New insights into intestinal hormone's role in promoting fat burning and weight loss in obese mice

Recent research has shed light on how a hormone produced by the intestine influences energy regulation and fat metabolism, offering promising avenues for obesity treatment. The hormone, known as fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), activates mechanisms that enhance energy expenditure, stimulate fat burning, and help regulate blood glucose levels in obese mice. The study found that FGF19 acts on the hypothalamus, a critical brain region for maintaining energy balance, leading to increased activity of thermogenic fat cells that produce heat and burn calories.

The observed effects include not only improved metabolic functions but also reductions in peripheral inflammation and increased cold tolerance, which are essential for adaptive thermogenesis. Notably, these benefits were dependent on the activity of the sympathetic nervous system, which was shown to be crucial for FGF19's action.

The research team administered FGF19 directly into the brains of obese mice fed a high-fat diet, resulting in increased sympathetic nervous activity and boosted thermogenesis in white and brown adipose tissues. They also analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from the hypothalamus, identifying specific cell types that express FGF19 receptors, thus providing insight into the brain pathways involved.

These findings open new possibilities for developing drugs that mimic endogenous compounds like FGF19 to combat obesity and metabolic disorders such as diabetes. For instance, current therapies like semaglutide (Ozempic) operate by activating pathways that promote satiety, and future drugs could also target energy expenditure directly.

Furthermore, the study highlighted that FGF19's role extends beyond appetite regulation; it actively stimulates energy expenditure through thermogenesis, making it a promising target for comprehensive obesity management. The research was published in the American Journal of Physiology—Endocrinology and Metabolism and recognized as a top article in the journal.

Considering global obesity trends and their impact on non-communicable diseases, this discovery offers new hope for innovative treatments and highlights the importance of understanding brain-hormone interactions in energy regulation.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-06-intestinal-hormone-fat-weight-loss.html