Leptin is a hormone released by adipose tissue (body fat) that helps your body maintain your normal weight in the long term. It does this by regulating hunger by providing the feeling of satiety
The main function of leptin is to help regulate the long-term balance between the body’s food intake and energy use (expenditure). Leptin helps to inhibit (prevent) hunger and regulate the energy balance so that your body does not trigger a hunger response when it does not need energy (calories).
- The amount of leptin in your blood is directly proportional to the amount of fatty tissue your body has. In other words, the less body fat, the less leptin you have and the more body fat, the more leptin you have. When body fat decreases, leptin levels decrease, which signals your body to think it is starving. This stimulates hunger and can lead to increased food consumption
Since the amount of leptin in the blood is directly proportional to the amount of body fat, obesity causes high levels of leptin and this can lead to a picture of leptin resistance, in which the brain no longer responds correctly to signals
A blood test can check the amount of leptin in the circulation. Normal levels vary between laboratories however include for men: 0.5-12.5 ng/mL, for women: 0.5-15 ng/mL
Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to increase leptin levels to reduce hunger and appetite. One study found that people deprived of sleep had high levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger, and lower levels of leptin. Getting adequate amounts of quality sleep is important for several reasons, so in any case, it is beneficial for your overall health.
Want to find out more about dietary strategies to balance hunger? Chat with me or visit the blog www.disbiosidoctor.com