If you struggle with overeating, this article will show you leptin resistance symptoms and how to improve leptin sensitivity.
Leptin is a hormone produced by the fat cells. Some call it the “satiety” or “starvation hormone”.
Leptin’s main role is regulating hunger and the amount of food we eat. It signals your brain that you have enough energy and you don’t need to eat anymore.
Leptin resistance refers to a condition where fat cells produce a lot of leptin but your brain cannot detect it.
Therefore, your brain assumes you are starving and you need to eat more to get enough energy. This results in overeating.
At the same time, your body reduces energy expenditure to preserve the little energy it thinks you have.
It is for this reason that people with leptin resistance have a hard time losing weight.
Below are 10 symptoms of leptin resistance and how to improve leptin sensitivity.
Leptin Resistance Symptoms
1. Uncontrollable Cravings
Do you usually have uncontrollable cravings for specific food? If so, it could be a sign of leptin resistance.
Many people with leptin resistance usually crave junk food. One of the most common cravings among women is intense chocolate cravings.
This is another reason why people with leptin resistance are prone to weight gain.
2. Stress Eating
Stress is one of the main reasons people overeat. Many of us turn to food when dealing with negative emotions.
What most people don’t realize is that the physiological effects of stress can trigger cravings. When stress becomes chronic, your body produces high levels of the stress hormone known as cortisol.
Cortisol triggers cravings for salty, sweet or fried foods so that your body may get a burst of energy and pleasure.
Additionally, high cortisol levels may lead to leptin resistance, according to research.
To avoid this, use healthy strategies to ease stress like meditation. Here are easy ways to stop stress eating.
3. You Are Overweight or Underweight
One of the easiest ways to know if you are leptin resistant is through your body weight.
Being overweight or underweight is usually a result of your brain not being able to respond to leptin appropriately.
Bottom line, if your weight does not fall within a healthy range and you’ve tried changing it without success, chances are you are leptin resistant.
4. You Have High Levels of Triglycerides
In simple terms, triglycerides are fats in the blood, which give energy to your body.
However, high levels of triglycerides in your bloodstream can prevent efficient transportation of leptin from fat cells to your brain.
The good news is reducing your sugar and simple carbs intake can lower your triglycerides levels.
5. You Have Thyroid Issues
It is hard for people with hypothyroidism to lose weight. And it turns out that there may be a link between leptin resistance and thyroid function, according to this study.
The study says that the inflammation caused by poor thyroid function may lead to leptin resistance.
This goes to show how important it is to fix your thyroid issues. Here are tips you can use to lose weight with hypothyroidism.
6. You Are Hungry All the Time
As I explained earlier, leptin resistance can make you gain weight since it makes you continue to eat even when you are full.
A person with leptin resistance can’t maintain a calorie deficit without being hungry all the time. This makes it a lot harder to lose weight and keep it off.
7. You Eat Sweet Snacks Late at Night
Do you crave all sweet things after dinner at night? Well, leptin resistance could be to blame for this.
You see, late-night sugar cravings don’t usually indicate hunger or thirst. Your sugar cravings could be your brain’s way of saying that “Eat something now! I think you are starving”.
8. You Eat Lots of Sugar and Processed Foods
A diet packed with sugars, carbohydrates, and artificial sweeteners can ruin your body’s natural response to leptin.
Your body produces lots of leptin when you eat these foods, which causes your brain to become resistant to it.
It is also worth noting that sugary foods cause your blood sugar to spike and then quickly drop, which leaves you feeling hungry.
9. You don’t get enough sleep every night
Research shows that there is a link between leptin and quality of sleep. Lack of sleep has been linked to low leptin and weight gain.
During sleep, our leptin levels rise, which signals your brain that you have enough energy and there is no need to be hungry. But when you are sleep deprived, your fat cells produce little leptin, which causes you to eat more than you should.
As you can see, lack of sleep doesn’t cause leptin resistance but it lowers leptin levels which makes you eat more.
10. You Are Inactive
Regular exercise suppresses hypothalamic inflammation thereby improving hypothalamic sensitivity to leptin.
In addition to that, exercise lowers the levels of triglycerides in the blood.
Therefore, if you are inactive chances are you have developed leptin resistance.
How to Improve Leptin Sensitivity
The good news is you can fight leptin resistance by improving leptin sensitivity. This will make it a lot easier for you to lose weight since you won’t struggle with overeating.
Lower your carbs and sugar intake: Cutting out sugar and processed foods will help normalize leptin levels in your body and reduce your cravings.
Increase your intake of probiotics and prebiotics-rich foods: These foods will improve your gut health, which consequently improves leptin sensitivity.
Eat more anti-inflammatory foods: Foods with strong anti-inflammatory properties can improve leptin sensitivity, according to research. Some of these foods include turmeric, blueberries, green tea, and red wine.
Get enough sleep: 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night will help regulate your leptin levels.
Eat high-fiber low-calorie foods: High-fiber foods will keep you full without excess calories.
Exercise regularly: Regular exercise has been shown to improve leptin sensitivity. Exercise for 30 minutes a day.
These strategies can help you get rid of leptin resistance. But remember that leptin is just one of many weight loss factors. If you want to lose weight and keep it off, follow this step-by-step plan.
It is designed to help men and women lose weight without starving themselves or exercising for hours. Get it now!
Do you have any of these leptin resistance symptoms?
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