Park Ridge
Cardiology
Park Ridge
Cardiology
| Leptin |
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from "Rust Out" by Dr Bailey pages 88 and 89 The brain controls the metabolism of the hormones insulin (like in diabetics) and leptin (which plays a role in feeling full). Chemicals in the brain that allow us to feel pleasure (such as dopamine and opiates), regulate the ingestion of food, as well as other substances including nicotine, drugs and alcohol. Consequently, brain mechanisms, metabolism, and motivation are all connected.
Stephen O’Rahilly, M.D. has attracted world-wide attention by treating a 209 pound nine year old British girl with leptin and making her able to lose weight for the first time in her life.
Leptin (from the Greek “leptos” meaning thin) was first discovered in 1994. Leptin is a natural human hormone (from the cytokine family) produced by fat cells and stimulated by insulin. Leptin helps decrease food intake, increase energy expenditures and signal how much fat is in the body via receptors in the brain (hypothalamus, cerebellum, cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, choroid plexus and brain capillary endothelium) and body organs through sympathetic-nerve activity. Leptin targets the appetite-regulating neuropeptides: melatonin, opium, nicotine, cocaine and amphetamine. Yes, you have these receptors in your brain! I have asked myself why? These are for sleep, calm and happy receptors.
As a person’s body mass and percentage of body fat increases so does their leptin levels (exponentially). High levels correlate with high blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic), left ventricular hypertrophy, first ever hemorrhagic strokes, high serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
Leptin Levels:
Fasting decreases it
Overeating increases it
Zinc helps regulate it (as it does with insulin)
High insulin levels increase it
Isoproterenol reduces mRNA expression therefore its level
Smoking reduces it
Steroids (glucocorticoids) increase it
Tumor Necrosis Factor á reduces mRNA
Interleukin-1 and 6 reduces mRNA
Androgens decrease it
Women have higher levels than men (thus women have more fat than men?)
It shows a circadian variation with a nighttime peak (which may explain why you are less hungry in the morning).
Thyroid, growth hormone and gonadal (testosterone and estrogen) feed-back loops are activated by increased levels.
Pituitary-adrenal feed-back loop (ACTH-cortisol) is suppressed by increased levels.
It matches the pulsatility of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and estradiol (estrogen) in the blood stream.
It may trigger puberty.
Small newborns had low cord levels, whereas, large newborns had high umbilical cord levels.
It functions as an adaptive mechanism in famines. Leptin conserves energy by decreasing thyroid hormones (thermogenesis) and preventing the energy demands of pregnancy and lactation (suppressing gonadal function-ovulation) and mobilizing energy stores by stimulating stress hormones.
Low levels may be responsible for anorexia nervosa, bulimia, amenorrhea, failed repeat dieters and depression.
Before you run out to ask your doctor for this miracle cure, let me tell you that very few patients have benefited from its daily shots (less than one percent). So what are you to do?
Insulin resistance advances aging through obesity (central-increased waist to hip ratio), dyslipidemia (cholesterol and triglycerides), hypertension, coronary artery disease, small (endothelial) vessel disease, chronic inflammation, micro albuminuria (wasting protein in your urine) and abnormal coagulation (clotting when you shouldn’t).
Just as some people are insulin resistant (normal or high insulin levels but poorly functioning receptors), so most obese people are leptin resistant. Diet and exercise reverses this resistance in both insulin and leptin. Long before any of our body’s endocrine/hormonal pathways were scientifically discovered, we were advised to exercise and eat simply. These complex pathways prove that we did not evolve as most school textbooks state today. We are not a piece of space dust in the cosmos of time. Our complexities and cares are understood by our creator.
“A misuse of the body shortens that period of time which God designs shall be used in His service. By allowing ourselves to form wrong habits, by keeping late hours, by gratifying appetite at the expense of health, we lay the foundation for feebleness. By neglecting to take physical exercise, by overworking mind or body, we unbalance the nervous system. Those who thus shorten their lives by disregarding nature’s laws are guilty of robbery toward God. We have no right to neglect or misuse the body, the mind, or the strength, which should be used to offer God consecrated service.” Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, Dec. 1, 1896 (Counsels on Health, 41).
References:
Ward, L., “Reasons You’re Still Fat,” www.menshealth.com, June 2001; 92-93.
Mann, D., “My Brain Made Me Do It,” WebMD Health, June 25, 2001.
“Leptin Opens New Insights Into Understanding Hypertension,” Cardiology World News, Oct-Dec 1999; 8.
Raben, A., “Differences in Leptin Levels Between Post-Obese And Never-Obese Patients,” Int. J. Obes, 2000;24:450-9.
Soberberg, S., “Elevated Plasma Leptin Level Is An Independent Predictor of First-Ever Hemorrhagic Stroke,” Stroke, 1999;30:328-337.
Mantzoros, C., “The Role of Leptin In Human Obesity And Disease: A Review Of Current Evidence,” Ann Intern Med., 1999;130:671-680.
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