Protein and dairy rich foods influence “hunger hormones”
So how might protein, including dairy protein, influence hunger and satiety? One way appears to be via its effect on different appetite-regulating hormones released by the intestine and the brain. For example, a high protein meal has been shown to increase the levels of PYY and GLP1 (15), which seem to work to reduce appetite by slowing stomach emptying and via direct communication with the brain’s appetite-regulation centre in the hypothalamus and brain stem (2,16). A recent study highlighted a potential effect of dairy protein where compared to a low dairy/calcium weight loss diet, a high dairy/calcium diet resulted in higher blood levels of PYY and greater feelings of satisfaction after a meal. However this did not translate into a difference in weight loss (17).Written by Angelo Tremblay, Chris Cifelli and Azmina Govindji
