Which hormone stimulates appetite and is produced in the stomach?

• A. Ghrelin
• B. Leptin
• C. Insulin
• D. Cortisol

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how gut signals regulate hunger, and the hormone produced in the stomach that directly triggers it. Ghrelin is released mainly by the stomach and acts on the brain’s hunger centers to stimulate appetite, especially right before meals. Its levels rise to tell you you’re hungry and fall after you eat, helping to regulate short-term energy intake.

Leptin, by contrast, is produced by fat tissue and signals fullness over longer periods, helping to curb appetite when energy stores are sufficient. Insulin, coming from the pancreas, helps regulate blood glucose and can influence appetite, but its primary role isn’t a stomach-origin hunger signal. Cortisol, from the adrenal glands, is a stress hormone that can modulate appetite in various contexts but again isn’t the stomach-produced hunger signal. So ghrelin best fits the description.