Hormonal
Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone that stimulates food intake and reduces energy expenditure by activating NPY/AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus, acting in opposition to leptin.
Ghrelin is your body's natural 'hunger hormone' that rises before meals and falls after eating. It works by stimulating specific brain neurons (NPY/AgRP) to increase food intake and reduce fat burning. To manage energy balance, recognize that ghrelin levels naturally fluctuate with fasting and feeding; strategies that stabilize blood sugar and maintain muscle mass can help modulate these natural hormonal swings.
Ghrelin stimulates the synthesis of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and agouti-related protein (AgRP) in the arcuate nucleus neurons of the hypothalamus and hindbrain, which in turn enhance food intake... Ghrelin is involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis by increasing food intake and reducing fat utilisation.
Why this rating
The paper is a comprehensive review citing over 1400 papers and multiple foundational studies (Kojima, Tschop, Nakazato).
Source
Ghrelin: a hormone regulating food intake and energy homeostasis
Mercedes Gil‐Campos et al. · British Journal Of Nutrition · 2006
DOI 10.1079/bjn20061787
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