Wednesday, United States researchers reported in the journal Cell that they had discovered a fatty substance made in our stomach that sent signals to the brain, announcing when it was time to stop eating.

Scientists conducted experiments on mice and rats, which showed that the chemical called NAPE regulated the amount of food the rodents ingested. The same fat-derived substance is found in our body, as well, so researchers believe it might have the same effect on humans.

Gerald Shulman of Yale University and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, along with fellow colleagues, found that when the rodents were given a fatty meal, their small intestine released a large quantity on the NAPE chemical, which afterwards sent a signal to their brain that rendered them to cease eating.

Moreover, scientists reported that when the mice and rats were fed protein or carbohydrates, their NAPE levels did not increase.

The substance was synthesized by researchers and injected into the rodents’ bloodstream through their stomach, which also made them lose their appetite.

Furthermore, when the animals were given extra doses of NAPE over a period of five consecutive days, their appetite significantly reduced and they also lost weight.

The findings could open the door to more effective anti-obesity drugs, since the United States, along with other parts of the world, are currently faced with an obesity epidemic.

Gerald Shulman stated that researchers were planning to conduct tests on humans, in order to see whether the small intestine produced more NAPE after a fatty meal.