DYK that your gut and metabolism go hand in hand. These two powerhouses don’t just keep your digestive system and energy levels in check, they also play an important role in your appetite – influencing how you experience hunger, cravings, and satiety.
We’re diving into the details of this interconnected trio in this blog post!
The Working Relationship Between Your Gut & Metabolism
The gut and metabolism both influence and support one another, with the gut playing a key role in regulating metabolic homeostasis, including glucose and hormone levels, through the gut-brain axis.
Before we dive in to how each of these systems play into your appetite, it’s important to understand how they work together:
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Nutrient Absorption & Energy Supply: The gut is responsible for food breakdown and absorbing nutrients, which are essential for the metabolism to convert food into energy. But when the gut is off – like an imbalance of good to bad bacteria or a damaged gut lining (aka leaky gut) – your body might not absorb nutrients properly. This means that even if you’re eating the right foods, your gut might not be getting what it needs. That can mess with your body’s signals to the brain or throw off metabolic processes.
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Hormonal Communication: The gut and metabolism ‘talk’ through various hormones. For example, research says that gut hormones like GLP-1 and PYY not only signal satiety but also influence insulin sensitivity and energy storage (which are critical aspects of metabolic health). On the other hand, metabolic hormones like ghrelin and leptin affect gut motility and hunger signals.
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Microbiome and Metabolic Rate: The gut microbiome plays a significant role in your resting metabolic rate. Certain gut bacteria, specifically those that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), can influence how the body expends and stores energy from food. SCFAs help regulate metabolism by supporting energy balance and even impacts fat storage.
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Inflammation and Metabolic Health: Chronic inflammation in the gut can lead to metabolic dysfunction, which contributes to various health risks. Maintaining a healthy gut helps keep inflammation in check, supporting overall metabolic health.
Gut Health & Appetite
Your gut, aka the “second brain,” houses trillions of microorganisms collectively known as the gut microbiome. This bustling community is responsible for an array – or Arrae (wink,wink) – of things, including your appetite and cravings.
Cravings and the Gut-Brain Axis
Ever wonder why you crave chocolate during a stressful day? Or have a strong urge to order pizza after a poor night of sleep?
It all comes down to the gut-brain axis – a communication highway between your gut and brain. Your gut microbiome influences neurotransmitter production like serotonin and dopamine, which are key players in mood regulation and cravings. Research says that an imbalance of beneficial vs. harmful bacteria in your gut flora can disrupt these signals, leading to those pesky cravings.
The bad bacteria thrive on sugar and processed foods. When there’s an overgrowth of these harmful bacteria, they essentially overtake your body’s natural signals, sending powerful messages to your brain to crave more sugar. These signals can be much stronger than your body’s normal hunger cues, overtaking your usual cravings. So if you’re constantly craving sugar (beyond the occasional sweet treat), it could be a sign that gut dysbiosis is controlling your cravings.
Satiety and Gut Hormones
Your gut also produces hormones that signal fullness, such as peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) – and these hormones work with the brain to regulate appetite. But when your gut isn’t functioning properly, it can’t signal the brain properly – which can lead to overeating and constantly feeling hungry.
Studies show that gut dysbiosis (or an imbalance in gut bacteria), can also contribute to GLP-1 resistance – meaning your body becomes less responsive to the hormone, interfering with satiety and appetite regulation.
The foods you eat can influence the production of these hormones, too. For example, high-fiber foods can enhance satiety hormone production, helping you to feel full and satisfied for longer periods of time. This is why a diet rich in fruits, veggies, and whole grains can support a balanced appetite.
Gut Microbiome and Nutrient Absorption
The gut microbiome plays a very important role in nutrient absorption. It helps break down complex carbs, proteins, and fats, making it easier for the body to absorb these nutrients. A balanced microbiome ensures this process stays efficient, which supports overall health and metabolic function.
With poor nutrient absorption, your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs, which can impact your metabolism and energy levels. This often leads to stronger cravings and increased appetite as your body signals the need for more nutrients, even if you’re eating the right foods.
Essentially, no matter what you eat, your body will keep asking for more if the gut isn’t functioning properly. This creates a vicious cycle where poor gut health & poor nutrient absorption feed into each other, further messing with metabolism and appetite regulation.
Metabolism & Appetite
Metabolism is the body’s process of converting food into energy. It’s made up of a network of hormones and enzymes that not only determine how efficiently you burn calories but also influence your appetite and hunger levels.
Energy Expenditure: Fuel for Thought
Your metabolism controls how quickly your body burns calories, and a higher basal metabolic rate (BMR) means your body burns calories more efficiently. Studies suggest that people with higher BMRs (faster metabolisms) might feel hungrier but are less likely to store excess fat because they burn more energy throughout the day.
But here’s a common misconception: many people think that eating less or crash dieting will speed up weight loss, but that’s not necessarily true. When your body isn’t getting enough nutrients, it has to conserve more energy. This slows down the metabolism and can lead to stronger cravings and overeating.
Eating balanced, regular meals keeps your metabolism active, reducing cravings and helping your body burn calories more effectively.
Hormonal Balance: Gherlin and Leptin
Ghrelin and leptin are two major hormones that control appetite regulation. Ghrelin, aka the “hunger hormone,” signals your brain when it’s time to eat. It’s produced in the stomach and its levels increase before meals, promoting hunger cues. After eating, ghrelin levels decrease, reducing the feeling of hunger.
Leptin, on the other hand, is produced by fat cells and sends messages to the brain when you’re full. It helps regulate energy balance by preventing hunger. However, factors like age, stress, insulin resistance, weight, and inflammation can cause the body to become resistant to leptin – which can cause you to feel more hungry even though your body has enough energy stored up.
Fat Metabolism & Steady Energy
The body’s ability to metabolize fats also plays a significant role in managing hunger. Efficient fat metabolism helps maintain steady energy levels, which can promote a balanced appetite and prevent energy crashes that lead to food cravings.
When the body is able to properly break down and utilize fats for energy, you’re less likely to experience drastic fluctuations in blood sugar levels, which can trigger hunger and cravings.
How Arrae Can Help
To sum it up, your gut and metabolism are two unsung heroes of appetite regulation. Arrae Bloat, MB-1, and Gut Boost help nurture these systems to promote a balanced appetite through supporting your overall digestive and metabolic health!
Arrae Bloat
Arrae Bloat is your go-to for a smooth and comfortable digestion. It contains 5 natural herbs and a pineapple-derived digestive enzyme that work together to speed up digestion. Our blend not only helps your body break down food more efficiently, but also supports a balanced digestive system with daily use to help support a balanced appetite.*
Arrae Gut Boost
Gut Boosts primes your digestive system with a unique blend of ingredients like gentian root and bitter orange peel. Our gut-friendly take on this age-old tradition stimulates digestion enzymes to speed up food breakdown. It’s designed to support a balanced appetite and reduce sugar cravings by influencing gut hormones and the microbiome.*
Arrae MB-1
MB-1 is designed to provide comprehensive metabolic support. Its science-backed ingredients naturally boost your metabolism to help your body burn more calories at rest. This not only keeps you feeling energized but also helps with healthy weight management.
MB-1’s clinically-trialed ingredients, like IGOB131® also help balance key hormones – leptin and ghrelin – that control how hungry or full you feel. By regulating these hormones, our formula helps promote satiety and curb cravings to support mindful eating habits.
*Disclaimer*: This article is purely informational and does not imply any evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration. This article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases, nor should it substitute for advice from a healthcare professional.
References
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Caudwell, Phillipa, et al. “Resting Metabolic Rate Is Associated with Hunger, Self-Determined Meal Size, and Daily Energy Intake and May Represent a Marker for Appetite.”The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Elsevier, 28 Nov. 2012, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916523053674.
“Ghrelin Hormone: Function and Definition.”Cleveland Clinic, 1 May 2024,my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/22804-ghrelin.
Grasset, Estelle, et al. “A Specific Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis of Type 2 Diabetic Mice Induces GLP-1 Resistance through an Enteric No-Dependent and Gut-Brain Axis Mechanism.”PubMed, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2017, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28467926/.
Khansari, Nemat, et al. “Chronic Inflammation and Oxidative Stress as a Major Cause of Age-Related Diseases and Cancer.”Recent Patents on Inflammation & Allergy Drug Discovery, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 3 Jan. 2009, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19149749/.
L, Fändriks. “Roles of the Gut in the Metabolic Syndrome: An Overview.”Journal of Internal Medicine, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 19 Dec. 2016, pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27991713/#:~:text=Several%20gut%2Drelated%20mechanisms%20that,energy%20from%20nondigestible%20food%20ingredients.
Ngondi, Judith L, et al. “IGOB131, a novel seed extract of the West African plant Irvingia gabonensis, significantly reduces body weight and improves metabolic parameters in overweight humans in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled investigation.”Lipids in Health and Disease, vol. 8, no. 1, 2 Mar. 2009, https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-511x-8-7.
Valdes, Ana M, et al. “Role of the Gut Microbiota in Nutrition and Health.” The BMJ, British Medical Journal Publishing Group, 13 June 2018, www.bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2179.
