Obesity Can Change Your Brain and Make it Harder to Lose Weight

Obesity and its effects on the brain have been extensively studied, and recent research reveals how weight gain can directly impact the brain itself. A new study published in Nature Metabolism has uncovered the long-term consequences of obesity-related brain changes, which can persist even after weight loss, making it challenging to maintain lasting weight reduction. The study found that these brain changes can disrupt the signals that indicate fullness, leading to difficulties in controlling food intake. It is concerning that the impact of obesity on the brain may be irreversible, potentially contributing to weight regain even after successful weight loss efforts.

Extensive research has been conducted to examine the relationship between the brain and obesity, although the long-term implications are still being assessed.

According to Lizzy Davis, PhD RDN, an Assistant Professor and the Dietitian Education Program Director at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the issue lies not in the amount of food consumed, but rather in the lack of signals reaching the brain’s pleasure centers responsible for the satisfaction derived from eating.

Experts have established that hormone levels play a crucial role in regulating appetite and energy. Dr. Sahar Takkouche, a lead expert in Bariatric and Obesity Medicine and an assistant professor at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center, explains that hormonal signals like leptin and insulin, which control appetite and energy balance, are often disrupted in individuals with obesity.

To delve deeper into this matter, researchers conducted a controlled trial involving 60 participants. Thirty of them were medically obese, with a BMI exceeding 30, while the other thirty had a non-obese weight, with a BMI of 25 or less. During the experiment, participants were administered carbohydrates, fats, or water (as a control) directly to the stomach using a nasogastric tube. This approach aimed to establish a direct connection between the gut and the brain.

On the eve of the test, all participants were provided with a uniform meal. During the testing phase, the participants’ brains were assessed using functional MRI (fMRI) and single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) to analyze their response to carbohydrates, fats, and water.

By employing these testing techniques, researchers gained insights into how food impacts different reward centers in the brain, specifically the striatum region.

Upon examining this area, researchers observed that lean individuals experienced a slowdown in the striatum, signaling to the brain that the body had been nourished. Additionally, dopamine levels increased, indicating a sense of satisfaction.

In contrast, individuals with medical obesity did not exhibit a slowdown in the striatum, and their dopamine levels remained unaffected. As a result, their brains did not recognize the sensation of fullness after eating.

Takkouche explains that dopamine, a crucial neurotransmitter, plays a significant role in the brain’s reward, motivation, and pleasure systems.

She further elaborates, stating that the reward deficiency hypothesis suggests that decreased responses in the brain’s reward system to food stimuli and obesity lead to increased food consumption in order to achieve the same level of pleasure.

The patients who were medically obese were then instructed to shed around 10% of their body weight within a span of 3 months. This specific amount of weight loss has been scientifically proven to enhance metabolism, regulate blood sugar levels, and improve overall health.

Interestingly, the participants who were successful in losing the targeted 10% did not experience any changes in their brain’s ability to recognize fullness or satisfaction.

According to Davis, it is worth noting that the lean group demonstrated a significantly higher release of dopamine, in comparison to both the obese group and the group that achieved the 10% weight loss. This is significant because dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with rewards and pleasure.

Davis further elaborates that this implies that the lean group derived more pleasure and satisfaction from the intake of lipids, in comparison to the obese group, both before and after the 10% weight loss.

While the data and information presented are captivating, there is still much more to uncover about the relationship between the brain and obesity.

According to Davis, it is important to approach the findings of this study with caution due to the small sample size and the limitations of the study design, which prevent us from drawing a direct cause-and-effect conclusion. In other words, we cannot definitively say that this factor leads to obesity.

Serlie emphasizes the need to determine when exactly the brain loses its ability to regulate food intake and what factors contribute to this change. By identifying this tipping point, it may be possible to prevent it from happening.

Takkouche emphasizes that weight loss is not as simple as just eating less and exercising more. Our bodies, especially our brains, are complex entities that we are only beginning to comprehend.

She also stresses the importance of patience when it comes to ourselves and others who are trying to lose weight, as the process can be more intricate than it appears.

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