Could Your Brain Cells be the Cause of Your Diet Troubles?
A recent study that used mice might now be able to explain how brain cells could potentially be the cause of your diet troubles. Basically, there are certain brain cells that could behave as triggers that will prevent you from burning calories whenever there is not enough food around.
Continue reading to learn more about this fascinating study, as you may find that the cause of your diet troubles has more to do with your brain than you originally thought.
First, Understand How the Body Works
To understand how the brain could affect your weight, you have to understand how the body operates on a whole. Firstly, it works a lot like a thermostat, as it will determine the number of calories that it burns based upon the number of calories that are consumed. So, for example, when you eat less food, your body will have to compensate, so it will end up burning fewer calories. That, in turn, makes shedding those extra pounds harder, which is why experts do not usually recommend fasting as a weight loss strategy.
Essentially, the brain has to regulate what can be referred to as a caloric thermostat. Experts, however, are not quite sure about how the brain will adjust your body’s calorie burning rate with regards to how much food you ate. But recent research has been able to identify a mechanism that allows the body to adapt to a reduced amount of calories.
What Researchers Learned from Mice
When working with mice, researchers were able to test a group of neurons within the hypothalamus of the brain. Referred to as agouti-related neuropeptide neurons, or AGRP, they play a role in regulating your appetite because, when they are activated, they spur you to eat. When they are totally inhibited, on the other hand, these neurons could cause anorexia.
By using a genetic trick, the researchers switched the neurons off and on so they could manipulate the activity. Ultimately, they found that AGRP are contributors to the body’s caloric thermostat. When they are activated, they make you hungry. When there isn’t enough food around, they will save energy by limiting the amount of calories burned. That, in turn, limits weight loss.
So there you have it, brain cells could very well be the cause of your diet troubles after all. However, by making it a point to eat small meals throughout the day, you can keep those neurons activated so that your body will continue burning calories and losing weight. You can also reduce your caloric intake moderately, and exercise regularly, to get even better results.
