How wine before dinner makes you eat more: ‘Aperitif effect’ puts your brain into starvation mode
Scientists discover alcohol makes you hungrier because it tricks your brain
A British study led by London’s Francis Crick Institute discovered the insight
They said alcohol fires up neurons in brains which are activated by starvation
Increased hungier after drinking alcohol was thought to have been a loss of self-control in the past
Source: The Daily Mail
By Victoria Allen
10 January 2017
It’s happened to all of us – starting a dinner party with a glass of wine means, inevitably, ending it with a huge dessert and most of the cheeseboard.
But don’t beat yourself up about giving into temptation after a drink or two – as scientists have found that alcohol really does make you hungrier.
The ‘aperitif effect’ is nothing to do with overindulgence, but your brain being tricked by the alcohol into entering ‘starvation’ mode.
It should have the opposite effect, with a glass of red wine containing 160 calories.
However, according to the British study led by London’s Francis Crick Institute, the alcohol fires up neurons in the brain normally activated by starvation.
This pathway in the brain can be blamed for the increase in appetite which can see us say yes to dessert after a cocktail or two.
The previous popular explanation was a loss of self-control, with someone who has said yes to a glass of wine likely also to disregard the social rules on over-eating.
The researchers found the ethanol in alcoholic drinks activated so-called AgRP neurons in brain slices taken from mice.
These neurons are ‘normally activated by starvation and evoke intense hunger’.
When fed the equivalent of around two bottles of wine in human terms over three days, mice ate up to a fifth more food.
Blocking the neurons’ activity stopped the mice from over-eating, suggesting staying away from alcohol could have the same effect.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, states: ‘Drinking an aperitif to stimulate appetite has been mentioned as a human practice since at least the 5th century AD. Modern studies confirm that alcohol intake acutely stimulates eating, and correlates with obesity.’
The study presents the latest evidence that overeating is caused by the brain, and provides an alternative explanation to hedonic hunger – where someone eats for pleasure rather than need.
Responding to the findings, Dr Tony Goldstone, from the Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College London, said: ‘This explains the “aperitif effect” where people eat more when they have had some alcohol. The study shows it is not just a social effect.
‘It was also previously thought that drinking alcohol could simply inhibit your ability to say no to food.
‘However, this study shows that an important starvation pathway in the brain is activated by alcohol.
‘This is a paradoxical effect even when someone is not starving and has just consumed alcohol which contains calories.’
We do not yet know what possible evolutionary advantage there could be for this.’
The test used was an ‘alcoholic weekend’ test, where mice were given alcohol at doses that are the equivalent of around 18 units (UK measurements) for three days.
This led to an increase in food intake of 15 to 20 per cent, compared to those kept alcohol-free and given saline instead.