Are you constantly snacking or often feel hungry? If the answer is yes, a hormone could be the culprit behind those hunger pangs.
This hormone was actually discovered two years ago. It’s called asprosin and it regulates blood-glucose levels. But new research has found asprosin can also affect your appetite by honing in on neurons in the brain. It delivers a one-two punch by activating appetite-stimulating neurons and deactivating appetite-suppressing neurons.
Researchers did find their obese participants had increased levels of the hormone asprosin in their blood. But obesity is a very complex health issue and many factors can contribute like genetics, unhealthy eating habits, lifestyle choices, inactivity, medications and medical conditions.
Partha’s RX
1. To help curb your appetite, add high-fiber foods to your meals. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and beans are excellent choices.
2. Cut back on processed carbohydrates as they can cause you to crave more of them. No food is ever off-limits but try to focus on foods that nourish your body.
3. Eat healthy proteins with your meals like eggs, lean meat and Greek yogurt. They’ll help control your hunger pangs and promote feelings of fullness.
4. Control stress in your life. Stress releases the hormone cortisol which can cause you to overeat if your levels are elevated regularly.
It’s quite possible that obesity could be treated by regulating asprosin levels in the future. Research so far has only been tested on obese mice. A lot more work is still needed before testing is conducted on people.
