THE JAPANESE FIGURED IT OUT –
Feb. 13, 2026 – A weakening of a mechanism that produces a sense of satisfaction after drinking could lead to excessive alcohol consumption, a team of Japanese and other researchers has found.The team expects the findings to help improve alcoholism treatment and support the development of drugs and food aimed at reducing alcohol intake. In experiments using mice, the group found that after drinking, FGF-21, a hormone produced by the liver, stimulates brain nerves and generates a feeling of satisfaction. The group confirmed that a sense of satisfaction weakened after drinking in mice with alcohol addiction, leading to greater alcohol consumption.
Mice both with and without alcoholism drank alcohol less frequently after being given allulose, a type of sugar that promotes the secretion of FGF-21. In alcohol-dependent mice, the effect lasted for a week.
