Definition of "ghrelin"

We designate the GH-releasing peptide ‘ghrelin’ (ghre is the Proto-Indo-European root of the word ‘grow’).

1999 December 9, M[asayasu] Kojima et al., “Ghrelin is a Growth-hormone-releasing Acylated Peptide from Stomach”, in Nature, volume 402, number 6762, abstract, page 656

Both human and rat ghrelins are 28 amino acid peptides, in which Ser3 is modified by a fatty acid, primarily n-octanoic acid.

2006, Masayasu Kojima, Kenji Kangawa, “Ghrelin, an Endogenous Ligand for the Growth Hormone Secretagogue Receptor”, in Fred Nyberg, editor, The Somatotrophic Axis in Brain Function, Burlington, Mass.: Elsevier Academic Press, section III.A (Purification of Ghrelin), figure 2 caption, page 27, column 1

[W]hen you increase ghrelin levels, you stimulate that growth hormone to kick in, and growth hormone builds you not only up but out as well. Your stomach secretes ghrelin in pulses every half hour, sending subtle chemical impulses to your brain—almost like subliminal biological messages (carrot cake, carrot cake, carrot cake).

2006, Michael F[redric] Roizen, Mehmet C[engiz] Oz, with Ted Spiker, Lisa Oz, and Craig Wynett, You, on a Diet: The Owner’s Manual for Waist Management, New York, N.Y.: Free Press, page 44

Ghrelin is a 28‐amino acid acylated peptide predominantly secreted by the stomach but also by the brain. In mammals, ghrelin stimulates both GH [growth hormone] secretion and appetite, and it is the only GI [gastrointestinal] hormone with confirmed orexigenic properties […].

2009, Hélène Volkoff, Saraj Unniappan, Scott P. Kelly, “The Endocrine Regulation of Food Intake”, in Nicholas J. Bernier, Glen Van Der Kraak, Anthony P. Farrell, Colin J. Brauner, editors, Fish Neuroendocrinology (Fish Physiology; 28), London, Amsterdam: Academic Press, section 2 (Endocrine Regulation), page 434

Currently, ghrelin is considered as a “hunger hormone” that signals the brain the need to initiate food consumption. […] After food ingestion, plasma levels of ghrelin drastically decrease. Some but not all studies provided the evidence that in the cephalic phase of food ingestion the vagal efferent system promotes ghrelin secretion […].

2011, Palmiero Monteleone, “New Frontiers of Endocrinology in Eating Disorders”, in Roger A. H. Adan, Walter H. Kaye, editors, Behavioral Neurobiology of Eating Disorders (Current Topics in Behavioral Neurosciences; 6), Heidelberg, Dordrecht: Springer-Verlag, part III (Genetics, Gender and Heritability), page 194

That is because sleep affects two appetite-controlling hormones, leptin and ghrelin.

2022 February 26, Ruth Alexander, “The surprising links between what you eat and how well you sleep”, in BBC News‎, BBC, retrieved 2022-02-27