There are over 50 different types of hormones circulating throughout the human body. They all play their role, like a crew in a Broadway play, interacting and playing off each other to create the perfect production that means we can show up to each day feeling our best.
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Almost thirty years ago, a new hormone was discovered. This hormone is leptin, and it plays a role in regulating energy intake. Leptin is present in the body in relation to body fat. The higher the amount of adipose tissue, the higher the amount of leptin. Leptin regulates long-term energy balance (aka fat) by signaling the body that its energy needs are met. Leptin helps to signal satiety and tell us that we are full and can stop eating.
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Leptin is controlled by the amount of adipose tissue present. One thing that has emerged in the research over the years is leptin resistance. This is when the body is producing leptin, but the body has lost its sensitivity to it. It can be compared to insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The body is working hard to keep up with the excess intake but is losing its ability to process the extra hormones. Several factors can contribute to leptin resistance, but let's concentrate on the most obvious one- too much body fat.
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We store our excess energy as body fat. When we have more body fat than necessary, we carry it on our body, and our body also produces more leptin. Years and years of carrying excess body fat can lead the body to become insensitive to leptin. Put simply, it starts to ignore leptin. Think of leptin like a parent with good intentions, but if the parent keeps nagging, the teenager begins to tune them out. No matter how much the parent talks, the message isn't getting through.
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Years and years of consuming hyper-palatable, overprocessed foods in excess means that the body starts to ignore leptin. Why do I point the finger at ultra-processed foods? Because they have been purposely manufactured to override our satiety signals and get us to eat more. I have a friend who used to be a taste tester. It's an interesting job with one goal: What will get the consumer to eat more?
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As the body accumulates extra energy storage (fat) and more and more leptin is produced, the body loses hormone sensitivity, and more overeating occurs. More excess fat is accumulated, and this adipose tissue secretes more leptin, which the body ignores. So, the overeating continues, feeding into a continuous cycle of overeating, weight gain, and leptin insensitivity.
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If someone is dealing with excess weight, fatty liver disease, or type 2 diabetes, there is a good chance that some degree of leptin resistance is going on. In that case, regaining leptin sensitivity is essential and can be done with effort and focus.
How do we regain leptin sensitivity? The first thing to consider is portion sizes. While I, as a nutritionist, often recommend intuitive eating, one thing that happens with leptin resistance is that the normal hormone signaling is compromised. Therefore, people with suspected leptin resistance should acquaint themselves with portion sizes. Because leptin is secreted when we are eating and have had adequate food- with leptin resistance, one may be prone to overeating. Eat smart and with knowledge of what you need.
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The second thing I recommend is chew, chew, and chew some more. This is a great way to get the mouth and gut to secrete the compounds they need to digest and absorb nutrients from food. It also gives your body time to secret leptin, and it gives leptin time to work on receptors in the hypothalamus and brainstem so that your belly gets the message that it is satiated.
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One more tip is don't eat until physically full; eat until contently satiated. Overeating is that point of stomach distention and a physical feeling of uncomfortable fullness. Satiety is an internal knowing that you have had enough food. Practice until you find the perfect point of satiation.
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The great thing about the body is that it is made to heal and be healthy. It works hard to deal with what we throw at it- pollution, junk food, less than ideal sleep. Becoming healthier doesn't mean completely revamping your life; it means consistently choosing to make better-than-before choices guided by the correct information. Seek out evidence-informed information and the proper support to always be working towards your best health.
