ghrelin It is a very important agent for our body and depending on its level it can help us or not to lose weight. This is a hormone that is produced mainly in the stomach and has a large influence on appetite and body weightbecause it increases the feeling of hunger and the desire to eat.

ghrelin reduces energy expenditure, promotes fat storage and makes weight loss more difficult. Thus, controlling ghrelin levels is key to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight. In addition, it plays a fundamental role in sleep quality, taste and carbohydrate burningas noted in an analysis published in the journal “Molecular Metabolism”.

Just as there are foods we can eat at dinner to activate leptin, the hormone that reduces hunger, there are several methods recommended by experts to reduce ghrelin levelswhich increases when the stomach is empty and decreases when the stomach is full, and it’s not just about taking care of your diet. Find out what stimulates the hormone ghrelin and how to reduce its levels.

Why do I gain weight after dieting?

There are several factors that can affect body weight while we are in the process of losing weight or after it is completed, and one of them is ghrelin. Diet can affect ghrelin in several ways, especially if it is suddenly stopped. On the one hand, when compiling restrictive dietthe body interprets the situation of lack of food and increases the level of ghrelin to stimulate hunger and appetite.

This may make it difficult to stick to your diet and cause rebound effect when exiting itas shown by a study published in “American Journal of Preventive Medicine” about people who tried a diet and got their initial weight in less than a year.

On the other side, When you lose weight, your body adapts by reducing energy expenditure. and the production of leptin, a hormone that suppresses hunger. It does Ghrelin levels remain elevated even after eating, which causes greater hunger and less satiety. This may help restoration of lost weight and development of obesityas detailed in a University of Colorado analysis published in the journal. “Physiology and Behavior”.

Therefore it is recommended to follow balanced, varied and adapted nutrition tailored to individual needs, not too low in calories and essential nutrients. It is also advisable to combine the diet with exercise, which helps regulate ghrelin and other appetite-related hormones.. Likewise, there are other methods that affect ghrelin levels.

Are you running out of dinner ideas? Download our free eBook, Easy and Delicious Dinners, with tons of recipes to keep you from getting bored. Click here and grab it.

What does the hormone ghrelin stimulate?

Ghrelin levels change frequently throughout the day and are primarily controlled by food intake. Ghrelin levels typically increase when the stomach is empty.which can make us anxious, we eat more and therefore increase the number of calories we consume, which at the same time increase the amount of stored fatas noted in a study conducted by the Department of Endocrinology at VU University in the Netherlands, published in the journal “Obesity Reviews.”

On the other hand, when a person has eaten, these levels decrease. However there are others Factors that may affect ghrelin productionas they are:

• Dream. Lack or poor quality of sleep changes ghrelin levels, which increase; and leptin, which decreases, making us hungrier and less full.
• Stress. Chronic or acute stress can increase ghrelin levels and cause increased appetite and desire to eat foods, especially those high in fat and sugar.
• Hormones. Other hormones that can influence ghrelin levels are sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, or thyroid hormones such as thyroxine and triiodothyronine. These hormones may affect basal metabolism, energy expenditure, thermogenesis, or insulin sensitivity.

How to reduce ghrelin levels?

There are some habits that can help us regulate this hormone and reduce hunger. But, How can we stop ghrelin and prevent it from sabotaging our diet? Here are the most suitable methods:

• Eat often and in small quantities. Skipping meals or going many hours without eating causes ghrelin levels to spike and makes us hungrier. Ideally, eat four to six times a day and avoid prolonged fasting.
• Include protein in every meal. Protein is the macronutrient that is most satiating and most ghrelin-lowering, as detailed in a Tel Aviv University study published in the journal. ‘Steroids’, In addition, they help maintain muscle mass and increase metabolism. Recommended consumption 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram weight per day, divided among all meals.
• Eat soluble fiber. Soluble fiber is a type of fiber that dissolves in water and forms a viscous gel in the intestines. This gel improves digestion, increases the feeling of fullness and reduces ghrelin levels. In addition, it promotes intestinal transit,regulates cholesterol and sugar levels in the blood and promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria in the colon.
• Good night. Sleep is a fundamental factor in the regulation of appetite hormones. Insufficient or poor quality sleep alters ghrelin and leptin levels. When We sleep little or poorly, ghrelin increases, and leptin decreases.which makes us hungrier and less full, according to a study published in an international journal “PLOS Medicine”. Therefore, it is recommended to sleep between seven and nine o’clockfollowing a regular schedule and avoiding distractions such as light, noise or electronic devices.
• Doing physical exercise. Exercise has many benefits for health and body weight. Among them is the ability to regulate levels of ghrelin and other hormones associated with appetite. It is recommended to do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise to intense per week, combining aerobic exercise such as walking, running or swimming with strength training such as weight lifting or squats.
• Regulate your calories. Calorie regulation. According to a study from Oxford University published in the journal “International Journal of Obesity”periods High calorie intake can reduce the production of ghrelin and leptin.. In fact, they observed that over a two-week period during which the participants’ caloric intake increased by 29 to 45%, ghrelin levels decreased by 18%.