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What is leptin and how does it affect weight?

, medical expert
Last reviewed: 20.10.2021
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Leptin is a hormone, controlling the level of which, we can protect ourselves from a set of extra pounds. To do this, you just need to turn to a doctor-enocrinologist for hormonal tests. More about leptin.

Leptin and our weight

Leptin - a protein, which is discovered by scientists recently. This word - leptin - is translated from Greek as "subtle". That is, thanks to leptin you can be thin and slender. Or you can, on the contrary, be fat and clumsy.

Scientific studies show that leptin can be produced by fat cells. It can influence how the fats in the body are distributed and how much they are produced. By circulating in the blood, leptin helps maintain the optimal level of glucose in the body, so we get vital energy.

In the period of menopause and with age, leptin is produced less, so we can dramatically increase weight. But the excess of leptin in the body is also a risk. With an overabundance of this hormone, appetite is greatly reduced, which means that fats are almost not postponed. It would seem that this is good. But no.

Without enough fats in the body, a woman can not become pregnant. In addition, lack of appetite threatens anorexia (increased leanness), headaches and nervous breakdowns.

There may be another extreme - with an increased level of leptin a person very, very much gaining weight, and it becomes more difficult to reduce it.

Therefore, everything needs a golden mean, including the amount of leptin.

What else is leptin capable of?

This hormone promotes the production of the hormone neuropeptide in the hypothalamus. The neuropeptide contributes to a stronger appetite, which, of course, ends with an extra kilo.

Because leptin is a fairly strong hormone, it is able to increase the levels of testosterone, progesterone and estrogens in our blood. Accordingly, these hormones also mutually affect the balance of leptin. Scientific studies show that the level of leptin is increased:

  • With menstruation.
  • During pregnancy.
  • With obesity.
  • After artificial insemination.
  • With polycystic ovaries.

Then a woman can begin to grow stout. And this completeness can manifest itself in different ways. For example, with menopause, a woman's figure may resemble an apple, as the lower part becomes fuller: legs, hips, buttocks, belly.

If a woman is immune to the action of leptin, or if its level is low, fat deposits appear more in the abdomen. As a side effect, diabetes can develop. If a woman has been found to be immune to leptin during menopause, another hormone, estrogen, can be injected into the blood. Then the susceptibility to leptin can be restored.

If you find yourself experiencing symptoms of unhealthy fatness, contact an endocrinologist for hormonal tests on leptin level in the blood.

What is good about leptin?

This hormone is not as bad as you think about it. The normal production of leptin in the body provides us with harmony by reducing fat deposits. Therefore, it is important to maintain its balance in the body.

Lose weight correctly and under the supervision of a doctor. Be healthy.

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