How to Lower Leptin Levels

Leptin is a hormone involved in regulating appetite, body weight, fat and glucose activity. Leptin levels rise when people gain weight and decrease when people lose weight because the hormone is produced by fat cells. When leptin levels are too low or too high, the person tends to feel hungry much of the time, as explained by the University of Texas Health Science Center. This sheds light on why obese people have problems losing weight and people who have recently lost weight have trouble keeping it off.

Things You'll Need

• Fish
• Fish oil capsules

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat fish. A study published in a 2002 issue of the journal "Circulation" and cited by "Scientific American" found that a diet high in fish was associated with lower levels of leptin than a vegetarian diet.

• 2

  Take fish oil capsules. If you aren't fond of eating lots of fish, fish oil capsules are another option that may lower leptin levels. The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oils have benefits for the cardiovascular system as well, as noted by the American Heart Association (AHA).

• 3

  Eat high-fat, low-carbohydrate meals. These create smaller insulin and glucose responses that subsequently produce lower leptin levels as compared to low-fat high-carbohydrate meals, according to a study published in the February 1999 issue of "Diabetes," a journal of the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

• 4

  Restrict calorie intake. A study published in a 2005 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity" found that leptin levels decreased significantly after a 4-day diet that included only 36 percent of estimated energy requirements (calorie intake).