Leptin- also known as the “Satiety” hormone. Secreted mainly by our
Fat Cells that stimulates appetite. When you don’t eat, you don’t convert to fat, leptin levels drop and hunger goes up. That’s why NOT EATING enough isnt the solution to Weight Loss.
Leptin Resistance is where the body doesn’t listen to the satiety signal and hunger persists, If you gain weight back after dieting this could be why. Leptin levels are altered by sleep (PMID: 25861266), inflammation, high amounts of bad fat in blood, exercise, stress (PMID: 11824503).
Ghrelin- known as the “Hunger” Hormone and causes the Hunger pang. It is made in your GUT. Lack of sleep increases this hormone (PMID: 25861266). Other factors that Increase ghrelin are: gut issues, low calorie & protein intake, low muscle mass, and stress
Interestingly the goal isnt to Suppress this hormone to lose weight. As research shows Ghrelin levels increase the longer you diet, usually around 3-6 months to prevent the body going into low body weight that can be detrimental to Body Systems PMID: 15181038 ( I had a patient who continued her diet even when she was getting dizzy spells and wasn’t losing weight)
Cortisol or our stress hormone- shifts leptin and ghrelin. And also off sets melatonin, insulin response, and female hormones.
Insulin Resistance- insulin is made in response to carbs we eat. It tells the body to send the sugar into organs that need it and burn it off. Sugar shouldn’t be sitting in your blood for long as this can damage your arteries. When you are insulin resistant- your body no longer listens to the insulin you make, so sugar cant be burned off inside the organs and is then converted to fat. Melatonin and cortisol both effect insulin as well.
Melatonin- our sleep hormone, plays such a HUGE role in weight loss. As it directly effects leptin and ghrelin. Subjects with reduced sleep scores showed a Reduction in the satiety hormone, and an increase in the Hunger hormone- in short less sleep = more hunger and weight gain PMID: 25861266
Sex hormones- are thrown off by sleep, diet, and stress. And if estrogen and/or testosterone is in excess in women it can cause weight gain.
Our Body works in SYNERGY as a whole. This is what it means to take a HOLISTIC APPROACH to health.
Hope this educational post explains why DIET alone isnt the answer.
Fix your sleep, Manage your stress, Move your body and also eat right.