Looks like a patriotic liver, doesn't it? Well that picture is an enzyme responsible for the breakdown of fat in our bodies. We'll get to it later. What I'd like to do now is dispel a rumor about insulin. Contrary to popular belief, insulin acts as an appetite suppressant when it reaches the brain. A study identifies that diabetics have a lack of insulin receptors, which result in a failure to adequately suppress the appetite. In addition, diabetics have a lack of lipase (patriotic liver picture), affecting their ability to metabolize fat for energy. Good grief, Charlie Brown.
The endocrine system and the nervous system work together in regulating our appetite. Insulin notifies the brain when the body needs the liver to release glucose for energy. The efficiency of this hormonal pathway is impaired in diabetics, go figure. Leptin is the way that your fat stores speak to your brain to let your brain know how much energy is available and, very importantly, what to do with it. There is a defining correlation between leptin and insulin levels when it comes to diabetes and obesity. Hunger leads to higher sugars ultimately leading to weight gain. Obviously this resulting weight gain is based on how you react to the leading indicator of hunger. Sounds like a vicious cycle because it is!
Although I have not found an acceptable answer to this atrocious hormonal imbalance, I gained an inkling of appreciation for learning a little about the problem. I would like to thank my dad, CJ Bizzle, MD for the translation of the cryptic medical lingo in the study. Anybody else reading with questions or objections to the above content - send them on. I've been wrong before. I would really like to be wrong about this.
