Cravings can strike even the most disciplined among us and cause a sudden battle in the brain between hunger and satiety. Recent research from Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA; around the craving switch going off and on, reveals how this internal tug‑of‑war operates, offering vital insights into why Ozempic and similar drugs can dramatically shift our food desire. 

The Neural Duel: Accelerators vs Brakes

Scientists at Rutgers, led by Zhiping Pang and Mark Rossi, mapped two opposing neural circuits: one that triggers the desire to eat, the other that tells you to stop. They found that hunger‑signalling neurons spark cravings, while satiety‑ signalling ones silence appetite, basically acting like a volume control knob in your brain.

Ozempic helps reduce hunger by telling your brain that you're full, even when you’ve eaten less. But when this feeling lasts too long, it can throw off your natural eating rhythm and may cause side effects like nausea or constipation.

Why We Get Cravings

Cravings emerge from a mix of biology, hormones, and environment:

• Biological triggers like low blood sugar or energy deficits activate ghrelin, the “go for food” hormone, which stimulates the hunger circuit.
• Hormonal balance, leptin (satiety) versus ghrelin (hunger) dictates craving intensity. When leptin wins, cravings fade; when ghrelin wins, you want to eat again.
• Neurological memory: The brain harbours “meal memories” which are sensory cues like smells or sights that potentiate cravings later. 
• Lifestyle factors, such as stress, poor sleep, and ultra‑processed foods, throw this delicate balance out of sync, making you more vulnerable to unhealthy cravings.

Modern Influences on Cravings

1. Medication & Weight‑Loss Drugs: Drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy (both use semaglutide) help people feel satisfied with less food, leading to significant weight loss. For instance, a 20-week trial of oral semaglutide in 61 people showed:

• A 39 per cent drop in how much they ate at lunch compared with placebo

• Nearly 10 per cent average body-weight reduction

• Less hunger, fewer food cravings, and stronger control over eating 

2. Lifestyle & Diet: In our fast-paced world, stress, irregular meals, and ultra‑processed foods substantively fuel cravings. A study by Max-Planck-Institute for Metabolism Research, around Cell Metabolism (2023) had healthy adults consume high‑fat, high‑sugar yoghurt twice daily. Despite minimal changes in weight or metabolism, brain scans showed that these foods rewired neural pathways, boosting anticipation and reward anticipation for palatable items, while diminishing responses to healthier foods. 

Conversely, mindfulness-based eating and including small craved foods within balanced meals have proven effective in reducing snack attacks.

3. Supplements & Hormone Modulation: Emerging research indicates that certain supplements may help control cravings by influencing brain and gut signals. For instance, a 2014 study in Nature Communications demonstrated that acetate, a compound produced when our gut bacteria ferment dietary fibre, travels to the brain and suppresses appetite by activating hunger-regulating centres.

Meanwhile, a 2009 trial in the European Journal of Nutrition found that adding just 2.56 mg of capsaicin (from red chili) per meal led to increased satiety and reduced overeating compared to a control diet.

While promising, this evidence is still in early stages and further studies are needed before drawing firm conclusions.

The Mind‑Eating Dilemma 

Think of your brain like a courtroom where two sides argue, one pushes you to eat using hunger hormones and food memories, while the other tries to stop you with signals that say you're full. In today’s world, things like stress, food ads, and mindless snacking act like unfair jurors, making it harder to make clear decisions.

Even when you’re on appetite-suppressing drugs like Ozempic, these outside triggers can still make cravings hard to control. That’s why experts suggest a more balanced approach like using the medicine in intervals instead of all the time, to keep your body’s natural rhythm steady and reduce side effects.

Practical Tips for Managing Cravings

1. Mindful awareness: Noticing triggers to separate reflexive eating from genuine hunger.
2. Balanced nutrition: Include small portions of craved foods to quell the desire within structured meals.
3. Lifestyle hygiene: Prioritise sleep, stress reduction, consistent meal patterns.
4. Medical support: GLP‑1 agonists may help—but ideally with pulsed dosing aligned to metabolic needs.
5. Consider supplements: Under supervision, options like probiotics or spices may aid appetite modulation.

In a world where cravings are shaped by everything from brain chemistry to scrolling past a food ad, managing hunger is no longer just about willpower. With modern tools like Ozempic, deeper scientific insights, and simple lifestyle changes, we now have better ways to understand and support our body’s natural signals. The key lies not in silencing our cravings completely, but in learning to listen, respond mindfully, and create an environment both inside and out that helps us make choices we can truly live with.

Get instant access to personalised nutrition advice just for you. Sign up here.