Can Vigorous Workouts Reduce Hunger?

Ghrelin is a hormone in the body that is responsible for stimulating appetite and making you feel hungry by increasing activity in a specific area of the brain. People with higher levels of ghrelin generally have a harder time losing weight. Past studies have shown that ghrelin levels may increase when a person is dieting because the body is hardwired to protect itself from starvation. 

Additionally, there are some conditions, such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditisPrader-Willi syndromeanorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa that are associated with higher levels of ghrelin. At the same time, there is evidence to suggest that exercise may help lower ghrelin levels. 

Now, researchers from the University of Virginia, in Charlottesville, have found that vigorous exercise suppresses ghrelin release more than moderate exerciseTrusted Source, and that this effect may be more pronounced in women.

Excerpted from Medical News Today

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