How diet changes hunger hormone and health in people with belly fat
Diet-induced fasting ghrelin elevation reflects the recovery of insulin sensitivity and visceral adiposity regression.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how different diets affect a hunger hormone called ghrelin in people with belly fat. After 18 months, the green-MED diet (with green tea and a plant shake) led to the biggest rise in ghrelin, and higher ghrelin was linked to better blood sugar control and less belly fat in men. Women’s ghrelin levels actually dropped.
Surprising Findings
Women’s fasting ghrelin levels decreased after 18 months of weight loss, while men’s increased — a clear sex-specific response.
Most people assume weight loss diets should improve hunger regulation uniformly, but this study shows the opposite effect in women, which contradicts common assumptions about dieting and hormones.
Practical Takeaways
Consider adding plant-based elements like green tea and plant shakes to your diet — they may boost your hunger hormone and improve metabolic health.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
This study looked at how different diets affect a hunger hormone called ghrelin in people with belly fat. After 18 months, the green-MED diet (with green tea and a plant shake) led to the biggest rise in ghrelin, and higher ghrelin was linked to better blood sugar control and less belly fat in men. Women’s ghrelin levels actually dropped.
Surprising Findings
Women’s fasting ghrelin levels decreased after 18 months of weight loss, while men’s increased — a clear sex-specific response.
Most people assume weight loss diets should improve hunger regulation uniformly, but this study shows the opposite effect in women, which contradicts common assumptions about dieting and hormones.
Practical Takeaways
Consider adding plant-based elements like green tea and plant shakes to your diet — they may boost your hunger hormone and improve metabolic health.
Publication
Journal
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Year
2021
Authors
G. Tsaban, A. Yaskolka Meir, H. Zelicha, E. Rinott, Alon Kaplan, A. Shaleṿ, A. Katz, D. Brikner, M. Blüher, U. Ceglarek, M. Stumvoll, M. Stampfer, I. Shai
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Claims (5)
Visceral fat is metabolically active tissue that releases cytokines, which impair insulin sensitivity and disrupt metabolic signaling in the liver, muscles, and brain, leading to systemic metabolic dysfunction.
People with more belly fat and metabolic issues tend to have lower levels of a hunger hormone called ghrelin, which is linked to higher fat in the liver, more leptin (a fullness hormone), and higher blood pressure.
After following different diets for 18 months, people who ate a green-MED diet (with extra plant-based shakes and green tea) had a bigger increase in their hunger hormone levels compared to those on standard healthy eating guidelines.
In men with excess belly fat and metabolic issues, a rise in hunger hormone levels was linked to better blood sugar control, higher 'good' cholesterol, and reduced belly fat, even after accounting for how much weight they lost.
After following diets for 18 months, men's hunger hormone levels went up slightly while women's went down, showing a clear gender difference in how the body responds to dieting.