The vicious circle of overeating
Cannabinoids cause obesity in mice
Scientists from the University of California have found that eating foods rich in fats and sucrose stimulates the endocannabinoid signaling system, which, in turn, stimulates the consumption of even more fats and sucrose.
Endocannabinoids are substances related to those contained in marijuana, which is why it is used. The difference is that endocannabinoids are produced by the human body to regulate vital functions as part of the endocannabinoid system. These chemical compounds affect the functions of neurotransmitters – substances that transmit nerve impulses, regulate food intake, energy balance and participate in the reward system.
Scientists conducted an experiment on mice that were kept on a diet rich in fats and sucrose for 60 days. During the whole period of the fatty diet, the content of endocannabinoids in the intestines of mice increased all the time compared to the control group, which was given regular food. In addition, as the content of endocannabinoids increased, animals on a fatty diet ate more and more often than their relatives from the control group and, accordingly, gained weight.
Scientists decided to check whether the endocannabinoid system really plays a role in overeating and injected mice with an endocannabinoid antagonist substance - AM6545, which leveled their effect by breaking the positive feedback "fatty foods – cannabinoids – fatty foods". As a result, the mice stopped overeating. This means that it was the internal cannabinoids that caused an unnatural appetite unrelated to hunger.
According to scientists, it is important that they were able to show that the antagonist suppresses the activity of the endocannabinoid system in peripheral organs and thus reduces the craving for overeating. At the same time, it does not affect the activity of the central nervous system. As scientists say, previous attempts to chemically suppress a person's craving for food on a full stomach rested on side effects – substances affected the central nervous system and led to depression and suicide.
Further studies should test the role of the endocannabinoid system in obesity in humans. According to scientists, the results of other studies have already shown that obese people have higher levels of endocannabinoids on average.
The study is described in the journal Physiology & Behavior (Donovan A. Argueta, Nicholas V. DiPatrizio, Peripheral endocannabinoid signaling controls hyperphagia in western diet-induced obesity).
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13.01.2017