16/04/2025
🧠🍽️ Is Your Appetite Just in Your Head — or Your Hormones?
If you feel hungrier than usual… or have no appetite at all — don’t rush to blame stress or emotions. Your appetite is not just psychological — it’s deeply biochemical, driven by a complex neuroendocrine network that connects your brain (hypothalamus), gut hormones, fat-derived hormones, and thyroid function.
Appetite Regulation: Your hunger and fullness signals are shaped by the Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus, along with hormone messengers from your:
🟢 Gut: Ghrelin (hunger), GLP-1, CCK (satiety)
🟢 Fat cells: Leptin (fullness), Adiponectin
🟢Pancreas: Insulin (blood sugar and fat storage)
🟢 Thyroid: T3 (Triiodothyronine) and T4 (Thyroxine) – key metabolic regulators
🔥 Hormonal Players That Shape Metabolism & Appetite:
✅ Ghrelin → Increases appetite before meals
✅ Leptin → Suppresses appetite, but resistance causes false hunger
✅ Insulin → Triggers fat storage, spikes cause cravings
✅ Cortisol → Elevated during stress → increases cravings + belly fat
✅ T3/T4 → Directly influence BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) + energy use
⚖️ Hormonal Appetite Swings Can Impact Weight:
↓ T3/T4 → ↓ metabolism, fatigue, ↓ or unchanged appetite, yet weight gain
↑ Cortisol → ↑ emotional eating, ↑ visceral fat
Leptin resistance → constant hunger, slowed metabolism
Insulin surges → fat gain, metabolic disruption
💡 Smart Strategies to Regulate Hormonal Appetite: ✅ Check Thyroid Function (TSH, Free T3, T4)
✅ Stabilize Blood Sugar with protein + healthy fats
✅ Manage Cortisol through sleep, mindfulness, movement
✅ Improve Leptin Sensitivity via fiber-rich, unprocessed meals
🥦 Eat To Support Appetite Balance:
Lean Proteins: Chicken, turkey, tofu, lean beef, mutton
Fiber-Rich Veggies: Kale, spinach, cauliflower, zucchini
Healthy Fats: Olive oil, nuts, chia seeds, avocado
Omega-3s: Chia, flaxseeds, walnuts
