Sumber : foodandwine.com, Stacey Leasca. 8 maret 2025

In February, researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research in Cologne, Germany, published a new report in the journal Science that examined the effects of sugar consumption after we already feel full. They discovered that hypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates our hormones and creates feelings of hunger, thirst, sleepiness, and a sense of fullness after eating, are responsible for this effect.

"We discovered that POMC neurons not only promote satiety in fed conditions but concomitantly switch on sugar appetite, which drives overconsumption," the researchers explained.

In simple terms, the Institute explained that the same nerve cells that make us feel full also trigger our cravings for sweets afterward. In fact, they noted that even the "mere perception" of having sweets releases the "opiate ß-endorphin, which makes evolutionary sense because sugar provides quick energy", and this is true for mice and humans.

As for how they hope their research will be used, the team noted that it could be useful in the treatment of obesity. "There are already drugs that block opiate receptors in the brain, but the weight loss is less than with appetite-suppressant injections," Fenselau said.