Men, do you like to sunbathe? Scientists recently found out what the sun does to you, you will be really surprised – Topky.sk

According to scientists, a hormone that is released in the fat tissue of the skin is responsible for this. In women, the sex hormone estrogen prevents this distribution, according to the journal Nature Metabolism. At first glance, it sounds like the most natural process in the world – we are hungry, we eat something, we are full. However, the question of exactly how hunger arises in the body has not yet been sufficiently scientifically answered. It is clear that basic physiological processes go far beyond the empty stomach. The controlling center of hunger and satiety is rather in the brain, more precisely in the hypothalamus, which releases the corresponding hormones. Various hunger and satiety hormones are produced in the stomach and adipose tissue, and genetic factors, among other things, influence how hungry someone feels. There are also eating habits, the size of the portions and the taste of the food, and now, at least for the male sex, also sunlight. Photo gallery (4) Source: Getty Images Women without increased appetite Analyzing epidemiological data from approximately 3,000 people in Israel over a three-year period, a team led by Carmit Levy of Tel Aviv University found a significant correlation between gender and season: Men ate more in the summer, when solar radiation is highest. Specifically, from March to September, they consumed an average of 300 kilocalories more per day than in the winter months. On the other hand, for women, calorie intake remained almost the same over the course of the year. Scientists confirmed the connection they found in experiments with volunteers who were exposed to the sun. Men felt significantly more hungry after being in the sun, while women did not report an increased appetite. Analysis of blood samples also showed that men had more changes in proteins associated with fat metabolism. In addition, they had increased levels of the so-called hunger hormone ghrelin. Photo gallery (4) Source: Getty Images Subsequent studies in mice not only supported these data, but also revealed a new mechanism that could explain this effect. For example, ten weeks of daily UV-B radiation meant that male rodents ate more and were also more motivated to forage. An increase in ghrelin was found in animals. Normally, this hormone is produced mainly in the stomach, even in humans. However, as the researchers observed, in male mice, exposure to light stimulated the release of ghrelin in fat cells (adipocytes) of the skin. This effect was attenuated in female mice because the sex hormone estrogen prevents the release of ghrelin in adipocytes. In another test setup, male human skin samples were also shown to have increased ghrelin expression after five days of UV-B irradiation. Photo gallery (4) Source: Getty Images Ghrelin is just one of the factors As the authors of the study write, ghrelin is just one of several factors that play a role in the interaction between sunlight and hunger. Further research is needed. Still, their work suggests that stimulating ghrelin production may help with poor appetite. For example, patients who must undergo chemotherapy could benefit from adjunctive light therapy. “Different fat stores release different hormones and other substances that are able to regulate eating habits, but much less is known about the metabolic effects of skin adipose tissue,” explain two Spanish nutritionists Carlos Dieguez and Ruben Nogueiras in a comment on the study. Future research should also examine the influence of factors such as age or ethnicity. Men, do you like to sunbathe? Scientists recently found out what the sun does to you, you will be really surprised