DIETERS, you have a new enemy - your brain.
Scientists claim that dieters often struggle to shed the kilos because
their brains are secretly working against them.
When the body is starved of nutrition brain cells start eating
themselves - a process called autophagy - to keep energy levels up.
This in turn causes the body to make fatty acids, which increases
feelings of hunger in the brain. Trips to the fridge and biscuit tin
ensue.
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Writing in the science journal Cell Metabolism, researchers from Yeshiva
University in New York said they had successfully managed to stop the
chemical reaction in dieting mice.
This kept the mice light and slim, and could lead to successful weight
loss treatments for humans.
"Treatments aimed at the pathway might make you less hungry and burn
more fat, a good way to maintain energy balance in a world where
calories are cheap and plentiful," said Dr Rajat Singh, who led the
study.
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