Leptin: The “Feel Full” Hormone
Did you know that every bite of food you take impacts your hormones? Which in turn has the power to shape everything from your moods to your metabolism!
There are seven hormones that affect our metabolism and weight:
Leptin. Estrogen. Testosterone. Thyroid. Insulin. Growth Hormone. Cortisol.
Today, let’s focus on…
Leptin: The Feel Full Hormone & Master Energy Regulator.
Leptin is the satiety hormone, and master energy regulator. It signals the brain to put down the fork and stop eating. For some of us, leptin stops working and the brain never gets the signal.
The result, we keep eating and never feel full.
Often this can lead to a cycle where we keep eating the wrong foods in an addictive pattern and gain weight.
Leptin plays a big part in metabolic health.
New research shows it is a master regulator in metabolism and overall well-being, AND, plays a role in energy balance, fat storage and glucose stability.
For some, elevated insulin levels lead to high leptin levels. So our first step to getting our leptin levels working optimally, is to get our insulin levels in check.
Aging also affects leptin, due to muscle mass decline. Muscle gets replaced by fat. Fat cells tell your brain to eat more food by making us less responsive to insulin and leptin signals.
This is known as leptin resistance. For many, leptin resistance is a main contributor to obesity.
Below are helpful tips from my book, Beyond Radiant…
How to Get Leptin Working More Efficiently:
Have your insulin and leptin levels checked. Lower your carb intake.
Make time for exercise. Your body was designed to move.
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep. Less sleep = less leptin = hungrier you.
Practice intermittent fasting, which helps regulate and reset certain hormones, including insulin and leptin.
Lower your “toxic load.” Toxins in your food, personal care products, and makeup can get stored in your fat cells. These disruptors are called obesogens. Obesogens can affect leptin levels making it a challenge to lose weight.