Is your appetite out of control? Could it be leptin? Leptin is a hormone that essential in the regulation of appetite, food intake and weight. Research has shown that an absence or resistance can lead to uncontrollable eating, then weight gain. Leptin plays a key role in regulating energy intake and energy expenditure, including appetite and metabolism. Leptin inhibits appetite via receptors in the hypothalamus.
Our fat should regulate itself. When we gain weight our fat produces a hormone known as Leptin that suppresses our metabolism causing us to loss the weight. This is how it is suppose to happen but things get the way such as inflammation. The follow is what is happening, what can happen and finally how to fix it.
In a interview with Kent Holtorf, MD, “The increased leptin secretion that occurs with increased weight normally feeds-back to the hypothalamus as a signal that there are adequate energy (fat) stores. This stimulates the body to burn fat rather than continue to store excess fat, and stimulates thyroid releasing hormone (TRH) to increase thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid production. Almost all diabetics are leptin resistant, which has been shown to reduce T4-to-T3 conversion in diabetics by as much as 50% without an increase in TSH, making it very difficult for type II diabetics to lose weight.”
Studies are showing that the majority of overweight individuals who are having trouble losing weight have some form of leptin resistance. This leptin resistance results in the hypothalamus sensing starvation.
Studies are finding that leptin has a diminished ability to affect the hypothalamus and regulate metabolism. This leptin resistance results in the hypothalamus sensing starvation, so as the body tries to reverse the perceived state of starvation, this includes diminished TSH secretion, a suppressed T4 to T3 conversion, an increase in reverse T3, an increase in appetite, an increase in insulin resistance and an inhibition of lipolysis (fat breakdown).
Leptin signals to the brain that body has had enough to fat, producing satiety. Leptin plays a role in obesity when there begin to be a leptin resistance, which also occurs in our physiology and as being a survival response. There is also evidence that high consumption of fructose (not just high fructose corn syrup) increases leptin resistance. This causes rapid weight gain above and beyond a high-fat diet weight gain because you’re never reach satiety due to this resistance. Leptin resistance is akin to insulin resistance. It is a hormonal dysfunction that disrupts the body’s natural ability to regulate appetite and metabolism. When inflammation occurs it sets in a chain of events that cause a hormonal imbalances and leptin resistance. The discovery of leptin was hailed as the find of the century in the battle against obesity. Just like a deficiency of insulin causes type 1 diabetes it was the deficiency of leptin was the answer to obesity. It is known that leptin resistance cause the body hold onto fat and therefore weight gain.
There is another hormone called Adiponectin that helps your muscles turn fat into usable energy. Low adiponectin levels are associated with abnormal glucose homeostasis, abnormal lipid metabolism, insulin resistance in normal and in overweight or obese women. You’ll be surprise what lowers adiponectin. Inflammation can inhibit adiponectin. People who have poor sleep or do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, and fibrinogen, indicating increased inflammation in their bodies. Inflammation is also a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
Data from a recent study was presented Sunday, November 14, 2010 at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago by Alanna Morris, MD, a cardiology fellow at Emory University School of Medicine. The results come from surveying 525 middle-aged people participating in the Morehouse-Emory Partnership to Eliminate Cardiovascular Health Disparities (META-Health) study on their sleep quality and sleep duration. Acute sleep deprivation leads to an increased production of inflammatory hormones and changes in blood vessel function, but more research is needed on the physiological effects of chronic lack of sleep, the main researcher said.
“It’s a vicious cycle. Eating too much at night will disturb your sleep. Lack of sleep over a period of time can spike an inflammatory response that will alter how the muscle (adiponectin) burn fat for energy. Now proper sleep and higher vitamin D levels will balance this cycle out.”
Is your appetite out of control? Contact me for a free consult on the Why’s this is happening, the How’s to put you back in control of your appetite and weight. Click on the Core Essence Link below or email me at [email protected]
Biohack your way to weight loss! Here are a few biohacking tips to keep ghrelin at bay and increase leptin:
