Regulation of whole-body metabolism and adiposity is a complex interplay between calorie intake, environmental pressures and energy expenditure.
Caloric sensing involves a variety of biochemical messengers and hormones such as incretins, adipokines, hepatokines and myokines that facilitate inter-organ crosstalk to modulate behavior and the regulation of calorie storage and utilization.
Two critical gut peptides that regulate many physiological processes are the incretin hormones GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide); both play significant roles in energy homeostasis.