Natural hormone may reduce obesity without cutting calories, scientists say

Researchers at the University of Oklahoma have discovered a hormone that appears to reverse obesity in the body. The new study, published in the journal Cell Reports, used mouse models to identify a naturally occurring hormone called FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor 21). The hormone "appears to work by signaling to a brain region involved in metabolism and appetite regulation, the same area targeted by the popular GLP-1 drugs ," according to a university press release. PEPTIDES MAY SOON BE EASIER TO GET AMID RFK JR.'S PUSH, BUT EXPERTS WARN OF RISKS FGF21 is reportedly already involved in the development of a drug to treat metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), which is a form of fatty liver disease. Lead study author Matthew Potthoff, PhD, a professor of biochemistry and physiology at OU College of Medicine and deputy director of the OU Health Harold Hamm Diabetes Center, said the study showed how the hormone sends "signals" to the lower back region of the brain. "In our previous studies, we found that FGF21 signals to the brain instead of the liver, but we didn’t know where in the brain," he wrote. "We thought we would find that it signaled to the hypothalamus (which is widely implicated in body weight regulation), so we were very surprised to discover that the signal was to the hindbrain, which is where the GLP-1 analogs are believed to act." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER The brain circuit behind these metabolic benefits appears to work by "mediating the effects of FGF21," Potthoff said — a process that can also be linked to side effects like gastrointestinal issues and, in some cases, bone loss. "We hope that by identifying the specific circuit, it can help in the creation of more targeted therapies that are effective without negative side effects," he added. The FGF21 and GLP-1 hormones act differently, although they target the same area of the brain, according to the researchers. While GLP-1 reduces food intake