Scientists have revealed the secret: why losing weight is so difficult

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH: WHY OUR BRAIN RESISTS WEIGHT LOSS

As reported by TUT.AZ with reference to Gazeta.ru, a revolutionary study published in the prestigious journal Cell completely changes our understanding of weight loss.

It turns out it's not about willpower at all! Over hundreds of thousands of years of evolution, the human body has created complex biological mechanisms to protect fat reserves. For our ancestors, fat was literally a matter of life and death: insufficient amounts threatened starvation, excess - reduced mobility. The paradox of modern times is that these ancient protective systems, which once saved lives, have today become obstacles on the path to slimness.

When you start losing weight, your body perceives this as a danger signal. The organism launches a real biological counterattack: it intensifies hunger, increases appetite hormone levels, and even slows down metabolism. This is an ancient survival strategy aimed at conserving energy.

Surprisingly, the brain literally "remembers" your maximum weight and constantly strives to return to it. This explains the infamous "yo-yo" effect, when after successful weight loss, the kilograms return with depressing inevitability.

"Weight gain activates brain systems that perceive this level as normal. After weight reduction, the body tries with all its might to return to it - this is not weakness, but biology, honed by millions of years of evolution," the authors of the study noted.

Modern weight loss medications work by mimicking intestinal hormones that signal fullness to the brain. They help bypass natural weight protection mechanisms, but their effect is not universal: some patients face side effects or don't get the expected result. After stopping therapy, weight often returns.

"If you find it difficult to lose weight and maintain the result, know this: you are not alone - and it's not your fault. Your brain is simply doing what it has always done - protecting you," the researchers concluded.

Scientists are optimistic: further discoveries in neurobiology and metabolism research may lead to the creation of methods that can "reprogram" brain signals and allow weight stabilization even after the active phase of weight loss ends.