Heart failure takes away your appetite

Studies have shown that a hormone produced by cardiac ventricular cardiomyocytes can reduce appetite, opening the way to new treatments for people suffering from diabetes and obesity, the researchers reported in the journal Diabetes.

The key role here is played by the Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP for short), the elevated level of which is observed in patients suffering from chronic heart failure.

Researchers from the Medical University of Vienna studied the effect of intravenous administration of BNP (compared to placebo) on the hormones regulating appetite and the subjective feeling of hunger and satiety in healthy men. It turned out that the brain’s natriuretic peptide lowered the level of ghrelin, a hormone that stimulates the appetite, and increased the feeling of fullness.

The interaction of the brain and digestive system is related, among others, to with diseases such as irritable bowel syndrome or chronic indigestion (dyspepsia). The heart-brain-stomach relationship regulates the most important functions of the body, and in patients with heart failure it clearly facilitates the functioning of this organ by reducing weight, says Martin Clodi, who leads the team of scientists (PAP).

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