Cholecystokinin is a hormone produced in the small intestine that aids in the digestion of proteins and fats, stimulates the gallbladder to release bile, and generates feelings of fullness. It may also play a role in drug addiction and tolerance. Injecting it can be used to evaluate gallbladder function.
Cholecystokinin or CCK is a hormone produced by the digestive tract, mainly in the small intestine. It plays a role in the digestion of proteins and fats, and also has an effect on the brain and vagus nerve, generating feelings of fullness that are meant to quench the appetite once someone has eaten enough. In addition to being naturally produced by the body, this hormone is sometimes injected for diagnostic testing purposes.
One of the main actions of this hormone is on the gallbladder. In fact, the name “cholecystokinin” means “to move the gallbladder,” referring to the fact that this hormone causes the gallbladder to contract, stimulating it to release bile into the digestive tract. Cholecystokinin also stimulates the body to produce more bile, along with digestive enzymes. The digestive tract produces hormones when fats are detected.
Studies seem to suggest that cholecystokinin may play a role in the development of drug addiction and tolerance, as well as acting in the brain to produce feelings of anxiety and nausea. Like many hormones, cholecystokinin is very complicated and works in different ways to produce the desired effect, which is the digestion of certain molecules and the suppression of appetite to prevent overeating.
Like other hormones related to feelings of fullness, cholecystokinin can take some time to act in the body. This is one reason people are encouraged to eat slowly and wait 10-20 minutes if they are still hungry after a meal. Often, the feeling of hunger is resolved when the body’s hormones begin to affect the brain. Conversely, competitive eaters try to eat as much as possible as quickly as possible so they can win competitions before satiety-inducing chemicals start acting on their brains, making it difficult or impossible to eat more food.
In diagnostic tests designed to evaluate whether or not the gallbladder is functioning properly, a doctor may inject cholecystokinin into a patient and monitor their response. This controlled introduction of cholecystokinin into the body allows the doctor to see if the gallbladder and digestive tract are functioning as they should. If the gallbladder is unresponsive, it may indicate that the patient has a problem and that further diagnostic tests may be needed. Before performing this test, a doctor will conduct an interview with the patient to make sure that he is safe and fit.
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