On High Protein Diets and Appetite

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Why high protein diet fills us up
Scientists believe they may have cracked the reason why protein-rich
diets, such as Atkins, curb hunger.
They have discovered the diets spark glucose production in the small
intestine - a phenomenon which leads to us feeling full.
The researchers, from the French research body INSERM, say the
findings may help the development of new treatments for eating
disorders.
The study, on rats, is published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Appetite is controlled by many neurochemical and hormonal signals,
quite apart from psychological factors and social aspects
Dr Toni Steer

It is well known that eating a protein-based diet reduces hunger
pangs, and leads to people eating less food.

However, the mechanism by which proteins depress appetite has been
unclear.

Previous research has found that a rise in dietary protein has little
effect on the major hormones that regulate hunger.

The INSERM team found that feeding rats a high protein diet
significantly increased the activity of genes involved in glucose
production in the animal's small intestine.

Signals to the brain

This led to increased glucose production, which was sensed by the
liver, and relayed to the brain, causing the animals to cut their
food intake.

The researchers, led by Dr Gilles Mithieux, say they do not know how
protein would trigger increased glucose production.

But they believe it may trigger the release of chemical inside the
cells called cyclic AMP, which can stimulate the genes responsible
for producing glucose.

Dr Simon Langley-Evans, an expert in human nutrition at Nottingham
University, said: "Diets like Atkins do appear to promote weight loss
because they stop hunger.

"It appears to be nothing to do with the metabolic processing of
protein, but because people following these diets simply eat less.

"It makes sense that if proteins do somehow increase the production
of glucose in the small intestine that this would act on
neuropeptides that would send signals to the brain that the stomach
is full."

However, Dr Langley-Evans said glucose production was also stimulated
by a low carbohydrate diet.

He said: "How specific is this effect to a high protein diet - can
the same effect be shown with a high fat diet?"

Dr Toni Steer, a nutritionist at the Medical Research Council Human
Nutrition Research Unit, said further studies would be needed to pin
down the effect in humans.

She said "This is unlikely to be the whole story. Appetite is
controlled by many neurochemical and hormonal signals, quite apart
from psychological factors and social aspects."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/4416876.stm

Published: 2005/11/09 07:35:07 GMT

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