People who are obese are at a greater risk for several chronic diseases, which is why researchers around the globe have been searching for ways to prevent and treat the condition. One of the more promising developments is associated with leptin, a hormone that affects metabolism and may hold the key to effective long-term weight loss.
History
In 1995, scientists Douglas Coleman and Jeffrey M. Friedman studied mice with metabolic problems similar to obese humans and discovered a genetic mutation that produced a protein substance that decreased appetite. They dubbed it leptin for the Greek word for thin, "leptos." In their studies on genetically obese mice, Coleman and Freidman found the animals shed 30 percent of their body weight in two weeks with daily leptin injections.
The revelation led in 2002 to two books aimed at harnessing the weight-loss potential of leptin -- "Mastering Leptin: Your Guide to Permanent Weight Loss and Optimum Health" by Byron J. Richards and Mary Guignon Richards, and "The Leptin Boost Diet: Unleash Your Fat-Controlling Hormones for Maximum Weight Loss," by Dr. Scott Isaacs.
Identification
Leptin is a hormone secreted from fat cells. Leptin helps to control satiety levels in your brain and lets you know when you've consumed enough food, according to a July 2002 article in "Science Daily." The Richardses' leptin diet book adds that leptin also tells your body how much fat to place in storage and how fast your metabolism should run. Leptin has a number of other functions, particularly related to the modulation of inflammatory responses that also play a part in obesity.
Significance
In their books featuring a leptin-mastering diet, the Richardses and Isaacs outline the problem of leptin resistance, a condition in which your body has too much leptin in your blood and not enough leptin entering your brain. This means fat cells are overproducing leptin but the brain doesn't get the message, and, in effect, your tissues have become immune to the effects of leptin and lost their normal capacity to respond to it. Leptin resistance in turn can cause insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome X, diabetes, thyroid problems and a host of other disease processes in your body, many of which affect weight levels. According to Isaacs, symptoms of leptin resistance include fatigue, high body fat, excess weight in your abdomen, high blood pressure and insomnia. He recommends a blood sugar test to determine if you have leptin resistance, noting that if it's even slightly higher than normal, you likely have leptin resistance.
The "Mastering Leptin" Diet
In "Mastering Leptin," the Richardses include five rules of the leptin diet: Never eat after dinner, since leptin levels are highest in the evening hours and burn fat at the maximum rate compared to any other time of the day; eat only three meals a day and allow five to six hours between meals; do not eat large meals and eat slowly; eat a breakfast containing protein; and reduce the amount of starchy carbohydrates you eat.
The "Leptin Boost" Diet
In his book "The Leptin Boost Diet," Isaacs recommends a complete lifestyle, including reducing stress, quitting smoking, getting plenty of zinc, potassium and omega-3 fatty acids, lowering blood sugar levels and following the leptin diet. Isaac's diet differs from that of the Richardses in that it recommends eating small but frequent meals to stabilize metabolism and your leptin levels. He adds that you should aim for 1,200 to 1,800 calories in the form of dairy products and a variety of fruits and vegetables and other high-fiber foods in a ratio of 40 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. Isaacs agrees with the Richardses that it's important to eat protein at breakfast because it helps to decrease production of appetite-stimulating hormones, and that you should avoid eating at late at night.
Warning
As of November 2010, there are no FDA-approved weight-loss drugs that utilize leptin specifically as an ingredient, so you should beware of any over-the-counter products that claim to contain leptin. Such products typically only contain vitamins, minerals and fillers.
Member Comments