Scientists Without sense of smell can be achieved despite high-fat diet, a weight loss

The sense of smell seems to have a massive impact on weight
Many meals not only taste good, they also smell great. Would you be willing to completely give up your sense of smell, if you would lose weight? Researchers now found that mice that lost their sense of smell lose weight. This effect also occurs when the animals ingest a high-fat diet, which normally leads to weight gain.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and the Max Planck Institute for Biology of Aging in Cologne found in their study that mice lose their sense of smell even if they were actually on a high-fat diet. The physicians published the results of their study in the journal "Cell Metabolism".

Will it be possible in the future to simply and effectively lose weight by manipulating nerves in the nose? Researchers now succeeded in achieving this effect in mice. (Image: olly-fotolia)

Non-smelling mice lost about 16 percent of body fat during the study
In a group of mice, the so-called olfactory neurons were genetically modified for the study. The animals were deprived of their sense of smell, the researchers explain. A second analysis looked at mice that had an improved sense of smell, the experts said. The animals with the sharpened sense of smell increased more during the study. On the other hand, the mice without sense of smell lost about 16 percent of their body weight, although they consumed the same high-fat food. Above all, weight in the form of body fat has been broken down, add the physicians.

Manipulation of the sense of smell alters regulation of the energy balance by the brain
Researchers suggested before the current study that mice without sense of smell simply eat less. However, the animals in the experiment continued to consume the same amount of calories as the animals with improved sense of smell. This is the first research that has found that the manipulation of the sense of smell actually changes how the brain perceives the energy balance and how the brain regulates this energy balance, explains author Céline Riera of the University of California, Berkeley.

Experimental animals burned more brown fat
There were differences in the metabolism of nutrients, say the researchers. If the mice had no sense of smell, the animals primarily burned brown fat. In addition, the physicians were able to determine that the affected animals converted the white fat of the body into brown fat. The findings of the study now lead to the question of whether the same results can be achieved in humans.

Lack of sense of smell led to increased adrenaline levels in animals
Animals without sense of smell also showed an increased concentration of adrenalin in their blood, explain the experts. Increased adrenaline levels activate the burning of fat in the body. The manipulated olfactory nerves are present only in the nose and perhaps a non-invasive method can "clog" the nose of patients for several months and thus lead to a reduction in weight, the authors speculate.

Manipulation of the nose could help patients with obesity and obesity
Sensory systems play a major role in metabolism. Weight gain is not just a measure of calorie intake. The sense of smell also influences how these calories are perceived, explains author Andrew Dillin of the University of California, Berkeley. The researchers hope that future work in this area will one day help patients who are morbidly obese or overweight. People with health problems like diabetes could also benefit from the results, the expert explains.

Results could lead to new treatment options in the future
The findings could open up new treatment options for overweight patients, for example, have already thought about a gastric reduction, the scientists say. In this small group of people, the extinction of the sense of smell for a period of six months could cause them to simply and effectively lose weight. "We hope someday to find a way to reproduce the findings also in humans. Thus, the metabolism of those affected could be switched from fat deposition to fat burning, "Riera adds. (As)