Hormonne helps curb cravings for sugar

According to scientists from the University of Iowa (USA), liver-born hormones called fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) can help fight cravings for sweets.

This is the first time a single mechanism found in the liver is effective against sugar cravings. FGF21 is known to be a hormone that regulates carbohydrates in the blood. However, scientists believe that FGF21 also has an effect on taste preferences.

Hormone FGF21 can curb sugar cravings.(Source: Fortune).

To test that idea, the scientists created two genetically modified mice: one whose body did not produce FGF21 and the other group overproduced the hormone. Scientists then provide mice with a variety of different types of foods that have different sugars, complex sugars and carbohydrates to see what foods they like. The results showed that mice without FGF21 were extremely fond of high-sugar diets. Meanwhile, mice produced excessive FGF21 and avoided sweets.

The study also showed that FGF21 inhibits the craving for simple sugars without affecting appetite for complex sugars or carbohydrates in mice.

In the future, scientists will continue to study neurons in mice affected by this hormone change. Currently, they suspect that these nerve pathways are in the hypothalamus (the hypothalamus) - the brain region regulating hunger and bridging the endocrine and nervous system.

If the same functions and paths exist in humans, scientists will likely find a way to control the craving for sugar in humans.

Matthew Potthoff - assistant professor at the University of Iowa and co-author of the study, said the results of the final study will be published in the journal Cell Metabolism in February 2016.