Quick version
What does leptin do in the body?
Leptin sends signals to the hypothalamus in the brain to help the body adjust both food intake and energy expenditure. When the body's fat reserves are high, leptin levels rise and the brain signals us to eat less and expend more energy. And when fat reserves are low, leptin also decreases, leading to increased hunger and reduced energy expenditure to conserve resources.
How leptin levels can make it difficult to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
As previously mentioned, leptin plays a major role in the signals the brain receives and therefore affects the body in several ways:
- Regulation of both hunger and appetite: High leptin levels suppress appetite, while low levels make us feel hungrier.
- Weight management: Disturbances in leptin signaling can lead to weight gain or difficulty losing weight.
- Metabolism and fat burning: Leptin plays a role in how the body burns energy and stores fat.
- Hormonal balance: Leptin interacts with hormones such as insulin and cortisol, and can play a role in conditions such as insulin resistance and chronic stress.
- Immune system and inflammation: Leptin also plays a role in the immune system and is associated with chronic inflammatory conditions.
Leptin resistance can lead to difficulty losing weight
Leptin resistance is a condition in which the brain does not respond correctly to signals from leptin. In the condition, which involves high leptin levels, the body continues to signal hunger and reduces energy expenditure. This can lead to weight gain and difficulty losing weight, even though you may be working on both calorie restriction and regular exercise. Leptin resistance is common in people with obesity and metabolic syndrome.
Do you suspect leptin resistance or low leptin levels?
Are you experiencing difficulty losing weight despite lifestyle changes? Constant hunger and cravings for food? Perhaps you suffer from obesity or have a history of weight problems. Maybe you just want to understand your body's signals of hunger or fullness better. There are several reasons why you might want to test your leptin levels.
How to help your body balance leptin levels
There are several strategies to balance leptin levels and improve leptin sensitivity, a healthy diet, regular sleep, physical activity and stress management are a good foundation:
- Reduce your intake of ultra-processed foods and sugar, and eat a diet rich in protein, healthy fats and fiber.
- Lack of sleep can disrupt hormone balance and contribute to leptin resistance.
- Regular exercise can increase leptin sensitivity and promote fat burning.
- Chronic stress can negatively affect leptin levels, so techniques such as meditation and relaxation can be beneficial.
If you suspect that your leptin balance is disrupted, you can test your values with a blood test that measures your levels S-Leptin.