Leptin Resistance & Weight Gain – Medwin Family Medicine & Rehab

Your Satiety Hormone May Hold the Key to Achieving Weight Loss Goals

Leptin Resistance, often referred to as the “satiety hormone,” is an important master hormone your body releases from fat cells to help regulate your energy expenditure. Leptin also crosses the blood-brain barrier to communicate with the hypothalamus in the brain to signal when you are hungry or full.

If leptin is the master hormone that tells you when it is time to stop eating—and leptin is produced by fat cells—more fat cells should equal more leptin and hunger levels should shut down. Unfortunately, in people who are overweight, leptin resistance’s often develops.

When leptin resistance’s develops, leptin signaling is interrupted, so that no matter how much leptin is produced, the brain does not get the message. Instead of interpreting that extra leptin coming from all those extra fat cells as a signal to stop eating, the malfunctioning metabolic and endocrine systems read the flood of leptin as a starvation alert. The result is uncontrollable cravings for food high in fat and carbohydrates to increase fat stores. The master hormone designed to police weight levels becomes at best ineffective.

Correcting leptin resistance can restore hormonal balance and possibly help you to control your appetite and shed stubborn pounds. To schedule a consultation with a qualified healthcare provider in who specializes in leptin resistance, call (832) 532-0050 or contact us online.

What Causes Leptin Resistance?

Leptin resistance usually develops over time due to three primary factors: (1) too little sleep, (2) too much stress and (3) too much of the wrong foods. Other factors that can contribute to its development include:

• Overeating
• High insulin levels
• High triglyceride levels
• Too much sugar, especially high-fructose corn syrup
• Toxin overload
• High stress (and resulting high cortisol levels)
• Yo-yo dieting (alternating starvation with binge eating, especially)
• Too little sun or time spent outdoors
• Too little or too much exercise
• Excessive snacking, especially late-night snacking and snacking on high-fructose, simple carbohydrate, overly processed foods

These factors can damage your endocrine system and metabolic function, leading to leptin resistance. Unfortunately, the very factors that contribute to developing leptin resistance’s can increase and become symptoms of leptin resistance; e.g., overeating leads to leptin resistance, then leptin resistance’s triggers overeating.

Leptin Resistance Symptoms and Diagnosis

How can you tell if you are suffering from leptin resistance? If you are 15 pounds overweight or underweight, your leptin signaling may be out of whack. Primary symptoms of leptin resistance’s include:

• Being overweight
• High leptin levels (Hyperleptinemia)
• High levels of inflammation
• Finding yourself unable to lose weight, no matter how hard you try
• Experiencing uncontrollable food cravings, especially high-fat, high-sugar or “junk” foods

If you suspect you are experiencing leptin resistance’s, your healthcare provider can review your medical history and conduct a physical examination. After assessing your symptoms, a blood test to measure leptin levels can help your healthcare provider to confirm a diagnosis of leptin resistance. Since leptin levels rise and fall, multiple blood tests may be necessary.

Leptin Resistance Diet & Treatment Options

Leptin resistance can be successfully treated with various therapeutic interventions, many of which are diet-related. Following a leptin diet is key to leptin resistance treatment and weight loss. It may be difficulty to control overeating until leptin levels stabilize and proper leptin signaling returns. Controlling the types of foods you eat is the first step, and controlling the amount of food you eat will become easier as you heal your leptin resistance.

An ideal leptin resistance’s diet will involve:

• Increasing the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids and reducing omega-6 fatty acids
• Increasing the consumption of lean protein
• Limiting sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, simple carbohydrates and refined, processed foods
• No snacking between meals and increasing the time between meals

In addition, there are other lifestyle components with are important to consider to combat leptin resistance’s. These include:

• Reducing the stress in your life
• Getting more sleep
• Exercising regularly, particularly focusing on resistance and strength training
• Detoxifying your life (avoid plastics, processed foods, commercial soaps and detergents, dryer sheets, deodorants and cosmetics)
• Talking to your healthcare provider about supplements that may support leptin balance and signaling

If you struggle with weight loss and experience uncontrollable cravings or constant hunger, you may be experiencing leptin resistance. Schedule a consultation with a healthcare provider in today who can evaluate your leptin hormone levels and recommend effective treatment to restore your health and wellbeing. Call (832) 532-0050 or contact us online.

Leptin Resistance: What Is It, Symptoms, Treatment

1. What is leptin resistance? 
2. Leptin resistance symptoms
3. What causes leptin resistance? 
4. Diagnosing leptin resistance
5. Leptin resistance treatment
6. Leptin resistance diet
7. Reversing leptin resistance naturally
8. Leptin resistance: the bottom line

Trying to maintain a healthy weight can be frustrating if you don’t feel full after meals. While it may feel like you lack “willpower,” there’s actually a scientific explanation for this, and it has to do with how your brain responds to leptin—a hormone some call the “fullness” hormone. 

When your brain doesn’t respond to leptin properly, leptin resistance can occur. This is why, despite eating a full meal, you may still feel hungry. 

We’ll cover more about leptin resistance, what causes it, and how to reverse it.

Leptin is a hormone (or chemical messenger) made in fat tissue that plays an important role in regulating our appetite and metabolism by sending signals to a receptor in our brains. Our brains then interpret the signals as feelings of fullness (also known as satiety). This makes you stop eating and signals your body to burn more calories. 

For people with leptin resistance, the body makes plenty of leptin, but the brain doesn’t respond to those leptin signals, so they don’t feel full or burn the calories they have. Instead, they continue to feel hungry despite having eaten. The body can’t sense signals that tell it to increase metabolism and burn off calories, so they eat more without burning more. 

The balance of calories going in and out (energy balance) is uneven, and the excess calories make fat cells (adipocytes) grow. Those fat cells make more leptin, so you usually wind up with a high leptin level (hyperleptinemia) but no way for your body to use it. 

Leptin resistance causes many different signs and symptoms, including: 

• Obesity: Since people with leptin resistance don’t feel full after eating and don’t burn the calories they take in, they usually experience weight gain and obesity. This may begin as early as childhood (Lustig, 2006). 
• Belly fat: People who are resistant to leptin may specifically have more belly fat (also called abdominal or visceral fat) instead of fat stores distributed evenly around the body (Ma, 2002). That’s significant because visceral fat is linked to an increased risk of additional diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and more.
• Fatigue: People with high leptin levels and leptin resistance often feel excessively tired and fatigued (Stringer, 2013). People with leptin resistance may be less physically active because the brain doesn’t respond to the signals telling it to burn calories (Lustig, 2006). 
• Pain disorders: The high levels of leptin in people with leptin resistance may make a person more sensitive to pain or more prone to developing chronic pain disorders like fibromyalgia (Younger, 2016). 
• “Junk food” cravings: Leptin resistance and elevated leptin levels can make you more likely to crave high-fat “junk foods” and sweets (Reichelt, 2015; Macedo, 2014). 

While researchers aren’t entirely sure what the source of leptin resistance is for everyone, a couple of things likely contribute. 

Leptin resistance may be caused by a disruption to a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. Leptin works by sending signals to the hypothalamus, and studies suggest that people with obesity have increased inflammation in this area, which may disrupt the hormone’s communication with the brain (Thaler, 2012).   

Fatty acids can also cause leptin resistance. Fatty acids are a component of fats found in many foods. Some of them are essential for nutrition, but some of the fatty acids found in saturated fats (like palmitate) can block the brain’s response to leptin (Kleinridders, 2009).  

It may be difficult to diagnose leptin resistance since there are no standard criteria for a diagnosis. Healthcare providers usually make the diagnosis based on signs and symptoms. They may also get a blood test to check your leptin level, but they usually don’t make the diagnosis based just on the test (Gruzdeva, 2019).

Unlike conditions like diabetes or heart disease, leptin resistance is more of an underlying condition that contributes to obesity rather than a distinct diagnosis on its own. That means that while some people with obesity may have leptin resistance, they may never be tested or treated specifically for the condition. 

Instead, lifestyle changes and treatments used to help with obesity and associated medical conditions will be the most likely treatments provided to people who may have underlying leptin resistance, even if it’s never explicitly diagnosed.

People with leptin resistance usually have obesity and may be at risk for conditions like high cholesterol, heart disease (cardiovascular disease), and type 2 diabetes. Since leptin decreases your appetite and helps burn calories, would a leptin supplement be a good treatment for these individuals? 

It turns out that it’s not. Studies have shown that giving people leptin doesn’t help treat obesity caused by leptin resistance (Paz-Filho, 2011). People with leptin resistance and obesity have more body fat, so they usually have very high leptin levels (since body fat produces leptin), and adding more isn’t helpful (Maffei, 1995). That’s because the problem is with the receptors for leptin.

The only people with obesity who benefit from leptin treatment are those who have a condition called congenital leptin deficiency (CLD), in which they produce almost no leptin at all (Sáinz, 2015). They have no leptin, but they are sensitive to its effects. After they’re treated with leptin, they often have lower cholesterol and blood sugar (glucose) and are able to lose weight (Paz-Filho, 2011).  

There’s currently no specific medication for treating leptin resistance, but there are dietary changes and lifestyle modifications that may help manage it. 

Leptin resistance may improve with some dietary modifications, such as: 

• A low-fat diet: Eating a high-fat diet leads to more inflammation, which interferes with the brain’s response to leptin. A low-fat diet may improve leptin sensitivity (De Souza, 2005). 
• Fewer processed carbs: A diet high in processed carbohydrates can lead to inflammation and interfere with leptin signals (Ghanim, 2009).
• Low sugar consumption: Some studies suggest that a high intake of sugars like fructose can interfere with leptin levels and prevent you from feeling full (Lowette, 2015).
• High protein intake: A diet that’s high in protein may increase leptin sensitivity, increase feelings of fullness, and lower body weight (Weigle, 2005). 
• Avoiding triglycerides: A type of fat called triglycerides, found in foods like butter and oil, can block leptin signals and lead to leptin resistance (Banks, 2004).  

Managing leptin resistance doesn’t just depend on eating the right foods. You can help reverse leptin resistance by modifying other lifestyle factors, including:  

• Sleep: Let’s face it—many of us don’t get as much sleep as we should. But getting enough sleep is more important than you may think. Sleep deprivation affects leptin levels and metabolism, interferes with appetite control, and increases the risk of obesity (Spiegel, 2004).
• Stress: Avoiding excess stress and taking care of your mental health can help keep your leptin levels balanced since leptin levels are closely tied to your emotional state (Licinio, 2015).
• Exercise: There’s a long list of benefits of regular exercise, but an important one is that it can significantly lower excess leptin. Exercise reduces fat mass, reducing leptin and improving leptin sensitivity (Reseland, 2001). 

Leptin resistance is an important contributor to obesity. There’s no medication to cure it, but there are ways to manage it and help reverse it naturally. If you have symptoms of leptin resistance, it’s a good idea to speak to a healthcare provider who can evaluate you and determine the best options for treatment. 

If you have any medical questions or concerns, please talk to your healthcare provider. The articles on Health Guide are underpinned by peer-reviewed research and information drawn from medical societies and governmental agencies. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

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8. Lustig, R. H. (2006). Childhood obesity: behavioral aberration or biochemical drive? Reinterpreting the First Law of Thermodynamics. Nature Clinical Practice. Endocrinology & Metabolism, 2(8), 447–458. doi:10.1038/ncpendmet0220. Retrieved from https://pubmed. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16932334/ 
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10. Macedo, D. M. & Diez-Garcia, R. W. (2014). Sweet craving and ghrelin and leptin levels in women during stress. Appetite, 80, 264–270. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2014.05.031. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24879886/ 
11. Maffei, M., Halaas, J., Ravussin, E., et al. (1995). Leptin levels in human and rodent: measurement of plasma leptin and ob RNA in obese and weight-reduced subjects. Nature Medicine, 1(11), 1155–1161. doi:10.1038/nm1195-1155. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7584987/ 
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13. Reichelt, A. C., Westbrook, R. F., & Morris, M. J. (2015). Integration of reward signalling and appetite regulating peptide systems in the control of food-cue responses. British Journal of Pharmacology, 172(22), 5225–5238. doi:10.1111/bph.13321. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5341214/ 
14. Reseland, J. E., Anderssen, S. A., Solvoll, K., et al. (2001). Effect of long-term changes in diet and exercise on plasma leptin concentrations. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 73(2), 240–245. doi:10.1093/ajcn/73.2.240. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11157319/ 
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19. Weigle, D. S., Breen, P. A., Matthys, C. C., et al. (2005). A high-protein diet induces sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum caloric intake, and body weight despite compensatory changes in diurnal plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 82(1), 41–48. doi:10.1093/ajcn.82.1.41. Retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002798/ 
20. Younger, J., Kapphahn, K., Brennan, K., et al. (2016). Association of Leptin with Body Pain in Women. Journal of Women’s Health (2002), 25(7), 752–760. doi:10.1089/jwh.2015.5509. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4939369/

Yael Cooperman is a physician and works as a Senior Manager, Medical Content & Education at Ro.

rapid fatigue and weight gain

When we eat, the body stores adipose tissue. Fat cells secrete a special substance – leptin , which gives our brain a signal “ENOUGH EAT”. This creates a feeling of fullness. This allows us to maintain optimal weight and not overeat.

Fig.1. Regulation of metabolic processes in the body by leptin

However, there is such a thing as “leptin resistance” . In other words, this means that our brain stops hearing the incoming signal in the form of leptin (leptin signal) , and does not give the STOP FOOD command. Why might this be happening? There are usually two reasons.

1. Physiological. We routinely ignore our brain’s “STOP EATING” call and overeat. Over time, the brain gets tired of fighting the insubordination of our stomach and stops listening to the leptin signal. The signal to stop eating is getting weaker, and is produced later. This condition leads to obesity, and over time, to insulin resistance and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. In this case, the cause of the disease is due solely to our eating habits, food culture and self-control.

2. Genetic. There is such a LEPR gene. It depends on this small gene how many receptors a person will have (in other words, how much the brain can INITIALLY HEAR the leptin signal). In people with a disorder in this gene, adipose tissue produces a leptin signal “STOP EATING”, but there are very few cells in the brain that will HEAR this signal.

Fig.2. The mechanism of metabolic disorders in leptin resistance.

Whatever causes the state of leptin resistance, diets in this state turn into real torture. Severe, with frequent “breakdowns”, low performance and quick return to previous weight indicators. Familiar? You need to test your leptin resistance!

How?

1 test – genetic test for the condition of the LEPR gene. Genetic testing on a saliva sample is given once in a lifetime. You can take the test either in Odessa, at the NDC of St. Paul, or remotely, throughout Ukraine, by independently sampling saliva with a special sterile applicator for a genetic test.

2 test – biochemical test for leptin content in the blood. With this test, physiological resistance to leptin can be detected and the severity (at the moment) of genetic resistance can be assessed.

Why is leptin resistance so terrible?

By influencing the hypothalamus, leptin influences all organs subordinate to it. In addition, there are leptin receptors in smaller quantities throughout the body, and not only in the brain, therefore, in addition to an aesthetically unpleasant manifestation in the form of extra pounds, leptin resistance threatens:

• Insulin resistance (diabetes mellitus)
• Fatty liver disease
• Hyperlipidemia (atherosclerosis)
• PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), infertility
• Disorder of sexual development in adolescents
• Joint problems

What to do?

Leptin sensitivity must be restored before starting a diet. To do this, you need: get enough sleep, eat more raw foods, severely limit the intake of fructose (raisins, grapes, persimmons), the diet should be rich in ballast substances, fiber; it is necessary to introduce more legumes into the diet and be sure to weigh portions.

Restore leptin sensitivity LeptinManager is a specially designed drug for people with leptin resistance. The glycosaminoglycans included in the Oralvisc formula control the release of leptin by adipocytes, act on cell receptors, increasing their sensitivity to leptin and, accordingly, returning a person a feeling of satiety and the ability to reduce weight.

Oralvisc formula has been studied over many years and proven to be effective and safe in independent clinical studies.

Thus, in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in patients taking ORALVISC® for 12 weeks, showed a significant weight loss without changing eating habits, a decrease in the level of leptin in the blood and synovial fluid, as well as some cytokines and chemokines responsible for obesity. Significantly improved lipid profile.

Wu W, Zvirbulis R, Zonca B, et al. An oral preparation containing hyaluronic acid (Oralvisc®) can significantly decrease the production of leptin levels in the serum and synovial fluid of osteoarthritic knee patients. Poster presented at: Orthopedic Research Society (ORS) Annual Meeting. San Antonio, TX. January 26-29, 2013.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=12079865

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24899570

Author: Borisova Olga, German Diagnostic Center of St. Pavel http://dclinic.com.ua/genetika/sub/test-defekt-zarascheniya-nevral-noy-trubki-dznt/.

How leptin affects appetite and makes you gain weight

February 5

Likbez

Health

It is bad when there is little of it, and even worse when there is a lot.

Iya Zorina

Author of Lifehacker, athlete, CCM

What is leptin

Leptin is a hormone that is released from adipose tissue, suppresses appetite and promotes weight loss. In other words, it sends a message to the brain: “Enough eating, it’s time to waste fat reserves.”

Normal production of this hormone helps maintain a stable weight, apart from calories and energy expenditure. Lack of leptin increases appetite and promotes weight gain. And the excess reduces the body’s sensitivity to the hormone, can cause inflammation and metabolic disorders.

How leptin affects appetite

Fat cells release leptin in response to food intake, it enters the bloodstream and enters the brain.

There, the hormone binds to receptors in the hypothalamus and transmits information about energy reserves. If it is enough, a number of appetite suppressing peptides are released in the body.

When a person loses fat and receives insufficient calories, leptin levels decrease and appetite increases. Therefore, during diets, people suffer from hunger, even if the fat depots are overflowing with stored energy.

On the other hand, high body fat and overeating, especially carbohydrates, increase leptin levels and reduce hunger. It would seem that overweight people who lean on sweets should have a lot of the “satiety hormone” and almost never feel the need for food.

Their leptin level is really high, but it doesn’t reduce their appetite. Scientists suggest that the whole thing is in impaired sensitivity.

Why Leptin Insensitivity Occurs

One study found that 12 hours of overeating (120 kcal/kg of body weight) raised leptin levels by 40%, and two weeks of such a regime tripled the amount of the hormone.

Scientists suggest that excessive amounts of leptin may directly affect the hypothalamus, reducing its sensitivity to this hormone.

Moreover, the transfer of leptin through the blood-brain barrier, a filter that protects the brain from harmful blood components, also worsens.

Thus, little leptin penetrates into it, the hypothalamus does not receive a command to cut appetite and the feeling of fullness does not come, despite the excess of calories.

In addition, high plasma levels of the hormone increase the amount of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which, in turn, further increase leptin.

How to Increase Leptin Sensitivity

There are several strategies that can help you improve leptin sensitivity and improve your appetite.

Give up sugar

In response to sugar consumption, the body’s insulin levels rise, and persistent hyperinsulinemia leads to an increase in the concentration of leptin in the blood plasma.

Just three days of overeating carbohydrates increases the level of “satiety hormone” by 28%. Moreover, table sugar, especially fructose, which is part of it, can worsen leptin sensitivity and provoke weight gain.

Therefore, it is worth giving up sweets as much as possible. If possible, eliminate them altogether.

Reduce saturated fat

Fat has a much lesser effect on leptin levels than carbohydrates, but they can also contribute to the development of resistance.

Animal studies have shown that saturated fatty acids impair the transport of leptin across the blood-brain barrier, which affects the amount of the hormone in the brain and its effect on appetite. Moreover, unsaturated fatty acids from vegetable oils, fish and nuts do not have this effect.

Diet guides advise cutting dietary saturated fat to 5-10% of total calories due to the perceived harm to the cardiovascular system. Perhaps you should follow this advice to reduce your appetite.

Try to limit the amount of fatty and processed meat, do not lean on butter and lard.

Try intermittent fasting

As mentioned earlier, fasting and weight loss lower leptin levels. This is logical, because the fewer fat cells, the less hormone they can produce.

But one scientific paper noted that intermittent fasting helps to get rid of excess leptin even faster than the fat mass goes away.

In addition, there is evidence that this eating method improves insulin and leptin sensitivity and helps fight inflammation in the body.

Try a mild intermittent fasting regimen where you fast for 16 hours and eat normally the rest of the time.

Exercise

Although exercise is not the most effective way to lose weight, it can improve leptin sensitivity.