Abstract: Methods for reducing peripheral blood glucose levels, food intake, glucose production, gluconeogenesis, triglyceride levels, and low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels in mammals are provided. Also provided are methods of increasing glucose production and food intake in mammals. Further provided are methods of treating a disorder selected from the group consisting of obesity, type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, leptin resistance, metabolic syndrome, heart failure, ischemia, coronary heart disease, familial lipoprotein lipase deficiency, hypopituitarism, hyperlipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperVLDLemia, atherosclerosis, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and any combination of the foregoing. The methods involve manipulations of amino acid presence or metabolism in the hypothalamus of the mammal.