5 Facts About Leptin, The Weight Loss Hormone

Did you know that stress combined with restrictive diets can alter the functionality of the weight loss hormone leptin so that it doesn’t work as it should? As a result, you eat more.

Leptin is a hormone that inhibits feelings of hunger. It sends various signals to tell the brain that you are full.

Remember, however, that hunger and appetite are two different things:  Appetite is an emotional desire that is not controlled by this hormone. It is controlled by cognitive mechanisms, perceptions and especially emotions.

Hunger is  a physiological need that  is important in meeting nutritional needs. So you should only eat when you are actually hungry.

Your body needs a variety of healthy nutrients in order to maintain cellular structures and functions. They also give you energy. When you get these nutrients, hunger hormones like leptin work optimally.

We are going to look at various facts about leptin , called the weight loss hormone, or in this article Satiety hormone take a closer look. You will also learn what you can do to make it work effectively in your body.

1. Leptin, the weight loss hormone that is abundant in overweight people

If leptin is the weight loss hormone, why is there an excess in people who are overweight? Let’s take a look at some data to understand this:

• Leptin is a hormone that is mainly produced by adipocytes (fat cells).
• It is known as the “signal hormone”. In other words, it communicates with your hypothalamus to tell you when to stop eating because there is already enough fat.
• Overweight people suffer from leptin resistance. You have high levels of leptin in your blood, but the hormone does not work as it should. Therefore, it takes longer until these people feel full.

Problems with the hypothalamus can also affect resistance to leptin. This can cause you to lose sensitivity to this hormone.

What can you do to reduce leptin resistance?

• Avoid foods that cause inflammation.
• Eat foods with healthy fats: olive oil, salmon, avocados …
• Sleep 7 to 9 hours a day.
• Exercise regularly.

2. Leptin, the weight loss hormone, has many other functions

We already know that one of the functions of this hormone is to send signals to your hypothalamus to tell it that you have received enough energy. It tells you to stop eating because you are full.

However, this protein also has other functions:

• It works by blocking the production of other hormones and other peptides that make you want to eat (such as neuropeptide Y).
• Leptin also increases your calorie and metabolic expenditure. In other words, it speeds up your metabolism and makes you lose weight more easily.

3. Strict diets reduce your leptin levels

In people who adhere to restrictive diets, the activity of this hormone is reduced.

• Therefore, diets with a low calorie value are a health risk.
• Your leptin level drops, your metabolism becomes very slow, your hunger is more intense and the energy in your body drops.

4. Stress can cause your leptin levels to increase

Some people lose weight during stressful times, but mostly the opposite happens: chronic stress often leads to weight gain.

Reasons for this are:

• Stress increases the cortisol level in the blood,
• the more cortisol, the less leptin there is. 

Therefore, many people who suffer from stress are more hungry, eat more, but use little energy.

5. Is Leptin the Best Weight Loss Product?

Surely many are wondering how the effectiveness of leptin can be improved in order to be less hungry and consequently also to eat less.

• The  hormone works in sync with the brain, 
• as long as you need more nutrients and energy, it will transmit appropriate signals.

Therefore, it is not recommended to take dietary supplements containing leptin to satisfy hunger. You should also avoid restrictive diets.

If you are overweight, seek advice from your doctor. This will help you determine if there is a hormonal problem.

If you really want to watch your leptin levels and their proper functioning, don’t wait to change your diet. In addition, exercise regularly and try to reduce stress.

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