Over the past 20 years, the United States has seen a massive increase in the incidence of obesity, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports. In 2010, not a single state had an obesity prevalence level of less than 20 percent; twelve states actually had a prevalence of 30 percent or higher. This is why much attention has been given to hormones such as leptin, which regulates the appetite and plays a significant factor in weight loss. However, since the interaction between leptin and diet is more complicated than it initially seemed, an overweight individual should consult with his doctor before starting any weight-loss regimen involving leptin.
Function of Leptin
Leptin is a hormone that is primarily used in regulating the body’s energy balance, according to Ray Sahelian, a medical doctor and author of several books on dietary supplements and natural medicine. It is produced by your adipocytes, or fat cells, during sleeping hours, and it works within your brain’s hypothalamus to suppress or control your urge to eat. In addition to this, leptin boosts your body’s ability to use its existing fat stores as a source of energy. As of 2011, no leptin supplements are available over the counter.
Leptin and Obesity
Leptin was initially considered as a potential treatment for obesity, Life Extension Magazine reports; this was because experiments in the mid-1990s that involved daily injections of leptin for genetically obese mice resulted in a body weight decrease of 30 percent within two weeks. This means that the mice lost approximately 30 percent of their total body weight while receiving leptin injections.
Unfortunately, when obese humans were given similar injections, their appetites were not suppressed and they failed to lose weight. This result was not wholly unexpected, however, since previous studies had already confirmed that overweight individuals already possess significantly higher leptin levels than people of normal weight. This apparent paradox was explained by obese people developing a resistance to leptin. Therefore, if you are overweight, increased intake of dietary leptin will not help you lose weight.
Dealing With Leptin Resistance
With the problem of leptin resistance, overweight individuals, especially those who maintain high-fat diets, have a more difficult time losing weight since their chronically-elevated leptin levels makes their tissues less responsive to leptin’s effects. What’s more, a study done in 2008 at Columbia University Medical Center showed that obese individuals tend to actually lose their leptin even as they successfully lose weight, Science Daily explains. This compounds the problem, since less leptin translates into less regulation of food intake. If you’ve already lost weight, the researchers recommend leptin therapy to ensure proper weight maintenance. Before you add leptin to your diet, consult your doctor.
Diet Type and Leptin Levels
However, there may be another way to deal with leptin resistance. Researchers have found that specific foods in your diet can have a significant effect on your body’s leptin levels.
A medical study involving two Tanzanian tribes found that individuals who ate a predominantly fish-based diet had significantly lower leptin levels than those who ate mainly vegetarian foods such as fruits and vegetables, Science Daily reports. This result held regardless of the person’s body fat or body mass index. Women, who usually have a naturally higher leptin level than men, had lower leptin levels on the fish diet than the men on a vegetarian regimen. The researchers speculate that a fish diet somehow makes the body more receptive to leptin’s effects. In addition, fish is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk, making it even more beneficial to include fish in your daily diet.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Obesity Trends; July 2011
- Life Extension Magazine; Understanding the Risks of Leptin Resistance; Chris Lydon, M.D.; Feburary 20009
- Ray Sahelian, M.D.: “Role of Leptin Hormone in Obesity and Food Intake; Ray Sahelian, M.D.
- Science Daily; “Battle of the Bulge: Low Leptin Levels Undermine Successful Weight Loss”; June 2008
- Science Daily; “Fish-Rich Tribal Diet Linked with Low Leptin Levels”; July 2002
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