Hormones Impacting Food

Seeking Behavior
Lori Thompson
 Selected Hormone Actions on Food Intake -
Hormone Origin Action

Ghrelin Increases between Stomach Stimulates appetite

meals based on
previously
consumed volume
of food

Leptin Higher in obesity, Adipose Tissue Suppresses

but cells may be appetite, increases
resistant energy expenditure

PYY Lower in obesity, Small intestine Suppresses

increases after a appetite
meal

Neuropeptide Y Increases between Hypothalamus Stimulates appetite

meals, triggered by particularly
falling blood carbohydrate
glucose levels cravings, promotes
energy storage as
fat

Adiponectin Higher in obesity Primarily visceral Increases insulin

fat stores sensitivity
Hormonal Control of Food Intake

Determined by:
Genetic instructions
Bodys fat mass
Bodys lean tissues
Amount/volume of food in previous meal
Sensitivity of hormone receptor sites
Macronutrients entering small intestine

Food intake influenced by input from nervous

system
Stomachs stretch receptors
Afferent sensory fibers from mouth, eyes, nose,
etc. trigger a reward cascade that releases
dopamine
More information on this topic

Many peer-reviewed journal articles on this topic. One good

article can be found at:

Morton, G. J., Cummings, D. E., Baskin, D. G., Barsh, G. S.,

& Schwartz, M. W. (2006). Central nervous system control of
food intake and body weight. Nature, 443(21), 289-295.