Decreased appetite is not always a bad meal or less attractive, but it could be a sign of heart failure. Scientists have found a link between the brain, heart and stomach that may lead to new treatments for patients with chronic heart failure or diabetes.

The study, published in the journal Diabetes found that the hormone B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is produced by the heart also has the effect of inhibiting appetite. Austrian researchers from the Medical University of Vienna found that the heart does not just react to this hormone, but also produces several substances that carry messages decrease appetite.

Researchers found many patients with heart failure BNP hormone release. When produced in larger amounts, this hormone is to support heart function by making the kidneys remove water and sodium more and make blood vessels dilate.

“These findings provide clues as to why there is a link between chronic heart failure, loss of appetite and weight loss is dramatic. We found that the effects of hormones on the heart BNP can directly suppress the appetite of patients,” said the researcher, Luger Clodi, as reported by Medical Daily.

The researchers say that until now, all the experts know there is a two-way relationship between the brain and the digestive tract. The existence of this relationship is also one of the key triggers of irritable bowel syndrome a chronic disorder that causes abdominal pain and changes in bowel and disorder also known as dyspepsia or indigestion or abdominal pain.

Heart and stomach apparently can exchange critical information with the brain to regulate physical functions that are important for heart failure patients. This mechanism will make the heart more easily work effectively by reducing the patient’s weight.

“This understanding will also open up interesting perspectives on the concept of new treatments in patients with chronic heart failure and diabetes,” said Clodi.

Several studies have indeed found that patients with heart failure tend to decrease appetite but do not know what the reason and why it can happen. The new research found that this mechanism is an effort to make the body function more effectively support cardiac function.