Weight gain and weight loss are not all about calories and willpower alone. This, however, is what most people believe. Our recent obesity research, however, has a different opinion. Biologists and experts in nutrition say that a hormone called leptin is more involved. They say that weight gain in humans is due to leptin resistance. In this case, your body does not respond to this hormone. In this article, we will learn more about leptin and its impact on obesity.
What is leptin?
Leptin was discovered in the late ’90s. We received this discovery with many gratitude as scientists believed they could now control weight gain and weight loss in humans.
Leptin is released by fat cells. It is responsible for the way the body stores and burns energy in the body. The hormone is also referred to as a satiety drug due to its effectiveness in appetite reduction.
Further research discovered that obese people have more leptin on their bodies though they have continued to gain weight regardless. This led to the conclusion that overweight or obese people develop a condition called leptin resistance. When we tried leptin supplements for weight reduction, they did not work because they are blocked from passing the blood-brain barrier and metabolized by the body.
Leptin main communication target is the brain. It’s supposed to remind the brain that your body fats are in excess and you don’t need to eat. You can still burn the calories at a standard rate. The hormone also works about body fertility, brain function and immunity.
However, the main work of the leptin hormone in the body is to tell how much fat you have stored and energy regulation in the body. It is a system preventing people from overeating or starving.
Leptin works hand in hand with ghrelin, which signals when hunger strikes. The two can also be known as hunger hormones, as they control how often you eat. It’s important to note that doctors have invented a synthetic form of leptin.
It is, however, not as effective in weight control but can treat several other conditions. People without body fat are at risk of medical such as diabetes. People living with this condition are mainly in lipodystrophy.
This is a medical condition where someone has little or no body fat. A synthetic leptin injection is the only way out in such a case.
Leptin Resistance
Obese people have more body fat in their fat cells. The reason for this is because fat cells produce leptin according to the size of the body. Obese people, therefore, make high levels of leptin.
However, based on the information we have above, obese people should limit their rating since leptin communicates to the brain to avoid more food but burn the calories in the body. The brain ought to understand there is a lot of fat energy stored; why doesn’t it work this way then?
This is where leptin resistance comes in.
Leptin resistance is a condition symbolized by less brain acknowledgement of the leptin hormone’s signal. Though you might have more of the hormone, the brain doesn’t sense its presence. Leptin signal interpretation doesn’t work. The brain assumes you are still hungry and signals you to eat more. Leptin resistance contributes immensely to obesity.
Once your brain doesn’t get the leptin signal, it understands that you are hungry, though you have a lot of fat energy stored. The brain then stimulates you to eat more since it thinks you need more energy and prevent starvation.
Also, you get reduced energy expenditure in focus to preserve energy used at rest. You, therefore, burn fewer calories. Therefore, eating more and reducing exercise is not a result of weight gain but leptin resistance.
For a leptin resistance patient, weight loss doesn’t make the brain reverse the leptin resistance condition. Remember, the condition is not out of weight loss in the first place.
Once you lose weight, your brain initiates powerful mechanisms to gain fat and energy. This is no wonder most people lose weight but regain it a few months later. This is because the brain is always interpreting a starvation signal and causes you to eat more.
Leptin Resistance Causes
Three things can cause leptin resistance;
1. Having high leptin Once your level of leptin is very high, it may cause leptin resistance.
2. Free fatty acids in the body Free fatty acids in the blood increase body activity and interfere with leptin signals to the brain.
3. Inflammation One of the most causes of leptin resistance in both humans and animals is the inflammatory signalling in the hypothalamus.
Leptin Resistance Reversal
It’s possible to correct leptin resistance. However, the time it takes to fix the disorder depends on the damage done to the metabolism system. It would be best if you were ready and willing to adapt to the new dietary requirements and proper daily exercise. We will share tips on how you can do this.
Simple Hacks for Leptin Resistance Reversal
1. Consult an expert
If you suspect you have the condition, talk inform a qualified doctor. A physician carries out some laboratory testing to confirm your situation. A doctor will also tell the damage done and immediately tell the new health plan you need to take to avoid further damage. The first step to reversing leptin resistance is confirming that you have the condition. This is done through uric acid level tests and serum leptin levels.
2. Right medication
After the doctor confirms that you have this condition, they will prescribe some medication. At this point, Victoza, Byetta and Symlin are the three top medicines used by physicians and used in controlling type 2 diabetes and can as well regulate the body’s insulin level.
3. Try a natural remedy
If you are not confident to use the prescribed drugs, Gluco SX, Crave Control, and SuperSlim could still work, though under the doctor’s advice. They are natural drugs made from natural herbs to aid body metabolism, reduce appetite and increase body energy level. For practical usage to avoid overdose, stick to the prescription.
4. Get enough sleep
If you spend most of your nighttime working or travelling, you are a risk of leptin resistance. Research has shown that lack of enough sleep is a worthy cause of leptin resistance. By default, human bodies are naturally designed to rest during the night and work during the day. Daytime sleep is never the same as nighttime sleep. Plan to always get at least get quality eight-hour sleep at night.
5. Check your eating time and how much you eat
Typically, we eat during the day and rest during the night. During the night, the body metabolism takes place. This is when growth as well happens. Eating at night triggers leptin resistance.
To reverse the condition, check your eating habits. Get a leptin-resistant diet from a medical practitioner, one which will help regulate your eating habits. You also need to work out an intense workout during the day.
Proper exercise will help reduce your body weight. A leptin diet has foods that have high levels of leptin. They include; boiled potatoes, whole grains, Greek yoghurt, fish and meat and nuts and seeds.
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6. Reduce daily sugar intake
If you have been diagnosed with leptin resistance, you must avoid foods high in fat and sugar. This is because you will be adding more fats to your system. Saturated fat and more sugars are a common cause of the leptin resistance condition as it causes hypothalamus inflammation. You should highly regard a leptin diet and follow it strictly.
How to Get Leptin
The most natural way to make leptin available in the body is through your food sources. Discuss the life changes you need to make amends to increase the leptin levels with your healthcare provider—the greatest one is to embark on a leptin diet.
Leptin works best for people taking adequate sleep. Research is currently finding the connection between leptin and triglycerides and lipids. We believe that a diet aimed at lowering triglycerides, also known as lipids, also boosts the leptin levels in the body.
Here are common foods that will help you get leptin and function well.
1. Unsweetened beverages Beverages such as black and green tea, lemon water or fruit infusion are standard diets that lower triglycerides, thus increasing leptin levels.
2. Eat vegetables Raw, steamed or roasted vegetables are a great way to boost leptin levels in the body. Instead of eating vegetables with a lot of starch, for instance, potatoes and corn, eat kale or cauliflower.
3. Eat more legumes Legumes include beans, peas, and lentils and offer the body a lot of fibre and protein content. However, avoid eating baked beans or legumes with added sugars.
4. Meat and fish The best meat to look for is lean meat, poultry and fish. These are the best choices to decrease levels of triglycerides. Other animal proteins might as well help, but when served in controlled levels.
5. Mushrooms Mushrooms are very low on calories and offer a lot of nutrients. They are a great way to boost leptin levels and fight obesity in the body.
6. Consume healthy oils only Take note of the oils you use when cooking. Go for canola, olive oil or high–oleic sunflower oil. Another non-cooking oil that we highly recommend is F flaxseed. These oils should, however, be used in moderate amounts.
How Do You Get Leptin Levels Up?
Lower your triglycerides
A diet designed to lower your triglycerides will automatically boost your leptin sensitivity. It less uptake of means is that with fewer sugars, carbs and alcohol, and saturated fats. Healthy fats like those in salmon and tuna can also reduce triglycerides. Other recommended diets include whole grains, fruits and other high fibre foods, lean proteins and green vegetables.
Take a protein-packed breakfast
A protein breakfast is vital to fuel up your day. Protein boosts your body metabolism; therefore, get rid of the doughnuts and stick to eggs, healthy fats, lean meat and other healthy leptin diets. Cereal might be tempting, but this is not the time for carbohydrates. These have a lot of lectins that bars the leptin hormone from its functionalities.
Foods high in Zinc
Leptin resistance could be highly caused by zinc deficiency. It’s possible to reverse the leptin resistance condition by taking more foods with zinc. Zinc helps boost your leptin production in the body. Zinc diets include spinach, beef, seafood, lamb, cocoa, beans, pumpkins and mushrooms.
Frequent distress
Maintain a good lifestyle is a natural way to boost the leptin levels of your body. Cortisol is produced when you are under stress or anxiety, and it affects the functionality of all other body hormones, including leptin. Make relaxation exercise a routine; it will help increase your leptin sensitivity. If you don’t know how to do relaxation exercises, yoga or meditation would be a great place to start from.
Quality sleep
Lack of sleep can make the body produce excessive leptins, and a lot of leptin causes leptin resistance. Enough slip is vital to boost your leptin levels while still maintaining them at optimum levels. For better quality sleep, avoid electronics, light computers, phones a couple of hours before bedtime. Once you get rid of the electronics early enough, your brain knows it’s bedtime. Poor sleeping patterns puts you at a high risk of obesity.
Proper medications
Symlin and Byetta, though designed for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, they are a significant boost to leptin. It is also a great way of handling leptin resistance. Ensure you visit your physician and work on your lifestyle and proper medications. The doctor will make several tests to determine your leptin levels, which will go a long way to increase your leptin sensitivity.
Regulate your exercise patterns
Too much exercise increases the cortisol hormone, which harms the leptin hormone function. It leads to inflammation and depression of the immune system, which reduces fat metabolism significantly. Skip the gym once in a while and work closely with your instructor to determine the best exercise which fits you. Always get a doctor’s opinion and a professional gym instructor advice on the best workout plans.
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