ref]

At the same time, ghrelin causes the stomach to prepare for food in two ways:

  • through increasing gastric motility (e.g., stomach growling because you are hungry)
  • increasing stomach acid

Thus – the signal sent to the brain prompts you to seek food, and the signal sent to the stomach gets it ready for action.

What triggers ghrelin to be released?

Both hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels) and low body weight can act to trigger ghrelin.

Fasting increases this hormone and eating – physically filling up the stomach – decreases it.

Researchers don’t have all the answers yet for ghrelin, and there is a lot of ongoing research into the link with BMI, cardiovascular health, and aging.[ref]

PMC5412382

Leptin vs. Ghrelin:

Leptin is another hormone that is linked to appetite and weight. It is the counterbalance to ghrelin. Leptin is like the ‘stop’ signal to let you know that you’re full. Just like with ghrelin, there are genetic polymorphisms in the leptin receptor gene that are linked to weight gain.


Ghrelin Genotype Report:

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Lifehacks for suppressing ghrelin:

For ghrelin to be in its active form, the enzyme ghrelin-O-acyltransferase (GOAT) acts upon ghrelin to acetylate it. Researchers are investigating drugs that could stop the GOAT enzyme.[ref][ref]

Here are research-backed natural inhibitors of GOAT as well as ghrelin:

Pomace olive oil:
Pharmacological investigations of GOAT inhibitors have discovered synthetic compounds similar to oleanolic acid.[ref] Oleanolic acid, a natural compound found in pomace olive oil, has been investigated for its effect on ghrelin-O-acetyltransferase as well. While the study found that it reduced body weight, there was not an acute effect on ghrelin levels.[ref] Other studies on oleanolic acid have shown a variety of health benefits in humans (and mice) related to glucose tolerance and cardiovascular disease.[ref][ref][ref]

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Why join Genetic Lifehacks?

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~ You'll see your genetic data in the articles and reports.

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About the Author:
Debbie Moon is the founder of Genetic Lifehacks. Fascinated by the connections between genes, diet, and health, her goal is to help you understand how to apply genetics to your diet and lifestyle decisions. Debbie has a BS in engineering from Colorado School of Mines and an MSc in biological sciences from Clemson University. Debbie combines an engineering mindset with a biological systems approach to help you understand how genetic differences impact your optimal health.