Why Does Alcohol Suppress My Appetite

Drinking causes a temporary drop in our blood sugar levels as well as suppresses the hormones that help control our appetite

The first thing I did when my husband mentioned he was thinking about going out for drinks with his co-workers was to send him an email asking what kind of drink he wanted. He said “I’m not really sure, but it’s gonna be fun.” And honestly, sometimes I wonder if he even remembers saying those words because we are so used to being at each other’s throats by now. We’ve been married over ten years and there have always been fights and petty arguments. The last one was just a few days ago and it ended up making me feel like throwing myself on the floor in tears. But this is nothing new, or different from previous fights. They come and go without any real effect on us. It’s almost as if they’re part of life itself, something we can’t change no matter how hard we try.
So why does alcohol make things worse between us? Well, here are some answers which might give you a clue. First off, drinking causes a temporary drop in our blood sugar levels as well as suppresses the hormones that help control our appetite. These two effects cancel each other out and result in a net loss of calories consumed. Now, don’t get me wrong, we still need to eat more food, but it’s harder and takes longer to do so. Another reason is that when we drink too much, we tend to order bigger portions than usual, thus consuming more calories. This happens mostly because we usually don’t pay attention to calorie counts and end up eating way more than we should while trying to impress others with our knowledge of nutrition. So let’s recap. When you drink too much (which isn’t often) your blood sugar drops temporarily, resulting in a decrease in appetite. At the same time, you may consume larger portion sizes, causing further weight gain.
In addition, drinking also increases insulin production. Insulin is known as the fat storage hormone due to its ability to prevent muscle cells from absorbing glucose and store them as glycogen instead. Thus, drinking makes us store fat rather than burn it off through exercise or dieting. In fact, studies show that women who drank three units per week had twice the amount of body fat compared to non drinkers. On top of all these bad effects, drinking lowers inhibitions and reduces self control. As such, people tend to indulge in unhealthy behaviors like overeating and excessive snacking. All these factors together lead to increased risk of obesity.
Of course, none of these reasons alone would cause significant weight gain or increase the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. However, taken together, they certainly contribute to the problem. For example, the link between obesity and type 2 diabetes has long been established. According to recent data, as many as 90% of obese individuals will eventually develop type 2 diabetes. In addition, it seems that people with type 2 diabetes are prone to gaining weight. A study published in Diabetes Care showed that overweight patients were nearly four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes compared to normal weight patients.
As such, it becomes clear that maintaining healthy weight is crucial to preventing type 2 diabetes. To achieve this goal, we must focus on changing lifestyle habits including reducing caloric intake, increasing physical activity, and improving overall health. Fortunately, we have tools available that allow us to accomplish these goals. One such tool is taking advantage of the unique properties of green tea extract – catechins. Catechins are polyphenols found in green tea leaves. Studies suggest that catechins suppress hunger and reduce food consumption. Researchers believe that catechins affect leptin production, a hormone responsible for regulating energy balance. Leptin deficiency leads to reduced inhibition of hunger signals. Green tea extract helps stimulate leptin secretion and improve sensitivity of hypothalamus neurons. Consequently, green tea extract improves weight management in both lean and obese subjects.
Another interesting finding is that catechins lower cholesterol levels and inhibit LDL oxidation. Oxidized low density lipoproteins are believed to play important role in atherosclerosis development. By lowering LDL oxidation, catechins appear to protect against cardiovascular disease. Taken altogether, research suggests that catechins reduce oxidative stress and inflammation associated with many chronic diseases. Inflammation is closely linked with obesity. Therefore, catechins’ anti-inflammatory properties could explain their beneficial impact on weight management.
Finally, catechins possess strong antioxidant properties. Free radicals damage cellular membranes, proteins, DNA, and enzymes. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating electrons. Research indicates that catechins effectively scavenge hydroxyl, superoxide, and hydrogen peroxide free radicals. In addition, catechins boost glutathione peroxidase activity and enhance the expression of genes involved in glutathione synthesis. Glutathionne is an essential element protecting cells from reactive oxygen species. An adequate level of glutathione is required to maintain proper functioning of the immune system and reproductive organs.
Consequently, taking green tea extract supplements provides powerful protection against cell damage caused by free radicals. In addition, green tea extract contains high amounts of vitamin E and selenium, another potent antioxidant. Both vitamins and minerals work synergistically to fight harmful substances. Selenium is particularly effective against cancerous tumors and heart disease related problems. Vitamin e protects against cardiovascular diseases and strokes.
Thus, catechins represent a valuable source of antioxidants that provide broad spectrum defense against aging and environmental toxins. They also seem to be useful in fighting certain types of cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, cataracts, macular degeneration, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, asthma, hay fever, allergies, and eczema. What else could we ask for?

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