Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWill Leptin Help?UsesLeptin SupplementsManaging WeightSafety and Potential RisksInteractionsPrecautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Will Leptin Help?
Uses
Leptin Supplements
Managing Weight
Safety and Potential Risks
Interactions
Precautions
Leptin is a hormone that is derived from fat cells. It is involved in regulating appetite, maintaining energy balance, body mass, and reproductive function.
When the number of fat cells in a body increases, leptin levels also increase, sending signals to the brain to block food intake and increase energy expenditure.
On the other hand, leptin levels decrease during fasting or energy restriction.
The following article covers leptin supplements, potential benefits, and safety concerns.
Viktoriya Skorikova / Getty Images
Health Claims About Leptin Supplements
Several health claims have been proposed for leptin supplements.
However, the benefits of leptin supplements are unclear due to limited studies and conflicting results.
It is important to support a healthy body weight through lifestyle modifications and not solely rely on supplements.
What Is Leptin?
Given that leptin reduces appetite, interest in using leptin supplements as a weight loss strategy has grown.
While people with obesity have higher concentrations of leptin due to their greater body fat amount compared to lean people, obesity is associated with genetic mutations (changes inDNAsequencing) that affect leptin signaling. These genetic mutations lead to leptin deficiency, or high but ineffective leptin, and leptin resistance.
Leptin resistance occurs when leptin cannot reach the target cells to produce an appetite-suppressing effect.
Ghrelin,also known as the “hunger hormone,” is produced and released in the stomach. Unlike leptin, it is an appetite-stimulating hormone.
Resistance to leptin causes reduced satiety (a satisfied feeling of fullness), which in turn causes overconsumption of food and weight gain. Because leptin supplementation alone is insufficient to overcome leptin resistance associated with obesity, some studies have looked further at leptin sensitizers.
Leptin sensitizers are compounds that boost the effect of leptin. For example, one study done in mice found that the natural compound celastrol promoted leptin sensitivity and produced anti-obesity effects.
As the study was conducted in mice, it is unclear if celastrol would also promote leptin sensitivity in humans.
What Is a Leptin Supplement?
Leptin supplements do not contain the leptin hormone. Instead, leptin supplements consist of a combination of herbs that help suppress appetite.
Some of the supplements that purportedly impact leptin levels include the following:
Although it is counterintuitive to think that lowering leptin levels improves weight loss because leptin is considered a satiety hormone, reducing leptin levels appears to improve leptin sensitivity in people with obesity.
Conversely, reduced levels of leptin found in people who are malnourished have been linked to decreased immunity.
High leptin levels do not necessarily mean less hunger since people with obesity can have increased leptin levels and leptin resistance. Thus, some studies have focused on analyzing the effects of using both leptin and leptin sensitizers.
While leptin supplements do not actually contain the hormone leptin, prescription leptin replacement therapies do. For instance, Myalept (metreleptin) is a leptin replacement therapy used to treat leptin deficiency in people with generalizedlipodystrophy(loss of fat tissues).
Alternatives to Improve Weight Management
Besides supplements, there are other ways to improve weight management.
Some weight-management strategies include the following:
Whileintermittent fasting (IF)has helped support weight loss, the use of IF in people withdiabetesposes a risk of low blood sugar levels in the blood.It may also not be an optimal approach for individuals withdisordered eatingor eating disorders.
Speak with your healthcare provider before making any dietary changes, especially if you have diabetes.
While leptin supplements are generally well-tolerated, some common side effects have been reported in some leptin supplements.
Possible Side Effects
Side effects are possible with leptin supplements, including the following:
Most leptin supplements appear to decrease leptin levels, which would likely improve leptin sensitivity in people with obesity.
Several interactions are possible with supplements that may be used to impact leptin, and other supplements or medications.
Irvingia gabonensis
Interactions withblood-sugar-lowering drugsmay occur.I. gabonensishas been shown to decrease blood sugar levels.
Therefore, caution should be taken if you takeblood-sugar-lowering drugsorsupplements.
Conjucated Linoleic Acid
The following interactions may occur:
Green Coffee Bean Extract
Interactions may occur withstimulant drugs. A high intake ofchlorogenic acid, the main antioxidant in green coffee bean extract, may cause increased blood pressure.
Sincestimulant drugsincrease blood pressure, the combination of such drugs with green coffee bean extract may further increase blood pressure.
Raspberry Ketone
Garcinia Cambogia
Caffeine
Caffeine impacts the absorption of many medications and supplements. When a medication’s absorption changes, this may impact how well your body can use it.
Caffeine decreases the absorption of the following medications:
Caffeine increases the absorption of the following medications:
This means that green tea may amplify these medications' effects.
Caffeine blocks the breakdown of the following medications:
Caffeine increases the elimination of the following minerals and vitamins:
This is not a comprehensive list of medications that caffeine may impact. Check with your pharmacist or healthcare provider for more information.
Green Tea
Green tea reduces the rate of absorption of the following prescription medications:
This can impact how well your body uses these medications.
Specific groups of people may need to exercise additional caution when taking supplements that may impact leptin.
In general, please consult with your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before starting any of the above supplements.
Irvingia Gabonensis
SinceI. gabonensisdecreases blood sugar levels, precaution should be taken if you havediabetes.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid
Precautions should be taken with the following conditions:
Precautions should be taken whenpregnant or breastfeeding. Avoid use at these times due to insufficient safety data.
Green coffee bean extract may contain caffeine.
Caffeine may worsen the following medical conditions:
Animal studies showed that raspberry ketone supplementation decreases fasting blood sugar and insulin levels.It is unclear whether this finding may apply to humans.
However, caution should be taken if you havediabetes.
Severe side effects have been reported with the use of dietary supplements containingG. cambogia, including the following:
Garcinia cambogiashould be avoided if you have the above medical conditions or take certain antidepressant medications.
Green tea extract has been shown to increase the level of liver enzymes.Therefore, caution should be taken if you haveliver problems.
Since green tea contains caffeine, caution should be taken if you haveanxiety disorders,difficulty sleeping, orhigh blood pressure.
Summary
Leptin supplements contain a combination of herbs that affect leptin levels, with a reduction in leptin levels being associated with improved leptin sensitivity.
However, if you take certain prescription medications or have certain medical conditions, it is important to consult your healthcare provider before taking leptin supplements.
Alternative ways to improve weight management include dietary and lifestyle changes. Consider working with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian nutritionist to meet your health goals.
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