The Connection Between Leptin, Weight Gain and Obesity

What is Leptin?

Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissue (fat cells) that helps your body maintain normal weight on a long-term basis. It does this by regulating hunger by providing the sensation of satiety (feeling full).
Leptin’s main function is to help regulate the long-term balance between food (energy intake) and energy use (expenditure). Leptin regulates energy balance by inhibiting the hunger response when there is no additional need of energy input in the form of calories.

This molecule mainly acts on the brainstem and hypothalamus to regulate hunger and energy balance, though we do have leptin receptors in other areas of our body.

Leptin doesn’t affect hunger levels and food intake from meal to meal but rather acts to alter food intake and control energy expenditure over a longer period of time to help maintain your normal weight.

It has a more profound effect when you lose weight, especially with rapid weight loss. As your body fat decreases, your leptin levels decrease, which signals starvation signals in the body. This stimulates intense hunger and appetite and can lead to increased food consumption.

Leptin also affects your metabolism, endocrine system regulation, and immune system function.