A newly discovered molecule increases appetite during fasting, and decreases it during gorging. The neuron-exciting protein, named NPGL – apparently aims to maintain body mass at a constant, come feast or famine. An evolutionary masterstroke, but not great news for those looking to trim down, or beef up for the summer.
“It is proposed that exposure to high-fat diets for long periods of time lead to insensitivity to leptin's appetite-suppressing effects, and so NPGL -- even at normal levels -- leads to weight gain and obesity, showing that the body can only do so much to keep our weight in check.”












