Since antihistamines and insulin both cause increased appetite,?

Question

are the molecules chemically related in any way? Is the physiologic mechanism of increased appetite similar?

Answer 1

Yeeesh.....

Good heavens no!!

Antihistamines affect the brain's chemistry, which makes you "seem" like you're hungry....even if you are not. There are many many medications which have a similar effect.

Insulin does not cause increased appetite unless there is too much of it. In which case your digestive metabolism speeds up, your liver dumps it's stored glucose, and, you actually DO become hungry. If your body can not provide enough glucose to match the amount of insulin, then ultimately, your brain runs out of glucose, and since the brain can only burn glucose, and not triglyceride, like the muscles can, you become unconscious.

Antihistamines, overall, more closely resemble the body's own natural steroids, not the hormone insulin. Typically, they fit the "receptor cells" that are used by the natural steroid hormone adrenaline.

I hope this was helpful in some way....

Namaste,

--Tom

Answer 2

I have never heard of insulin increasing your appetite. I'm a type 1 diabetic