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Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that signals the brain when the body is full. Obese people often have high levels of leptin but their brains don’t recognize its signal to stop eating. Blood tests can measure leptin levels, and treatment with leptin can help with weight loss.
Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that sends signals to the brain when the body is full of food. Ideally, leptin levels should be low when measured in the morning. Obese people almost always have high levels of the molecule, but their brains don’t recognize its signal to feel full and stop eating.
This compound was originally discovered in highly obese mice. The study of their genetics found an obese gene, the product of which did not work in these mice. Leptin was then identified as the missing compound in these mutants. When the mice were treated with this molecule, they lost weight. This finding provided the basis for a series of weight loss studies to see if treatment with this compound could help people lose weight.
To provide a sample for testing leptin levels, blood is drawn first thing in the morning while fasting. Blood can be safely stored for seven days if refrigerated or two months if frozen. In addition to being examined by doctors, blood can be sent to commercial companies for this test.
Leptin levels are tested using a sensitive process called an ELISA test. Antibodies against the hormone are combined with an enzyme that will change color if leptin is present in the blood being tested. It is possible to determine the precise amount of the compound being measured with this process. Leptin levels in women range from 3.9-30 ng/ml of blood, while those in men are less than 0.5-12.7 ng/ml.
One of several things this hormone in mammalian metabolism does is tell the brain that the body has eaten enough food. When tests show low levels of leptin, it suggests that the endocrine system is working properly or that appropriate amounts of this enzyme are being produced. High levels are an indication to seek the advice of an endocrinologist.
When such tests are done on obese people, they are usually found to produce a large amount of this hormone, even in early morning fasting tests. These patients are believed to suffer from leptin resistance, in which their brains do not receive the signal that leptin levels are high. This is considered analogous to type 2 diabetes patients who do not respond to the insulin that is present in their bodies. Some very obese people do not produce this hormone at all, and may benefit from injections of molecules produced by genetic engineering and subsequently lose weight.
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