February Issue 2024

MYTH BUSTING
CRAVINGS: MEANING,
CAUSE AND EFFECTS?
Written by: Katherine Aljian
We are surrounded by false and
misleading information. There
are tall tales around the subject
of cravings and the meaning,
cause, and effect they could
have on our bodies. Cravings
don’t come from the stomach;
they have a lot to do with the
hormones in your body. The
following hormones are
instrumental in why you get
cravings: leptin, ghrelin,
dopamine, and insulin. These
are included in the function of
digestion, with ghrelin causing
hunger, leptin decreasing
appetite, and dopamine causing
the reward system when you eat.
When you have a hankering for
cookies, it doesn’t mean your body
needs glucose. Rather, it could
mean that you have easy access to
foods, which makes cravings
stronger. In some cases, you could
be craving the feeling of your
reward system (dopamine) when
you consume these hyperpalatable
foods (easily digestible
foods usually described as sweet,
salty, or rich).1 A study done on
rats by Sara F. Leibowits found
that neuropeptide Y causes
carbohydrate cravings and that
galanin causes the yearning for
fat.2 While the data usually
indicates galanin causes fat
cravings, some researchers
dispute this argument.
Other factors in life that can
influence cravings include food
advertisements, stress,
inadequate sleep, exercise,
hormonal changes, medication,
and many others. Fast food
industries will usually cherrypick
health facts about their
foods, creating the illusion that
you are purchasing nutritious
products.3 There are two types
of stress: chronic and acute.
Acute stress can cause a loss of
appetite, while chronic stress
can alter your cortisol levels,
causing you to crave unhealthy
foods.1 Inadequate sleep is
associated with imbalances in
leptin and ghrelin levels. When
you exercise, your body is
under stress, causing blood to
leave the gut and go to your
muscles and heart. This causes
you to be less hungry when
you're working out, but when
you’re finished, normal hunger
cues will return.1 Hormone
changes, such as the menstrual
cycle, can cause an increase or
decrease in cravings. Different
types of medications can cause
a decrease in appetite or an
increase as well. If you are
worried about your appetite
regarding medication, you
should talk to a medical
professional.
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