Satiety Hormone: 5 Important Facts You Will Like To Know
Leptin is the main satiety hormone. It is the one in charge of sending a series of messages to the brain to warn it that we are already “full”. However, it is important to qualify a small aspect. Appetite is not the same as hunger.
Appetite is an emotional desire and, therefore, it is not always governed by this hormone, but cognitive, perceptual and above all, emotional mechanisms are added to it. On the other hand, what we define as “hunger” is a physiological need that encourages us to cover our nutritional deficiencies in order to survive. Therefore, saying that the ideal would always be to eat when we are hungry is more than obvious.
Let’s see below how the main satiety hormone works and how we can help preserve its balance. Take note!
1. The satiety hormone is excessively abundant in overweight people
If leptin is the satiety hormone, what happens when you are overweight? The greater the amount of leptin in the body, the greater the overweight?
Let’s see some data to understand it:
- Leptin is a hormone produced mostly by adipocytes (fat cells).
- It is what is known as a “signaling hormone”, that is, it tells the hypothalamus when we should stop eating after analyzing that we have already obtained enough fat.
- Now, what happens with overweight people is something very striking: they suffer from a resistance to leptin.
- People with obesity have very high levels of leptin in the blood, but they accumulate it if it acts as it should. Therefore, it is common for them to take longer to feel full.
Another problem that can affect this resistance to leptin is that we suffer from a problem in the hypothalamus itself, thus losing sensitivity to this hormone.
What to do to prevent or reduce leptin resistance?
- Sleep between 7 and 9 hours a day.
- Avoid foods that promote inflammation.
- Exercise regularly, at least 3-4 times a week.
- Eat foods with good fats: olive oil, salmon, avocados, etc.
- Maintain good medical control and try, as far as possible, to follow the professional’s instructions.
2. Leptin has many more functions
One of the purposes of this hormone is to send signals to the hypothalamus to warn it that we have already obtained enough energy, and that we can stop eating because we are satiated. However, what is also known as “PN protein” has other functions:
- Inhibit the production of other hormones and other peptides that would increase our desire to eat, such as neuropeptide Y.
- Increase caloric and metabolic expenditure, that is, accelerate metabolism to allow us to lose weight or eliminate that excess that is left over.
Discover: Types of hormones: which are the most important?
3. Very strict diets will reduce leptin levels
What people who carry out very strict diets cause is that the activity of the main satiety hormone is reduced to the maximum.
- Very low calorie diets or what we all know as “miracle diets” actually pose a risk to health.
- Leptin levels drop, metabolism becomes very slow, hunger pangs are more intense, and the body’s energy level drops.
4. Stress can cause us to gain weight due to leptin
There are people who, when they go through a time of great stress, lose weight. However, it is common for someone who is subjected to what is known as “chronic stress” to experience the opposite. The reasons for this being the case would be explained as follows:
- The higher the stress, the higher the level of cortisol in the blood.
- The more cortisol, the more the presence of leptin is reduced. Consequently, there is more feeling of hunger, more pleasure when eating and less energy expenditure.
5. Leptin is not the best remedy for weight loss
It is quite possible that more than one is already thinking about how to increase leptin activity so that it allows you to feel full earlier and thus eat much less than you should, in order to avoid those annoying extra kilos.
The satiety hormone works in tune with the brain. Consequently, it would never send you a signal to warn you to stop eating when we need more nutrients, more energy. Therefore, pretending to “control” it in some way would be inappropriate.
In another vein, it is not advisable to buy dietary supplements that claim to have leptin, in order to enhance satiety, just as it is not healthy to submit to miracle diets or simply very strict diets.
What else should be taken into account?
If we are overweight or simply want to lose weight in a healthy way, the ideal is to go to the doctor to properly assess the situation and follow his instructions. Additionally, we could consult with a nutritionist what would be the best meal plan for our case. This should always be complemented with a good exercise routine so that it can provide the greatest amount of benefits possible.
In short, if we really want to take care of our leptin levels and its correct functionality, as well as other hormones that the body produces to ensure balance, we do not hesitate to eat a proper diet, exercise regularly and maintain other good habits of life.
