How to make your brain feel full faster

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Some foods turn off appetite by affecting the brain through taste buds.

Appetite is controlled by an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. After eating, the body increases the amount of hormones insulin and leptin. They act on the hypothalamus, and it blocks appetite.

However, it is possible to regulate appetite without the participation of hormones - through the taste buds. This is possible thanks to the brain cells tanycytes, which line the fundus of the third ventricle in the brain. Tanycytes receive information about food through their taste buds on the tongue and transmit signals to the hypothalamus along their long branches.

It used to be thought that they only respond to sweet tastes. But recently, scientists have found that tanycytes are also activated from the taste of the umami. This is the "fifth taste" that arises from the presence of amino acids in food.

In a study from the University of Warwick, scientists added concentrated amino acids to the highlighted brain cells. The strongest and fastest reaction of tanycytes was provided by two essential amino acids: lysine and arginine. In just 30 seconds, tanycytes recognized these amino acids and transmitted information to the hypothalamus.

When you consume foods rich in arginine and lysine, the umami taste receptors on the taste buds of the tongue detect their presence and transmit a message to the brain. There, tanycytes react to them, send signals to the hypothalamus, and the appetite decreases.

The amino acid levels in the blood and in the brain after a meal are very important signals that convey a feeling of fullness. The fact that tanycytes directly sense amino acids will help develop new ways to combat obesity.

Nicholas Dale Professor of Neurology, University of Warwick

This partly explains why people on high-protein diets feel less hungry and do not overeat even without a calorie restriction.

Arginine and lysine are found in large quantities in animal products: beef, pork, chicken, turkey, liver, mackerel, tuna, salmon, cheese. Also, essential amino acids are found in plant sources: lentils, wheat germ, avocado.

If you're looking to reduce your appetite and consume fewer calories, try including these foods with every meal.