A new study by the University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn and the University Hospital Tübingen proves that bad mood when hungry is not caused by unconscious metabolic processes. The conscious perception of hunger, which influences mood, is crucial. The results were published in the journal eBioMedicine.

The study included 90 healthy adults who wore continuous glucose sensors, such as those used in diabetes care, for four weeks. At the same time, the participants regularly logged their feeling of hunger, satiety and mood via a smartphone app. The aim was to analyse the connections between glucose levels, hunger perception and mood.

The results show that a falling glucose level only worsens mood if those affected consciously perceive this lack of energy as hunger. People with a precise perception of their glucose level also had more stable moods. This underlines the role of interoception, i.e. the conscious perception of internal body states, in the regulation of emotions. A keen sense of the body’s own signals seems to promote emotional stability, even with fluctuating energy levels.

The study provides new insights for research on metabolic and mental illnesses such as depression or obesity, which are often associated with altered metabolic processes. A better understanding of the interaction between body perception and mood could improve future therapeutic approaches. Approaches such as targeted training of interoception or stimulation of the vagus nerve, which supports communication between organs and the brain, are considered promising.

The researchers involved emphasize that the conscious perception of the body is a central mechanism through which metabolic processes influence mental health. The close link between metabolic and mental health is once again illustrated by the results.

In addition to the University Hospital Bonn, the University of Bonn and the University Hospital Tübingen, the German Center for Mental Health and the German Center for Diabetes Research were also involved in the study. The project was funded by the German Research Foundation.

Original Paper:

Glucose levels are associated with mood, but the association is mediated by ratings of metabolic state – eBioMedicine

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Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR

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