There is a part of the brain that responds to fluctuations in the concentrations of glucose and free fatty acids in the blood. When the concentration of these compounds is increased the brain sends out signals that decrease appetite and increase the loss of energy as heat from the surface of the body. The brain sends out opposite messages when the concentrations of glucose and free fatty acids are decreased and in this way the body weight is maintained within narrow limits. The same part of the brain that responds to glucose and fatty acids is sensitive to concentration of leptin and insulin in the blood. Both these substances are hormones and the amount present in the blood is roughly proportionate to the size of the fat deposits. When the fat deposits start to increase in size additional leptin and insulin is released in the blood and the brain is stimulated to send out signals which decrease appetite and increase energy loss.

The epidemics of obesity and late onset diabetes, which have developed in the UK, have followed the replacement of high selenium Canadian wheat in our diets with low selenium European wheat. Today the average dietary intake of selenium is about half that recommended and this is depressing the availability of the seleno-protein enzyme which activates thyroxine. The result is that the basal rate of metabolism in overweight and obese people is depressed and their brains are being misinformed about the size of their fat deposits. This comes about because when their rate of metabolism is depressed the rate of ATP synthesis is depressed also and this, by increasing the concentration of adenosine monophosphate, stimulates appetite. Weight then increases despite the presence of concentrations of leptin and insulin that would normally prevent obesity developing. 

All that is required to prevent obesity developing is a selenium supplement that is  sufficient to increase the rate of ATP synthesis to a level that enables a normal rate of metabolism to be maintained. The high blood glucose levels which are associated with obesity and late onset diabetes are the consequence of leptin inhibiting the enzyme which enables the pyruvic acid which is derived from glucose being utilised from energy production. 

References:
Papers on obesity and type 2 diabetes can be found in
Science 2003 Vol 299 No 5608 pg 765-9609
Science 2005 Vol 307 No 5708 Pg 301-464

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First Published in 2009

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