More than just an engine: the heart regulates body weight.

Taegtmeyer, Heinrich; Rodriguez, Antony · Circ Res · 2012

editorial · Level V

Where this comes from

Abstract

A recent study published in <i>Cell</i> may represent a paradigm shift in the way we look at cardiac metabolism: The study identifies the heart as an endocrine organ that regulates body weight. It raises two important questions: What would be the “slimming factor” released by the heart that regulates fuel homeostasis in distant organs? What are the possible mechanisms directing metabolic energy to either storage or dissipation?

Medical subject headings