Dopamine to prevent obesity

• April 19, 2024

Dopamine is a chemical that occurs in many parts of the nervous system, but mostly in one part of the brain, which is why it is also classified as a neurotransmitter that, if modified correctly, could be another strategy to prevent obesity.

The most interesting thing about it is that it is directly related to the reward and reward system, which is directly related to our way of eating, as explained Ranier Gutiérrez, researcher of the Laboratory of Neurobiology of Appetite of Cinvestav-IPN , in an interview with GetQoralHealth :

In this regard, researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory, United States Department of Energy , in New York, they explain that people obese they have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain and may eat more to stimulate the cerebral circuits of pleasure.

The brain remembers everything that triggers dopamine levels. Once a dopamine reward has been delivered, then the human being often constantly seeks that same reward again and again by repeating the behavior that triggered it. Modifying these behaviors helps prevent obesity .

The more we repeat this behavior, the greater the reward, and here its relationship with obesity is explained, according to neuromarca.com:
1. The more junk food you eat, the more garbage you will keep eating.
2. On the other hand, the opposite also applies: the less junk food you eat, the better trash you will eat.

The results of this study indicate that strategies aimed at improving the function of dopamine could be beneficial in the treatment and prevention of obesity ", says the main author of the study, Gene-Jack Wang .

They found that obese people had fewer dopamine receptors than those in the control group. This is one of the main findings of the study published by the British The Lancet: "Food is a way to compensate for the deficiency."

"Obese people may have fewer dopamine receptors because their brain is trying to balance the chronically high concentrations that result from their habit of overeating," Wang explains.

To achieve this balance, some medications are commonly used, such as antidepressants, but there are also natural ways to help regulate the level of dopamine, such as:
 

1. Exercise . Exercising 30 to 45 minutes early helps to increase the levels of dopamine in the brain. According to a study conducted in the University of Pittsburgh , morning is the ideal time for exercise because it helps dopamine reach its peak level (and serotonin) throughout the day.
 

2. Award or rest. According to the specialistRubén Bravo, spokesperson for the European Medical Obesity Institute (IMEO), "The illusion and the goals increase our dopamine levels, making us think that after the effort we will have a break or a prize".
 

3. Food. Drink 2 liters of water a day and eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetables with low glycemic index, makes our brain work at a good pace, providing energy in a stable and regular way.

In addition, with a balanced diet of carbohydrates (bread and potatoes) they help reduce it, while proteins (meat and eggs) help regulate it.
 

4. Supplements Take a multivitamin rich in vitamin B (a substance that helps fight low levels of dopamine), iron and zinc.

Raising the production and use of dopamine could help not only to improve the mood and sense of well-being, but also to modify the way of eating, and therefore, to prevent obesity.

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Video Medicine: Dopamine, Diabetes, Drug Addiction & Obesity - Neal Barnard MD (April 2024).