Many people mistakenly believe that gaining and losing weight depends solely on calories and willpower. However, this is not the case – experts say that one of the main factors contributing to weight gain in humans is resistance to the hormone leptin. Estet-portal.com decided to look into this issue and find out if it is possible to make leptin work for weight loss.
Meet Leptin – weight-regulating hormone
Leptin – It is a hormone produced by the body's fat cells. It is often referred to as the satiety, satiety, or starvation hormone. Leptin's target is the hypothalamus, reaching which it tells the brain that it's time to quit fat storage, stop eating and start burning calories.
The main function of leptin is the long-term regulation of energy balance, the number of calories consumed and expended, as well as the amount of fat stored in our body. It should be noted that the satiety hormone also performs other functions related to reproductive function, immunity, brain function, etc.
The main goal of leptin – to prevent starvation or overeating, which under certain conditions prevent a person from surviving in the natural environment. However, sometimes the mechanism that is supposed to protect us from overeating fails.
What is the principle of satiety hormone?
The principle of the satiety hormone is extremely simple: we eat, fat is deposited in fat cells, fat cells produce the hormone leptin, through the bloodstream it enters the brain and tells the hypothalamus that it is time to stop eating and start burning calories.
Or: we don't eat, fat stores are burned, leptin levels drop, and as a result we eat more and burn fewer calories.
Leptin resistance – main biological cause of obesity
In obese people, there is a large amount of fat in the fat cells, resulting in increased levels of leptin. Under normal conditions, the brain should know that there is no need to replenish fat stores. However, a problem arises: the brain simply does not see the huge amounts of leptin that are in front of its nose. This problem is called leptin resistance.
Satiation hormone resistance makes the brain think that the body is lacking energy, which leads to fat storage.
As a result, the brain changes our physiology and behavior in order to make up for the apparent lack of fat:
- we eat more;
- we use less energy.
This is why it is nearly impossible for many people by willpower alone to defeat the low body fat signal caused by leptin resistance.
How leptin negates the results of grueling dieting
Why do most diets fail to provide long-term results? Why the long-term success of the – is this not a rule but just an exception?
When weight is lost, the body loses fat stores, which leads to a significant decrease in the level of satiety hormone, and this leads to feelings of hunger, increased appetite, decreased motivation to exercise and burned fewer calories. The brain thinks that the body is starving, and therefore launches a bunch of powerful mechanisms aimed at replenishing fat loss and protecting against starvation. The brain tries to protect every fat cell with all its might and uses irresistible biochemical forces that make us eat.
Where does leptin resistance come from?
Several cellular mechanisms underlying leptin resistance have been identified:
- Inflammation – inflammatory signals entering the hypothalamus, – one of the main causes of leptin resistance in both humans and animals.
- Free fatty acids. Elevated levels of free fatty acids can prevent leptin signals from reaching the brain.
- High leptin levels.
Can leptin resistance be overcome?
The main fight against leptin resistance is to reduce inflammation caused by poor diet. Here's what you can do:
- Avoid processed foods – they are a major source of inflammation and compromise healthy digestion.
- Eat soluble fiber – it helps protect against obesity and improves digestion.
- Do some exercise – physical activity helps increase leptin sensitivity.
- Sleep – poor sleep leads to satiety hormone problems.
- Cut down your triglycerides – high triglyceride levels in the blood prevent leptin from reaching the brain.
- Eat protein – it will help improve leptin sensitivity, among other benefits.
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to lose weight. To get rid of body fat, you need to monitor your lifestyle: nutrition, sleep, physical activity. Remember that the – short-term solution to the problem of excess weight, for its complete elimination requires a significant change in your lifestyle.
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