When you starve, brain cells eat themselves

The feeling of hunger is a natural process that is regulated by our brain. When we don't eat for a long period of time, neurons in the brain begin to send hunger signals and we begin to feel the urge to eat. However, as scientists from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine found out, this process is not as simple as it seems at first glance.

It turns out that when brain cells are hungry, they begin to feed on themselves. This process is called autophagy - self-eating. As a result of autophagy, brain cells begin to break down their own proteins and other macromolecules to provide themselves with the necessary nutrients.

Although autophagy is an important process for cell survival under starvation conditions, it can also lead to negative consequences for the body as a whole. When brain cells begin to feed on themselves, it can make hunger worse and cause us to eat even more than we need. As a result, we quickly feel full, but also quickly lose energy and often feel tired and weak.

However, thanks to new research, scientists have been able to identify a way to block autophagy in brain cells. Using special medications that block this process, you can cope with the feeling of hunger and its consequences. These drugs are already in clinical trials on rodents, and the results show that they really help control appetite and reduce weight.

Thus, blocking autophagy in brain cells could be an effective way to combat obesity and other diseases associated with excessive nutrition. However, before taking any medicine, you must consult your doctor and follow the recommendations of nutritionists to achieve a healthy lifestyle.