Fat Sensors in Our Intestines Can Stimulate the Brain and Gut To Crave More Fatty Foods

A dieter struggling with fatty food cravings may be inclined to blame their tongue: the exquisite flavor of butter or ice cream is difficult to ignore.

However, a recent study into the origins of our appetite has discovered an altogether new link between the gut and the brain that triggers our craving for fat.

Craving fatty food related to the gut-brain connection

(Photo : ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Scientists at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute discovered that fat enters the intestines and sends a signal. This signal travels via the brain's nerves and stimulates the appetite for fatty meals, as per Sciencedaily. 

The new study, which was published in Nature on September 7, 2022, opens the idea of interfering with this gut-brain link to help avoid unwise decisions and solve the rising worldwide health epidemic caused by overeating.

Researchers discovered that glucose triggers a unique gut-brain circuit that interacts with the brain in the presence of intestinal sugar.

Calorie-free artificial sweeteners, on the other hand, have no such impact, which may explain why diet drinks might leave us feeling hungry.

Dr. Mengtong Li, a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Charles Zuker's group at the Zuckerman Institute, sought to investigate how mice react to dietary fats, the lipids, and fatty acids that all animals must ingest to provide the building blocks of life.

Despite the fact that scientists genetically changed the mice to eliminate the animals' capacity to taste fat with their tongues, they developed this predilection.

According to the researchers, fat must stimulate specific brain circuits that drive the animals' behavioral reactions to fat.

The neurons in the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) of the brainstem perked up. This was noteworthy because the cNST had previously been linked to the lab's finding of the neurological basis of sugar desire.

Dr. Li then tracked down the communication links that sent the message to the cNST. When mice got fat in their intestines, neurons in the vagus nerve, which connects the gut to the brain, twittered with activity.

Read More: Saturated Fats' Role in Type-2 Diabetes More Complex than Previously Considered

The Dangers of Excessive Fat Consumption

A high-fat diet can lead to a variety of significant complications, including metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disorders, as per Livestrong.

However, dietary fat is a required and healthful ingredient that supports a variety of body activities. In the end, whether or not you consume too much fat is determined by the sort of fat you consume.

The health concerns connected with consuming too much fat are usually related to the consumption of bad fats. Fast meals, refined foods, and processed foods are high in harmful fats and are popular in Western diets.

According to research published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in April 2018, at least 71% of Americans are overweight or obese.

Many of these people have other health problems, such as prediabetes or gastrointestinal inflammation.

Many of the risks of consuming too much fat begin with modest concerns, such as weight gain, digestive troubles, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.

However, these issues are frequently alleviated by just eating a healthy diet. In many circumstances, you do not even need to limit your fat consumption; instead, focus on eating healthy fats.

Related Article: Study: Obesity a Brain Disease, Sweet Fatty Foods Make You Eat More Even if You're Full