Severe Morning Sickness Is Caused by a Specific Hormone—And It Could Unlock New Treatments.
Scientific American · What Causes Severe Morning Sickness, and What Treatments Exist?
Recent searches
Search options
Administered by:
#GDF15
0 posts0 participants0 posts today
Scientists have pinpointed the cause of #nausea and #vomiting in #pregnancy, "finding that the severity of illness is influenced by how much of a hormone called #GDF15 the growing #fetus makes," reports Science Magazine.
Sensitivity to hormone made by fetus may drive severe pregnancy sickness
Researchers find clues to the cause of extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy https://www.science.org/content/article/sensitivity-fetusmade-hormone-may-drive-severe-pregnancy-sickness #morningsickness
“fetal production of #GDF15, and maternal sensitivity to it, both contribute substantially to the risk of HG. We confirmed that higher GDF15 levels in maternal blood are associated with vomiting in #pregnancy and #HyperemesisGravidarum” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06921-9 https://mstdn.social/@amydiehl/111575705593009501
NatureGDF15 linked to maternal risk of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy - NatureGDF15, a hormone acting on the brainstem, has been implicated in the nausea and vomiting of pregnancy (NVP) including its most severe form, Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), but a full mechanistic understanding is lacking [1-4]. Here we report that fetal production of GDF15, and maternal sensitivity to it, both contribute substantially to the risk of HG. We confirmed that higher GDF15 levels in maternal blood are associated with vomiting in pregnancy and HG. Using mass spectrometry to detect a naturally-labelled GDF15 variant we demonstrate that the vast majority of GDF15 in the maternal plasma is derived from the feto-placental unit. By studying carriers of rare and common genetic variants we found that low levels of GDF15 in the non-pregnant state increase the risk of developing HG. Conversely, women with beta-thalassemia, a condition where GDF15 levels are chronically high [5], report very low levels of NVP. In mice, the acute food intake response to a bolus of GDF15 is influenced bi-directionally by prior levels of circulating GDF15 in a manner suggesting that this system is susceptible to desensitization. Our findings support a putative causal role for fetally-derived GDF15 in the nausea and vomiting of human pregnancy, with maternal sensitivity, at least partly determined by pre-pregnancy exposure to the hormone, being a major influence on its severity. They also suggest mechanism-based approaches to the treatment and prevention of HG.
Weight Loss’ Secret Weapon: GDF15 Powers Calorie Burn During Dieting
Weight Loss’ Secret Weapon: GDF15 Powers Calorie Burn During Dieting
https://scitechdaily.com/weight-loss-secret-weapon-gdf15-powers-calorie-burn-during-dieting/ #GDF15 #dieting #WeightLoss #burning
SciTechDailyWeight Loss’ Secret Weapon: GDF15 Powers Calorie Burn During DietingResearch opens new possibilities to help people maintain weight loss after dieting. Researchers led by McMaster University professor Gregory Steinberg and postdoctoral research fellow Dongdong Wang have uncovered a key mechanism for promoting weight loss and maintaining the burning of calories du