Yunnan Normal University, Kunming 650500, China

Ghrelin is a gastric derived hormone composed of 28 amino acids. It is an endogenous ligand of the secretagogue receptor of growth hormone (GH). It regulates energy balance, stimulates eating and the release of growth hormone by transmitting information about peripheral nutritional status to the brain, and then regulates appetite, eating and body composition. It plays a role in obesity. It is essential to protect organisms from famine. The discovery of ghrelin has opened up many new prospects in neuroendocrine, metabolic and cardiovascular research, especially in obesity, indicating its possible clinical application. Recent research progress provides new clues for the multifaceted role of ghrelin in intracellular homeostasis. Ghrelin has the capacity to keep the intracellular environment while also overcoming metabolism in metabolic organs. This paper examines ghrelin's structure, receptor, and mechanism. Ghrelin's ability to regulate food intake; the relationship between ghrelin and obesity was discussed further, and the practical role of ghrelin in the treatment of diet-related diseases was discussed.