Endogenous Opiates and Energy Balance

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Abstract
Increasing the palatability of food has 2 opposite effects: it promotes overeating and provokes caloric output (energy expenditure). The increase in energy expenditure is too small to compensate for overeating and, as a result, obesity occurs. Repeated administration of zinc tannate of naloxone, a long-lasting opiate antagonist, completely abolishes this diet-induced obesity in rats. The drug accomplishes this not only by reducing overeating but also by increasing energy expenditure. This suggests that endogenous opioid peptides encourage obesity in 2 ways by stimulating the appetite for palatable foods and by reducing energy expenditures.