Hypothalamus Studies

For your brain’s sake, you may want to go easy on simple carbs in favor of healthier complex carbs, the preferred source. They can help you maintain your weight in an optimum range as you need smaller amounts to feel satisfied and feel full longer, as compared with foods containing simple sugars and high-fructose corn syrup. Studies on the effects of glucose and fructose on the hypothalamus—the appetite control center that responds to hormones such as Leptin that tell the brain you are full—are fascinating. When study participants consumed a drink containing only glucose, blood flow and activity in the hypothalamus decreased and they reported feeling full. When the same participants were fed a fructose drink, the hypothalamus remained active and the participants did not report feeling full. The brain still thought the body was hungry. (Gameau, Damon. The Sugar Book. P. 121. NY:Flatiron Books, 2015)