Leptin is a hormone produced primarily by fat tissue. It plays an important role in weight regulation. Recently new supplement formulas have been developed to mimic this process such as LeptoConnect and Leptitox. However, the effectiveness of supplementing to mimic the hormone is controversial.
What is Leptin?
Your body produces many hormones that help you eat the right amount of food and maintain a healthy weight. Leptin is one of them.
Leptin is a hormone predominantly made by adipose cells and enterocytes in the small intestine that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger, which in turn diminishes fat storage in adipocytes. Leptin acts on cell receptors in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.
One important area of investigation that scientists have studied is leptin resistance. Some researchers believe that leptin resistance is the reason people who are obese have a harder time eating less and losing weight.
The idea of leptin resistance is controversial because scientists don’t know exactly how the hormone interacts with other factors. Many other appetite and hunger hormones play a role in what you eat and how much you eat.
Leptin and ghrelin seem to be the big players in regulating appetite, which consequently influences body weight/fat. When we get hungrier, we tend to eat more. When we eat more, obviously, we maintain our body weight or gain that weight back.
Both leptin and ghrelin are peripheral signals with central effects. In other words, they’re secreted in other parts of the body (peripheral) but affect our brain (central).
What is leptin resistance?
Studies in mice have shown that giving animals leptin reduces overeating and obesity. However, many obese humans have been shown to have high amounts of leptin circulating in the blood, but it doesn’t seem to affect appetite or energy expenditure. This is termed “leptin resistance,” because even though the body has more than enough leptin in it, it doesn’t respond to it the way it’s supposed to.
Do Leptin Supplements Work?
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve certainly seen ads for leptin supplements online or in magazines. The ads claim to boost your leptin levels or fix your leptin resistance. But these pills don’t contain the hormone leptin. Most of the diet pills simply contain trendy ingredients, like green tea or fiber that may help you feel full or burn more calories.
Leptin levels change in your body in response to food—which is why it is recommended to eat slowly and choosing foods that will fill you up to increase your feelings of satiety when you eat.
Other than that, there’s unfortunately nothing that’s been scientifically proven to help change your leptin levels.
Follow a Leptin Diet Instead
Is there such a thing as “high leptin foods”? Foods that are very satiating (the kinds that make you feel full) can be considered the best types for improving leptin sensitivity.
These foods can help to make you feel fuller and more satisfied after eating and between meals, reducing the chances that you’ll overeat:
- High fiber/high volume foods
- High-protein foods
- Healthy fats such as omega-3 fatty acid
- Increase the rate of consuming fruits and whole vegetable
- Keep your body hydrated to facilitate metabolic activities
- Alternate Day Calorie Cycling & Intermittent Fasting
If you are interested in Trying a Leptin Supplement keep in mind Leptin Supplements may offer some weight management benefits for individuals who want to maintain a healthy lifestyle. However, every individual must put a lot of effort when it comes to managing their weight by following regular exercise and healthy nutrition to get your desired weight loss results. Also, it is important to consult your doctor before taking any kind of supplements to avoid more health risks.