Leptin is a protein hormone that plays a key role in regulating energy intake from food, appetite and metabolism. At times, leptin levels may become elevated in children. The causes of leptin elevation can differ from patient to patient. Be sure to speak to your child's doctor for more information on leptin and its effect on your child's health.
Background
The protein hormone leptin was discovered in 1994 by Jeffrey M. Friedman and colleagues at Rockefeller University, according to the Medical News Today website, when they examined gastric cells in the stomach. Human leptin is a protein of 167 amino acids, and is manufactured primarily in white adipose, or fat, tissue.
Effects
Elevated levels of leptin in children may lead to an increased risk of obesity or weight gain, according to a study published in the "Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics." Specifically, high leptin levels in children may translate to increased fat tissue in the arms and legs. As the study suggests, increased fat tissue in children is associated directly with serum -- a blood component -- leptin concentration.
Research
Medical News Today notes that leptin may affect both the chemical makeup and function of neural circuits in the brain by actually changing how the brain transmits signals, otherwise known as brain plasticity. Leptin alters the way these signals are processed by controlling neural synapses, or connections, that moderate a child's feeding behavior.
Benefits
Though elevated leptin levels may cause obesity in children, the protein hormone may also be beneficial in the functionality of other body processes. As the Bio-Medicine website suggests, many metabolic activities in the body are controlled by leptin levels: cell metabolism and generation in the stomach, for example, may also be affected by leptin.
Considerations
According to a study by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the effects of leptin levels may differ according to a child's gender. Compared with boys, girls had increased leptin concentrations independent of body fat content. The study also suggests that some children may develop a relative resistance to leptin concentration in order to support growth stages and development of reproductive organs.
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