The Biology behind Hunger and Satiety

MBBS
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Hunger is a biological need for food, primarily triggered when the body needs energy or special nutrition. The process of hunger involves neural mechanisms and exchange of hormonal signals between the gut and hypothalamus region in the brain to regulate hunger and satiety.

Ghrelin often called as hunger hormone secreted in the stomach stimulates the excitatory primary neurons of the arcuate nucleus present in hypothalamus, inducing the sensation of hunger. This hormone is secreted when the stomach is empty, and the body is in need of food.

After eating the gut releases hormones like CCK, PPY and GLP-1 which sends signals to hypothalamus, creating a feel of satiety or fullness.

Leptin hormone released by adipocytes (fat cells) into the blood stimulates the inhibitory neurons of arcuate nucleus causing suppression of hunger.

Apart from these hormones, external factors like foods also help in attaining satiety feeling. Incorporating adequate Protein can trigger satiety hormones. Fiber creates stretch in the stomach, which triggers satiety signals through vagus nerve.

Research has shown Sleep deprivation can increase ghrelin levels and decrease leptin levels, triggering hunger. So, maintaining a proper sleep pattern helps in regulation of hunger.

Establishing regular eating patterns helps in training the body’s internal clock for ghrelin release.

There are three types of Hunger,

Homeostatic hunger: Hunger expressed only when there is a demand for calories or energy.

Hedonic Hunger: Hunger driven by pleasure rather than necessity and can be influenced greatly by stress, boredom and depression.

Microbiota-driven hunger: This is an emerging area of research where microbes can influence the gut hormone production, yet not a settled science.

Understanding the physiology of hunger will greatly help in maintaining the overall health. Which of these hunger regulating strategies do you think would make the biggest difference in your daily routine?

MBH/PS

14 Likes
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Great learning about types of hunger. very much insightful.

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True that. Sleeping patterns also influence hunger. Great insights provided by this post.
Homeostatic hunger is the one we all should be aiming for. The drive to consume should be regulated properly on a daily basis. This can solve many GI disturbances faced by many people these days.

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Hedonic hunger is something many of us overlook. Stress management might be just as important as diet management.

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It is important to understand the relationship between hunger hormones (ghrelin and leptin), sleep, and stress in order to maintain good health.

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This is a very clear breakdown of how hunger actually works in the body, and it’s surprising how much of it is shaped by sleep, hormones, and even gut microbes. I think most of us deal with homeostatic hunger far less than we think—and hedonic hunger far more. That’s the one where the brain says “I need a snack” even though the stomach is not part of that conversation at all. Understanding the difference really does help in making more mindful choices, because sometimes what we call hunger is just stress, boredom, or a craving pretending to be biology.

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Well explained. Among these, homeostatic hunger reflects the body’s genuine need for energy and nutrients, guided by physiological signals rather than emotions or cravings. Understanding and responding to this type of hunger encourages mindful eating, prevents unnecessary overeating and supports overall metabolic health and long term wellbeing.

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I think hedonic hunger is something that many of us neglect. Maintaining regular eating patterns, having a good sleep schedule, and avoiding stress, would definitely big difference in overall health.

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The signaling pathway is the reason we are adviced for mindful eating and eating slowly as it alows the signals of satiety to reach brain,preventing overeating.

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Hedonic Hunger

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really informative post. As mentioned microbiome driven hunger can become a potential source of research in developing anti obesity drugs.

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A highly articulate and informative description of the interplay between hormones, brain communication and lifestyle to control hunger. Knowledge of such mechanisms can indeed contribute to healthier and more conscious eating decisions.

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A regular daily routine of diet is an important aspect of suppressing hunger and having necessary nutrients.

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Thank you !

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Rightly said, regulation of our cravings can greatly help in avoiding many GI disturbances

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Very true!

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Yes. By understanding this relationship, we can avoid eating at wrong times.

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Yes. Understanding the difference is necessary, an apple can make you feel satiety in case of homeostatic hunger but if it’s a hedonic the option is endless depending on the mood.

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Rightly said! :raising_hands:

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Yes, hedonic hunger should be neglected.