The hormones leptin and insulin, sex hormones and growth hormone influence our appetite, metabolism (the rate at which our body burns kilojoules for energy), and body fat distribution.
Leptin is made by the adipose tissue (fat-storing cells) in your body. Its main role is to regulate fat storage and how many calories you eat and burn. Leptin released from adipose cells travels to the brain via the bloodstream.
Leptin resistance not only contributes to the body's ability to absorb more food, but also signals to the brain that the body needs to conserve energy, which in turn limits calorie burning. Therefore, supplementing with blood leptin levels does not actually lead to weight loss.
How Estrogen Replacement Therapy Can Help with Belly Fat During Menopause. Recent studies show that menopausal women on hormone therapy tend to have less body fat, especially visceral belly fat. Because estrogen affects how your body distributes fat, low estrogen levels can contribute to gaining fat in your belly area.
The hormone leptin is produced by fat cells and is secreted into our bloodstream. Leptin reduces a person's appetite by acting on specific centres of their brain to reduce their urge to eat. It also seems to control how the body manages its store of body fat.
A combination of diet and exercise may help symptoms. A person can perform exercises that burn fat, such as running, walking, and other aerobic activity. Reducing the calories a person consumes can also help.
Causes include poor diet, lack of exercise, and short or low-quality sleep. A healthy diet and active lifestyle can help people lose excess belly fat and lower the risk of problems associated with it.
Which hormone is mainly responsible for belly fat?
Remember, leptin is the hormone that helps regulate your appetite. It tells your brain when your belly is full. If your body starts ignoring leptin's messages, that's called leptin resistance. Researchers know that leptin resistance leads to weight gain.
Since leptin is a hormone your body makes and not a nutrient (like vitamin C or protein), no foods contain leptin. Since leptin is a relatively new discovery, scientists are still working to learn more about it, including how it affects obesity and weight loss.
