Leptin is a hormone thought to be important in satiety -- it helps to tell the brain when the body has enough stored fat and results in hunger suppression. Researchers believe that leptin levels are directly linked to obesity and several weight loss programs have been developed on this premise; the two most common are those that try to increase circulating leptin levels through diet and those involving regular injections of leptin into the system. However, more scientific studies need to be conducted before diets involving leptin can be considered effective.
Aspects
Leptin is produced within the fat cells and directly influences the hypothalamus to control the amount you eat, as well as being a primary regulator of metabolism and hunger. The more circulating leptin within the body, the more your appetite is suppressed and the less you consume. By this mechanism, increased amounts of stored fat in the body produce more leptin and cause you to eat less. In contrast, if the body doesn't produce sufficient amounts of leptin, you will continue to eat without feeling any sense of fullness or satiety. Additionally, the presence of leptin is believed to provide a feeling of energy and to stimulate physical activity.
Effect on Weight
Individuals with low amounts of circulating leptin in their bodies may have trouble controlling their appetites and feeling sufficiently full after eating. These levels can often be negatively affected by dieting -- extremely low-calorie diets have been found to lower leptin levels dramatically, causing a sharp increase in hunger and, consequently, a more difficult time sticking to the diet. Some researchers theorize that obesity may be connected to an individual having a decreased sensitivity to leptin or a defect that results in the fat cells producing smaller amounts of the hormone than normal.
Leptin Diet
The Leptin Diet, a weight loss program designed by Byron Richards, attempts to use diet to control the amount of circulating leptin in obese people, helping them overcome what Richards describes as leptin resistance. This is a decreased sensitivity to very high leptin levels, which Richards believes makes obese individuals even less likely to feel sated after eating. Richards recommends eating high-protein foods for breakfast, spacing meals five hours apart during the day and focusing on low glycemic foods such as lean protein and high-fiber vegetables. While on the diet, you are to avoid gluten-containing products, dairy, processed meats, fruit and high-fat foods.
Leptin Injections
According to the ABC "Good Morning America" site, researchers at Rockefeller University discovered in 1995 that giving leptin injections to obese mice resulted in dramatic weight loss. Since that time, a number of studies have been conducted to determine if leptin injections would do the same for human patients. Some of these studies have found that injections of the hormone cause steady and reliable weight loss. The "Journal of the American Medical Association" reports that one such experiment yielded a mean weight loss of 15 pounds over the 24 week trial period of the study. Other studies indicated that not all people were equally affected by the injections.
Considerations
Although understanding of the role leptin plays in weight loss and obesity is growing, there still isn't enough clinical evidence to definitely approve leptin diets or injections as a viable treatment option for weight loss. In addition, the safety of leptin-based diet programs is not known. Since leptin is also thought to play an important role in bone development, respiratory system function and in the immune system, there is the potential for serious side effects. Before beginning any weight loss plan involving leptin, be certain to speak with your physician.
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