# Hunger hormones

Source: https://synapse-lifestyle.com/en/blog/hunger-hormones

Two hormones play a crucial role in regulating hunger and satiety: ghrelin and leptin. These hormones work together to influence your eating behaviour and keep your energy balance in check.

## Ghrelin: the hunger hormone

Ghrelin — often called the 'hunger hormone' — is produced by the stomach when it is empty. It signals to the brain that it's time to eat. When your stomach is empty, ghrelin levels in the blood rise, creating a feeling of hunger. This is a natural response that prompts us to seek food and eat in order to replenish our energy reserves.

## Leptin: the satiety hormone

Leptin — the 'satiety hormone' — is produced by fat cells. It tells your brain that you've eaten enough and that you're full. Leptin production is stimulated by various signals in the body:

- When the body receives cues that it's time to eat, for example from seeing or smelling food.
- While chewing food.
- When food reaches the stomach.

These signals highlight the importance of eating slowly and chewing thoroughly for a good sense of fullness.

## A disrupted ghrelin-leptin balance

Unfortunately, the balance between ghrelin and leptin can be thrown off, leading to problems with hunger and satiety. A key cause of this is leptin resistance, in which the body becomes less sensitive to leptin. This means that even after eating enough — with plenty of leptin circulating in the blood — the brain doesn't receive the signal properly, and you don't feel full.

### Causes of leptin resistance

- **Overeating**: Regularly overeating can teach your body to ignore feelings of fullness.
- **Excess weight**: More fat cells produce more leptin, but with excess weight the brain can become insensitive to it.
- **Insulin resistance**: This further disrupts the action of leptin and commonly occurs alongside excess weight.
- **Chronic stress and emotional difficulties**: These can also contribute to a disrupted sense of satiety.

## The consequences of disrupted satiety

When the ghrelin-leptin balance is disrupted, a vicious cycle develops. Satiety signals stop working properly, causing you to eat more often and in larger quantities than necessary — leading to excess weight and insulin resistance. This worsens leptin resistance, increasing hunger further and making it increasingly difficult to keep appetite in check.

## Conclusion

Understanding how ghrelin and leptin work can help you better manage hunger and satiety. By paying attention to how and what you eat, and by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, you can restore balance and develop healthier eating habits. Start putting these principles into practice today and enjoy a more balanced and healthier life!