Obesity Treatment Helps Suppress Hunger With Hormone Combination

New findings published in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry discuss how scientists have discovered a hormone-like compound that helps suppress hunger and boost satiety, or the feelings of fullness, all at the same time.

For the study, researchers gave the compound to obese mice for 14 days. Results showed that those who ate the hormone also had a tendency to eat less than those in other groups who had not received the hormone.

During the study, researchers targeted two main receptors in the body that helped them keep appetite levels in check. When hormones bind to ghrelin receptors, we're more likely to feel hungry. However, when they bind to Y2 receptors, we more likely to feel satisfied, according to a news release. 

As multiple hormones are at play, researchers worked to better address the complexity of the issue in order to design the compound. Thus, they designed a peptide that binds both.

The authors acknowledge funding from the European Union, the BMBF, the Deutsche Forchungsgemeinschaft and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.