Ghrelin and appetite control in humans-Potential application in the treatment of obesity

► Ghrelin is a peptide hormone thought to act as a signal of hunger. ► We review the role of ghrelin in appetite regulation in lean and obese humans. ► We then examine ghrelin's potential as an anti-obesity treatment. We discuss different approaches to inhibiting the ghrelin system to treat obesity. ► We conclude that despite early promise inhibiting the ghrelin system might not result in a successful anti-obesity treatment.