The Role Of Leptin In Obesity

Leptin is a protein that binds to receptors in your brain and performs several actions that may prove important in treating obesity. It is called the "satisfaction" hormone because it's most noted function is to tell your brain when you've had enough to eat. Discovered in 1994 in lab mice, leptin was once thought to be the key to breakthrough weight-loss drugs, but future research demonstrated that leptin is more complex than first thought.

Homeostasis

Leptin is one of several mechanisms your body uses to achieve homeostasis, or metabolic equilibrium. For example, it strives to keep a stable body temperature and steadily regulate your blood sugar. Leptin can turn down your appetite and stimulate an increase in your calorie-burn rate to stay in a state of energy balance.

Appetite Control

Leptin's main work takes place in the hypothalamus region of the brain. It activates and interacts with anorexic and orexigenic nerve cells that control feeding signals. Leptin is produced by your fat cells while you are sleeping, and according to the "New York Times," your stomach may also produce leptin. The ShareCare.com website says that when you don't sleep well, you produce less leptin, which is why obesity may be related to lack of sleep. In addition, according to Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz, authors of "You: On a Diet," you have fewer leptin receptors as you age, which may be why people gain weight as they get older.

Fat Metabolism in Muscles

Harvard researchers say that leptin plays a role in fat metabolism in your muscles. Essentially it clears out fat tissue and reduces the fats inside your cells. Excess fat in muscles has been linked to insulin resistance and diabetes. Their research opens up a new area of possible treatments that can be created with leptin. When mice were treated with leptin, it cured them completely of severe diabetes.

Leptin Resistance

People who are overweight and obese have paradoxically high levels of leptin, which means their brains should be telling them to eat less. However, obesity makes you more resistant to the effects of leptin. Because leptin is secreted through fat cells, you can make yourself more responsive to leptin by becoming more active and building more lean muscle mass.