Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme

How Gut Bacteria and Their Chemicals Influence Appetite Hormones and Hunger

Updated

Abstract

The gut microbiota influences appetite regulation through metabolites that activate various receptors on enteroendocrine cells.

  • Microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids and bile acid derivatives affect the secretion of appetite-related hormones.
  • Key hormones involved include ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, and leptin, glucagon-like peptide-1, peptide YY, nesfatin-1, and cholecystokinin, which promote feelings of fullness.
  • These hormones impact hypothalamic circuits, particularly the NPY/AgRP and POMC/CART pathways, connecting microbial signaling to appetite control.
  • Dysbiosis, or microbial imbalance, disrupts this endocrine signaling, leading to altered hormonal secretion and leptin resistance.
  • Such disruptions may contribute to obesity, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome.

Simplified

Full Text

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Funding

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
PubMed

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