This Hormone Could Prevent You From Getting Obesity. Sleep Is Also Involved
Chinese scientists have discovered a new hormone, raptin (RCN2), the level of which in the body is associated with sleep duration and body weight.
It was identified during a study involving 262 citizens.
Of these, 127 subjects were diagnosed with obesity.
According to scientists, lack of sleep is linked to obesity, but exactly how remained unclear until recently.
Now, researchers have discovered a protein hormone produced by the hypothalamus during sleep in humans and mice.
This reduces appetite and “slows down the process of food leaving the stomach.”
According to experts, raptin, which obeys circadian rhythms, sends a satiety signal to the stomach, which ensures a decrease in the intensity of food consumption.
Lack of sleep reduces the level of this hormone, which leads to loss of appetite control.
Obese people have much lower levels of raptin than those with slim figures.
In addition, scientists have found that RCN2 is present in obese individuals suffering from night eating syndrome.
It also turned out that those who were treated for insomnia had increased levels of raptin, while their metabolism improved.
The study is important primarily because it will allow the recently discovered hormone to be used to develop new methods for combating obesity.
It could also become the basis for developing drugs that mimic the action of raptin.
