Hormone deficiency could hold key to obesity
A naturally-occurring hormone in the human gut could hold the answer to reducing obesity, according to scientists from Imperial College.
Their research, published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggests that overweight people have lower-than-average levels of the hunger-regulating hormone PYY3-36.
Obese volunteers’ hormone levels were one third below those of their slimmer counterparts, but when PYY3-36 was injected into volunteers their appetites were suppressed and their calorie intake was reduced by a third.
The study was carried out on a small scale with just 12 obese and 12 lean participants. After fasting during the previous night the subjects were given an intravenous drip containing the hormone or a placebo for 90 minutes.
Two hours after the end of the infusion, where the volunteers did not know which substance they were given, they were offered an unlimited buffet meal.
All 24 volunteers ate less on the day when they received a PYY3-36 infusion compared with the placebo day.
The authors have suggested that the hormone could form part of a new treatment to help cure the “obesity epidemic” that has hit the UK.
But Dr. Rachel Batterham also noted that patients would not necessarily have to receive daily injections: “This deficiency of PYY3-36 we observed in obese subjects could be the reason why some people become obese and others don’t. Further research is now needed to establish whether we can change people’s diet to increase the release of this hormone.”
Experts have still pointed out that the best way to lose weight is to eat a sensible diet and exercise regularly. But for those people who struggle with their size, a natural appetite suppressant could be the kick-start they need.
Unfortunately, it could be several years before enough is known about the effects of the hormone for some form of treatment to be developed.
58% of people in Britain are reported to be either overweight or clinically obese.
