Just in time for Easter Sunday, scientists have found natural bodily reactions can compel us to eat something sugary, even after wolfing down a large meal. Nerves that signal your stomach is full also trigger cravings for treats, according to a team from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, Germany.
In their study of mice, brain analysis revealed that nerve cells, called POMC neurons, drive the response. They became active when the mice were exposed to sugar and when they munched it, they released a chemical called the ß-endorphin, one of the body’s own opioids. It only happened when sweet items, not normal or fatty foods, were eaten – and was activated when the mice merely looked at the sugar, before tucking in.
This triggered a feeling of reward, leading the mice to eat sweet food beyond fullness. But when the scientists then inhibited the ß-endorphin, the mice with full stomachs did not crave the sugar. Study lead Henning Fenselau said: “There are already drugs that block opiate receptors in the brain but the potential weight loss is less than with appetite-suppressant injections.
“We believe that a combination with them or with other therapies could be very useful to fight obesity.”
