Meet some of the natural hormones that help regulate appetite

While healthy eating and physical activity are important when trying to manage weight, it’s also important to understand that hunger and fullness aren’t controlled by willpower alone.   

These hormones signal to the brain when you're hungry and full, and can influence how much you eat.

GLP-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is one of the body's fullness signals produced in the gut and in the brain. GLP-1 is released after eating to help you feel full. As your weight goes down, GLP-1 and other appetite-regulating hormones may change. Hunger may also increase, making appetite harder to manage.

Ghrelin

Ghrelin is a hunger signal that goes up before you eat and goes down after you eat. After weight loss, ghrelin may go up and can increase hunger between meals.

Amylin

Based on animal studies, amylin has shown to:

Reduce appetite and energy intake
Increase feelings of fullness
Slow down how quickly food leaves the stomach
Help regulate blood sugar levels after meals
Reduce how quickly bone breaks down, which may help support bone formation

Insulin

Insulin helps your body use food for energy and supports feelings of fullness. Following weight loss, insulin levels may decrease, while hunger may increase, making appetite control less steady.

Leptin

Leptin is a signal made by fat cells that tells the brain when you're full. When you lose weight, leptin levels may decrease and your brain may get weaker “I’m full” messages. This can lead to increased hunger while eating.

Talk to your doctor about appetite hormones

Each of these hormones may play a significant role in regulating appetite and metabolism.

These hormonal changes can make weight management difficult, but not impossible. Talk to a health care professional about how appetite hormones play a role.

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Understanding the role of hormones in weight