An acetate pill to stop being hungry
Scientists at Imperial College London, in collaboration with experts from other universities, claim (1) that they have the means to create a pill that has the power to suppress hunger, while respecting the body as well that its functioning.
Professor Gary Frost thinks they are already able to design an acetate tablet that locks hunger in at its source.
The principle of satiety
In its natural state, the acetate molecule is present in vegetables, fruits and all fiber-rich foods consumed daily. When these are digested in the colon, a large amount of acetate is released. A signal is sent to the hypothalamus, this small gland in the brain, which controls and monitors hunger. The acetic acid ester accumulates in the hypothalamus when the fibers are absorbed.
It is this whole process that triggers a cascade of chemical reactions that excite neuronal cells. But, in the event of a lack of acetate, Pro OpioMélanoCortine (POMC), a protein precursor which suppresses the appetite, no longer fulfills its role correctly and the feeling of hunger remains permanent.
Acetate
The study shows that the overweight epidemic that has been raging for many years all over the world is to be attributed to the lack of food loaded with acetate . The fibers which, in the past, were part of the basic diet of our ancestors, have been considerably reduced. Moreover, the microbiota, called enteric brain or 2nd brain, has not adapted perfectly to deal with this contemporary industrial food.
This is why Gary Frost suggests producing more acetate and faster. For this, he wants to make pills available to the public that will provide the useful amount of acetate to suppress the feeling of hunger. The pill is a convenient and safe form for this use. This track, described in the journal Nature Communications, therefore seems very promising.
The feeling of hunger
This sensation known by all is a mechanism that remains complex. This central element in weight gain is the result of a cascade of events which, without really explaining obesity, makes it possible to understand certain processes, through the regulation of the organism.
It is the hypothalamus that triggers this feeling of hunger in three cases. The first is when the glucose level drops in the portal vein. The second scenario is when the stomach begins to secrete the hormone ghrelin which stimulates appetite and the third is when the hormone leptin drops in the blood because the level of lipids decreases in fatty tissue.
Other exogenous factors are also involved in the feeling of hunger. The biological rhythm which, depending on the individual, can be very marked. In the event of a specific dietary habit, as is the case when work is constrained to fixed hours, ghrelin will be automatically secreted a quarter of an hour before lunchtime. And this, even if the level of glucose in the body is high.
A smell of smoking food, a cake seen in a pastry shop, an advertisement on television… These are all elements that can whet your appetite . All our senses are sensitive and receptive. They activate the circuits of the hypothalamus and the centers where food-related sensors are stored (cortex, hippocampus).
It is useful to know that the state of hunger is the normal state in individuals. Indeed, various “appetite suppressant” systems are activated in the body and people who are overweight are insensitive to them… which explains, among other things, why they are always hungry.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.