Satiety hormones: less in obese people
A new study has succeeded in demonstrating, once again, that metabolic factors play a role in obesity. Even if diet and physical activity remain the main factors, we must not forget that the organism of each human being can function differently.
In this case, the study highlights the role of hormones whose role is to regulate satiety: these hormones, in obese people, are in much smaller quantities than in thin individuals.
A Swiss study
According to Bettina Wölnerhanssen (Doctor at the Department of Bio-Medicine in Switzerland, University of Basel Hospital, and co-author of the study in question), there is a popular belief that lack of self-control -even is the only reason for obesity: if people ate better and in less quantity, they would be thinner. Nevertheless, it is clear that studies show that these are not the only factors.
The study by Bettina Wölnerhanssen and her colleagues is based on 33 obese adults. These adults underwent a sleeve gastrectomy (one of the 3 major obesity surgeries, see our “Files” section if you want to know more). Three months before the intervention, and three months after the intervention, tests were carried out on these 27 patients in order to recover samples of the gastrointestinal metabolism. In parallel, 24 other people (thin this time) also underwent the same tests.
satiety hormones
What is particularly interesting is that the result of these tests highlighted:
- Only 3 months before surgery, gastrointestinal samples from obese patients had significantly fewer enteroendocrine cells than the lean group.
- That 3 months after the procedure, the gastrointestinal samples of the obese patients had almost as many enteroendocrine cells as the group of lean people (note: only 27 obese people out of the initial 33 were re-examined: it can be assumed that this comes from the fact that it was not necessarily possible to recontact all the patients for these new tests) .
These enteroendocrine cells have a role: when an individual eats, these cells release hormones (in response) into the blood. The role of these hormones is to send a signal to the brain: the feeling of satiety . If an individual has fewer enteroendocrine cells than another, then this feeling of satiety may occur later or with greater difficulty.
By highlighting the fact that an obese person has fewer of these cells than a thin person, the scientists demonstrate that it is not just a question of “better controlling themselves”. For obese people it is also a question of fighting against a metabolism which has adapted . Three months after the intervention, the metabolism of obese people concerning these cells had returned to the same level (or almost) as thin people.
In conclusion
Individuals suffering from severe overweight have an inhibited feeling of satiety, they release less satiety hormones than people of normal weight. To fix this disorder, the self-control that is needed to eat less is not comparable between an obese person and a thin person.
Other studies had already been conducted on similar subjects (satiety, etc.) such as the study by Juliana Austin in 2009.
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.