Gut molecule slows fat burning during fasting

Scripps Research scientists discovered that specialized intestine cells (shown in green) in the C. elegans worm (gray) produce a peptide hormone that travels to the brain to control fat metabolism. Credit: Scripps Research In a struggle that probably sounds familiar to dieters everywhere, the less a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worm eats, the more slowly it loses fat. Now, scientists at Scripps Research have discovered why: a small molecule produced by the worms’ intestines during fasting travels to the brain to block a fat-burning signal during this time. Although the exact molecule they identified in the worms has not yet Read More