Welcome back!
It has been a while since my last post, but what better way to begin the new year on the Aminogen blog than with some truly exciting protein research, hot off the presses?
Let's get right to it. We know that in addition to being important for your muscles, bones and immune system, protein increases satiety and decreases hunger hormones.
Now, a study in Neuron reveals that protein gives your body a boost in yet another way. Turns out, the amino acids in protein stimulate orexin neurons.
As the name suggests, these cells produce the hormone orexin. Orexin revs up your metabolism and makes you want to move. In other words, it energizes.
Orexin is also necessary for the development and regulation of brown fat- the body's thermogenic "good fat;" it actually burns calories.
Low levels of orexin have been found in people with conditions like obesity and narcolepsy, and the hormone is being investigated as a treatment for narcolepsy and other conditions that excessive sleepiness. Orexin seems to counteract the cognitive deficits caused by sleep deprivation.
Even if you've gotten a good night's sleep (can we talk?) orexin plays a definitive role in sleep/wake cylcles, daytime alertness, hunger and metobolic rate. And who couldn't use some help in one, ALL of these departments?
Check out Wired's Jonah Leher for more on how this works in Why Sugar Makes Us Sleepy and Protein Wakes Us Up.
