Ghrelin is a potent peptide hormone primarily produced and actively secreted by the enteroendocrine cells located in the lining of the stomach, earning it the clinical designation as the “hunger hormone.” It functions as a rapid-acting signal to the central nervous system, potently stimulating appetite, promoting increased food intake, and significantly influencing systemic energy homeostasis. Ghrelin concentrations typically rise dramatically before meals and decrease rapidly after consumption, forming a crucial component of the body’s complex neuroendocrine appetite regulation system.
Origin
This hormone was first isolated and meticulously characterized in 1999, with its name intentionally derived from ghre, a root word in Proto-Indo-European meaning “to grow,” which reflects its parallel function as a powerful Growth Hormone-Releasing Peptide. Its discovery fundamentally expanded the scientific understanding of the gut-brain axis and the hormonal control mechanisms governing energy balance. Ghrelin’s specific role provides a direct, physiological link between the digestive state and critical hypothalamic signaling pathways.
Mechanism
Ghrelin exerts its orexigenic, or appetite-stimulating, effects by binding specifically to the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor (GHSR-1a), which is highly expressed in the hypothalamus, anterior pituitary gland, and other key brain regions. Activation of GHSR-1a in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus stimulates the release of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related peptide (AgRP), which are two of the most potent appetite-stimulating neuropeptides. This signaling cascade effectively initiates the sensation of hunger and promotes gastric motility in preparation for food intake.
Generic wellness programs risk suppressing the HPG and HPT axes by triggering an energy-deficient survival state, demanding personalized biochemical recalibration.
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