A common
theme with drinking is the constant will to eat, and once you start, you feel
like you can't stop. We know that alcohol can lower our sense of feeling full
and make us forget about portion control, but how is it doing it?
One of
the main components of alcohol is ethanol. Ethanol is soluble in water and in
lipids, allowing it to easily travel to all parts of the human body. When
ethanol reaches the brain, it can keep hormones such as leptin and glucagon-like
peptide-1 (GLP-1) from being secreted. Leptin is a hormone that suppresses appetite, and GLP-1
inhibits food intake. The exact mechanism of ethanol’s action in the brain is
not known. One study suggests that ethanol may attenuate in the leptin signal transduction, blocking its secretion.
Not only is leptin secretion inhibited, but the body can no longer recognize when it is full. The opposite effect actually occurs, when the body is full, it sends out signals saying that it is still hungry. Additionally, alcohol depletes the carbohydrates in your body by using them to metabolize and works as a diuretic. The body then craves the things it is losing, causing people to eat more. The combination of alcohol's effects with the mindsets of intoxicated people leads to eating more than necessary.
Sources:
An interesting topic. You explain the chemistry well. A good general interest source. The graphic is effective. You might include links to the sources in the text.
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