French scientists have reached a possible explanation for the weight loss effect of high-protein diets like Atkins. A team from the national research institute INSERM found that a high-protein diet triggers glucose production in the small intestine of rats. This induces feelings of satiety, making the animals less inclined to eat. While the Atkins diet was controversial among nutritionists, a number of studies showed that it did indeed lead to weight loss. Researchers linked this effect to protein’s impact on fullness, making dieters less likely to suffer from hunger pangs. But the mechanism by which proteins suppress appetite has been unclear. Previous research has found that high dietary protein has little effect on the major hormones that regulate hunger. The new study, published in Cell Metabolism (issue 2, vol 5, pp321-9), found that feeding rats a high protein diet significantly increased the activity of genes involved in glucose production in the animal’s small intestine. This led to increased protein production, which was sensed by the liver, and relayed to the brain, causing the animals to cut their food intake.
