When it's nearing 3 p.m. and you start craving the cookies someone left in the office kitchen, that's ghrelin at work. This chemical is produced by the stomach, and its levels spike when you've gone a while without food, which is why it's known as the "hunger hormone." But recent research into ghrelin's dramatic effects on brain cells suggests that this nickname may give it short shrift. In reality, the hormone may be an essential player in future treatments for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Ghrelin: It's Ghhhreat!
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Written by
Ashley Hamer
May 5, 2017
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