Leptin: Help Control Weight Loss and Weight Gain

Leptin is a hormone which helps to regulate metabolism and weight loss. Leptin travels throughout the body through the blood stream and communicates directly with the brain. This hormone is produced by the fat cells in the body. A number of activities and duties fall under the jurisdiction of Leptin, such as your energy level and appetite. If you are experiencing excessive food cravings or you have a tendency to over eat and you have a case of heart disease it could be due to a malfunction you are experiencing with your level of Leptin.

For the most part leptin will tell the brain how fat you are. When your level of fat goes up the level of leptin in the body goes up and vice versa. Leptin actually helps to decrease your hunger and give you that feeling or sensation that you are full. If it appears that you are getting too much fat leptin levels increase which sends a signal to the brain decreases your hunger.

Leptin is important when it comes to weight gain and loss. A study reveals that people who don't get enough sleep can actually start to become obese. The reason for this is because if you don't get enough sleep your body will produce less leptin. Now there is not enough of this hormone to send a signal to the brain with information to decrease hunger. Without enough leptin a person won't experience that feeling or sensation that they are full. This is one possible cause of over eating and excessive gain. Someone without enough leptin can actually start to binge eat. People can see food and just continue to eat.

Leptin regulates the energy levels in people. When the amount of fat is reduced the body can fall into a energy conservation mode. If someone begins to eat the leptin is increased and to an extent it helps to regulate the amount of food that should be eaten. Some experts have argued that it does more to regulate energy levels than food consumption.

After you eat leptin is released into your system and travels to the brain which then informs the brain that you don't need to eat any more food. Leptin also lets the brain know what your energy level is. If leptin does not enter the brain correctly the brain can receive a faulty signal. When this happens the brain does not receive the message that you are not hungry and as a result you continue to eat. A number of things are responsible for the efficient entry and absorption of leptin.

Source: http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/research/leptin.htm

Source: http://cme.medscape.com/viewarticle/439243_2

Source: http://www.byronrichards.com/index.php/thyroid_leptin/entry/what_is_leptin/