What are appetite hormones and what do they do to my diabetes?

There are actually a number of hormones that stimulate appetite. Why? Because this is a critical process that keeps us alive. If you don’t feel hungry, you don’t eat. Over time, your fuel stores will be used up. To survive, your body will start breaking down your muscles and other tissues for energy (fuel) to keep you alive.

On the other hand, we have hormones that tell us to stop eating. This is about balance – between eating, eating enough and stopping. Remember, back in the day, life revolved around feast or famine. In life today, most of us have access to all the food we could want.

For some, the balance between hunger and fullness has gone “off the rails.” Many people can’t rely on their bodies to tell them when to eat and when to stop. This is mainly because we eat for a lot of different reasons, not one of which is hunger.

So, what is happening in your body with these appetite hormones? Let’s meet the two main characters in this show - Ghrelin and Leptin.

Ghrelin is secreted from the stomach and sends hunger signals to your brain. Ghrelin rises very fast before you eat, is lowest 1 hour after eating and stays low for the next 3 hours or so after eating a meal. It plays a big role in how fast hunger comes back after you eat. It is also involved in regulating your sleep-wake cycle, taste sensation and regulating glucose metabolism. It has the ability to decrease insulin resistance.

Leptin is a hormone made by adipose cells (fat cells) and it suppresses hunger. It plays a big role in body energy balance and helps regulate blood glucose. Leptin sends signals to your brain that says you don’t need any more fuel and stop eating. It suppresses the effects of ghrelin. It also has an effect on reproduction, blood pressure and your immune system. It has an overall effect on energy metabolism.

These hormones are in balance and do their jobs properly when blood sugar levels and insulin levels are stable. The amount of sleep you get, your hydration status and the types of foods you eat also impacts the balance of these two hormones.

What can you do if these hormone are off? The only thing you can do – take care of yourself. These should look familiar to you.

1. Maintain a healthy weight. No dieting, just a good meal plan that supports good blood sugar without weight gain.

2. Increase physical activity or exercise. Moving, being active, actually using the stored fuel in your body will not only help your blood sugar, help you lose some weight but also reduces your stress and helps you to feel good in general.

3. Get good quality sleep. Yes, sleep has a huge impact on these two hormones and how well your body functions in general.

4. Eat regular meals. I encourage 3 meals a day. This keeps you from getting so hungry you binge and helps keep blood sugar on a more even keel.

5. Make sure you stay hydrated.

Dr Elaine

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This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the medical advice of your doctor or healthcare provider. Please consult your healthcare provider for advice about a specific medical condition.

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