Research
Hormonal
Bariatric surgery induces weight loss primarily through the suppression of ghrelin, a hunger-stimulating hormone, rather than solely through malabsorption.
Bariatric surgery is effective not just because it physically restricts food intake, but because it alters gut hormones like ghrelin to reduce hunger signals. This hormonal shift helps maintain weight loss long-term, even after the initial physical restriction effects diminish.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Importantly, a loss of the hunger message relayed by ghrelin has been suggested as the mechanism behind the weight-reducing effects of bariatric surgery [94]. ... weight loss persists, caused instead by a loss of appetite and hypophagia [96]. Concomitant with this effect, a fall in plasma ghrelin is observed following the bypass procedure...
Why this rating
Based on clinical observations and hormonal assays cited in the review.
Source
Brain regulation of food intake and appetite: molecules and networks
Christian Broberger · Journal of Internal Medicine · 2005
DOI 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2005.01553.x
narrative_reviewCited 246×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Genetic deficiency of leptin causes severe obesity in mice, which is completely reversed by leptin replacement therapy, demonstrating that leptin is essential for maintaining body weight homeostasis.Strong
- Peptide YY (PYY) is a satiety signal released from the gut after meals that inhibits food intake and promotes weight loss, with effects observed in both lean and obese humans.Good
- Ghrelin is the first gut hormone shown to stimulate food intake, and its levels peak before meals, acting as a hunger signal.Good
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