Metabolic Health
How CCK Hormone Might Contribute to Fat Loss and Lean Muscle Retention
Two practical tips to make cholecystokinin hormone more effective for digestion and satiety, leading to fat loss and muscle gain
Cholecystokinin for Satiety and Digestion
Hormones play a critical role in our metabolic and mental health. I posted several articles about the effects of metabolic hormones on fat loss and muscle gain. In this post, I introduce a metabolic hormone called cholecystokinin (CCK).
This article aims to provide two practical tips for a potential increase of the CCK hormone for satiety, improved digestion, and metabolic shift for healthy weight management.
CCK is not well known publicly but is well understood by scientists, endocrinologists, dieticians, and pharmacists.
For example, pharmaceutical companies pay attention to this hormone by investigating its use for weight loss solutions and creating CCK medications. This paper introduces the efficacy and safety of anti-obesity medicines.
I previously introduced six well-known hormones affecting our metabolism. The interest from my readers encouraged me to share my review of hormones primarily related to fat loss and muscle gain.
CCK is not an anabolic hormone like insulin storing fat or a catabolic hormone like cortisol decreasing muscles. Instead, its effect is controlling the appetite like leptin.
So, the closest hormone to CCK is leptin from a functionality perspective. I introduced the role of leptin in fat loss and muscle gain in a previous article titled Make the Body Leptin-Sensitive to Lose Visceral Fat With a Simple Metabolic Shift.
As I mentioned in my previous posts, hormones are highly complex and interrelated. Our knowledge of their functions and relationships is still limited.
Therefore, the details of hormones for the public and non-specialists are unnecessary. However, understanding the high-level functions concerning our lifestyle can be valuable.
Consequently, I’d like to give a brief background on CCK, which plays an essential role in our appetite and digestion. This background info might help you understand other articles or future news items related to the progress of CCK in scientific studies.
My first encounter with cholecystokinin was when I was investigating its neurological effects during my cognitive science studies.
As documented in this NIH Book, the CCK receptors are expressed in the central nervous system, specifically in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and striatum.
So, even though CCK happens in our gut, it affects our brain. Therefore, I pay attention to the gut-brain connection for metabolic and mental health. In those days, I did not know the metabolic effects of this satiety hormone.
CCK has been theoretically known since the late 1920s.
However, practical studies started after Swedish biochemists isolated porcine cholecystokinin and documented its amino acid sequence in 1968.
The original name for cholecystokinin was pancreozymins, as scientists thought they were two different hormones. Later, they found these two hormones were the same.
Thus, the term pancreozymins disappeared in contemporary literature. However, it is possible to see it in old documents. So nowadays, cholecystokinin is abbreviated as either CCK or CCK-PZ.
I-Cells (aka inclusion cells) are types of intestinal enteroendocrine cells. I mention these cells because I-Cells secrete CCK in the duodenum and jejunum. They are parts of the upper small intestines.
Textbooks point out that hydrochloric acid, amino acids, or fatty acids in the stomach or the upper small intestines might cause CCK secretion.
In addition, CCK stimulates the gallbladder to release bile into the intestine. This process can stimulate the secretion of pancreatic fluid, inducing satiety. So, the focus of my article relates to the satiety effect on our metabolic health.
I’d like to touch on CCK tests, as they are used for various reasons. For example, the CCK test is used to diagnose digestion issues.
According to this resource published by NIH, “CCK increases pancreatic enzyme output and causes gallbladder contraction. Therefore, the CCK test can help to diagnose biliary tract diseases.”
Even though CCK has multiple functions, its prominent role is to improve fat digestion by stimulating bile production, as documented in the literature. Besides, CCK can release enzymes from the pancreas to break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
The second function related to the purpose of my article is the role of CCK in appetite management. CCK can enhance the feeling of fullness while eating. Even though the research is still at a nascent stage, it is believed that the role of CCK causes the satiety sensation.
Concerning this point, some studies are also investigating its effect on eating disorders and anxiety, which is beyond the scope of my article. Detailed studies on CCK can be found on PubMed. The search term shows around 20,000 indexed reports.
I’d like to emphasize that our body composure affects CCK levels.
For example, this 2021 paper discusses the current understanding of how cholecystokinin controls food intake in conditions of leanness and how control is lost in chronic energy excess and obesity, potentially perpetuating excessive intake.
Multiple studies I reviewed related to CCK are still inconclusive. Nevertheless, based on hypotheses and informed discussions of researchers in papers, there appear to be two viable ways to increase cholecystokinin secretion.
The options to increase CCK are consuming adequate protein and healthy fat in our diet. I briefly touch on the importance of these two points, especially for appetite control. I mentioned them in my stories related to metabolic health, fat loss, and muscle gain.
Besides, even though I read some speculations about the contribution of regular exercise to CCK secretion, the papers I reviewed are inconclusive and confusing.
For example, this review study points out that “studies of the effect of exercise and training on cholecystokinin levels are very limited and controversial.” So, I focus on adequate dietary protein and fat intake, which depict significant evidence in studies.
1 — Consume an Adequate Amount of Protein
I highlighted the importance of quality protein for fat loss and muscle retention in my previous stories. One of the reasons to get adequate protein is to gain satiety to prevent us from consuming excessive calories.
As CCK has the function of stimulating the digestion of protein, I’d like to touch on this macronutrient, increasing satiety and reducing unnecessary consumption of food.
As mentioned in this paper, “studies suggest that cholecystokinin levels are reduced as a result of rapid weight loss, which may serve as a rebound mechanism by promoting appetite and, ultimately, weight gain after rapid weight loss.”
Based on an investigation of macronutrients, I understood that too much or too little protein would be a problem. We need a sweet spot.
Nevertheless, we all need protein in different amounts based on our body type, daily activities, and gender. Amino acids are essential building blocks of the body.
Finding the right amount requires input from qualified healthcare professionals such as dieticians and physiologists.
My mistake was cutting the protein amount too much, which caused me hunger pangs and muscle loss. After learning the metabolic effects of hormones like CCK, I understood the reasons for my suffering in my younger years.
2 — Increase Healthy Fat Intake
Like many people, in my younger years, I feared fat. My belief was fat would cause me to gain weight. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the importance of healthy fats for satiety and hormonal balance leading to healthy weight management.
Due to fatphobia, refraining from healthy fat made me feel hungry and even starving and craving more carbs at times. The wrong focus was on calories rather than hormones.
My problem was to replace fat with carbohydrates to get the required energy. Even though I consumed a significant amount of carbs from vegetables, grains, and fruits, I always wanted to eat more. My meals were not satisfying. I was looking for the next snack and mealtime.
Nowadays, even if I don’t eat anything for seven days, I don’t feel the same hunger level. Consuming adequate healthy fats contributed to my body being fat-adapted.
Neglecting healthy fats was a huge mistake for me. Learning the function of leptin and later the CCK signaling gave me valuable insights on the importance of healthy fat for losing excess fat, gaining lean muscles, and maintaining a healthy weight.
As I mentioned in a previous article, when I increased my healthy fat consumption, I lost more belly fat. It was due to the hormonal effects of healthy fats on metabolism.
Conclusions and Takeaways
Low fat and low protein diets cause havoc in our metabolism leading to undesirable health disorders. We know that protein and fat stimulate the activation of CCK.
Therefore, cutting healthy fats and protein to lose weight is a bad idea as they are essential for our metabolism to function correctly. We need an adequate amount of protein and healthy fat to manage our weight and keep lean muscles.
For example, as pointed out in this review paper:
“Studies have shown that reduced levels of cholecystokinin may contribute to a reduced feeling of fullness and make it more difficult for obese people to lose weight. Cholecystokinin production is impaired in individuals with obesity who are experiencing bodyweight reduction.”
Even though some people believe that regular exercise could contribute to CCK secretion, the preliminary studies on this point are conflicting and inconclusive.
However, the body’s movement has many more benefits on other hormones. So regular workouts are essential for hormonal balance and other health reasons. Perhaps future studies might shed light on the effects of exercise on CCK.
With our current knowledge, we might improve the function of the cholecystokinin hormone by consuming an adequate amount of protein and healthy fat. From my experience, replacing refined carbs with healthy fat as an energy source was a viable option.
You might check another less-known hormone with a big impact on our metabolism.
I documented the importance of hormones in an introductory article.
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