Leptin Resistance and Weightloss

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Leptin is a hormone primarily produced by fat cells that act as a key regulator of energy balance and body weight. It signals the brain --specifically the hypothalamus -- when the body has sufficient energy reserves, reducing appetite and increasing metabolism. You might think that high body fat would theoretically mean high leptin and zero appetite but many individuals with obesity develop leptin resistance. In this state the brain stops responding to high levels of leptin. The brain thinks the body is starving. This causes persistent hunger and metabolic slow down despite adequate or excess energy stores. Giving supplemental leptin is generally not effective for weightloss because the issue lies in the brain's insensitivity, not the amount of the hormone itself.