It's widely accepted that the nutritional facts of our food item of choice, whether it be a slice of pizza or a bowl of salad, will effect our bodies in predictable ways as labeled on the side of the box or bag. Metabolic science asserts that the degree in which you metabolite food is directly related to the amount of calories being consumed. Grhelin (regulated by Helicobacter pylori) is a hormone secreted in the gut that tells your brain you are hungry and slows your metabolism. If you chose to eat a low-calorie meal (such as a salad), grhelin levels only drop a little and as a result, the metabolism only increases marginally. On the other hand, if you chose to indulge in a high- calorie meal (like a whole box of meat-lover's pizza), grhelin levels drop more and metabolic activity is increased significantly.
A study investigating the power of food labels over human physiology discovered that metabolism may be influenced by the brain. Could food labels act as placebo pills and alter the rate of metabolism in the human body? Could reading the icecream's nutrition facts actually effect your waistline?
In this particular study, 2 groups of people were given the same milkshake which contained about 300 calories. The catch? Each group received differently labeled milkshakes. One group received a milkshake that was labeled "Low-Calorie, Sensishake, 0% Fat, No Added Sugar, Only 140 Calories". The second group received the same milkshake, only labeled as "Indulgence, 620 Calories". It was discovered that grhelin levels dropped about three times more when the participant believed he/she was indulging in a high-calorie shake in comparison to the "Sensishake" group (Crum et al, 2011). This means that despite both groups drinking the exact same milkshake, one group had a different metabolic response.
This is an astounding study, as it suggests that our beliefs about our food matter in the metabolism of it.
Reference:
Crum, A. J., Corbin, W. R., Brownell, K. D., & Salovey, P. (2011). Mind over milkshakes: Mindsets, not just nutrients, determine ghrelin response.. Health Psychology, 30(4), 424-429.
Yes, that is indeed astounding! The fact that our brains are so powerful never fails to amaze me. I am somewhat curious about this study, as hunger/appetite is not only influenced by Ghrelin but by other hormones as well, including Leptin. Did the researchers mention how Ghrelin works in relation to these other hormones? Do you know if other appetite/hunger hormones are regulated by microbes? Very cool!
ReplyDeleteThat is amazing! Do you know of any other studies that have used a similar test with the same results?
ReplyDeleteThat is a very interesting result. Did they do other tests with different food types?
ReplyDeleteI'm unaware of any further studies that have investigated this labeling effect on Ghrelin levels. Nevertheless, the article suggests that more research needs to be done to explore this psychological/metabolic concept. The researchers in this particular study did not focus on the interaction of Ghrelin with other hormones such as Leptin. However, Leptin is considered the 'hunger-suppressor', thus deficiency is believed to be related to obesity. Leptin levels fluctuate in response to the amount of fat mass on the body; the more fat stored, the more Leptin is released. Gut permeability and microbes that may induce permeability/inflammation may be tied to Leptin deficiency- But unfortunately I did not have access to some articles that discussed this possibility further. I may look into this topic in more detail and see if I can find a definitive answer for my next blog.
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