Research
Hormonal
FGF21 is a liver-derived hormone that coordinates metabolic and behavioral responses to protein restriction and macronutrient imbalance, specifically driving changes in macronutrient choice.
This is a mechanistic insight. It suggests that the body has specific hormonal signals (like FGF21) that drive cravings for specific nutrients (like protein) when imbalanced. This explains why 'hunger' can be specific to certain foods, not just total calories.
ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
Thus, FGF21 is a liver-to-brain signal that coordinates metabolic and behavioral responses to protein restriction and macronutrient imbalance, and it particularly appears to be one of the few hormones that directly drives changes in macronutrient choice.
Why this rating
Based on animal studies (mice) and 'recent work', mechanisms are not fully clear in humans.
Source
What Should I Eat and Why? The Environmental, Genetic, and Behavioral Determinants of Food Choice: Summary from a Pennington Scientific Symposium
Emily Qualls‐Creekmore et al. · Obesity · 2020
DOI 10.1002/oby.22806
narrative_reviewCited 23×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Reducing total energy (calorie) intake is the primary and necessary strategy for weight management, regardless of the specific macronutrient source.Good
- Prioritizing whole or natural foods over highly or ultraprocessed foods is highly recommended for weight management and metabolic health.Good
- Dietary composition should favor complex carbohydrates over simple sugars and be enriched in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids rather than saturated fats.Good
Related findings · Hormonal
- Initial treatment for type 2 diabetes should be a combination of metformin and either an SGLT-2 inhibitor or a GLP-1 receptor agonist to achieve cardiorenal protection, rather than monotherapy or older agents like sulfonylureas.Strong
- For patients with specific monogenic obesity syndromes (leptin deficiency, POMC/PCSK1/LEPR mutations), targeted pharmacotherapy (recombinant leptin or setmelanotide) is highly effective and should be prioritized, unlike in polygenic obesity.Strong
- Continued weekly administration of 2.4 mg subcutaneous semaglutide prevents weight regain and promotes further weight loss in adults with overweight or obesity, whereas switching to placebo results in significant weight regain.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →