I’m asking in reference to having a high weight, losing the weight on keto, and any effects it may have as the leptin resistance lowers.
More Context: My question is heavily centered on not feeling hungry for months as I eat the exact same thing. Now out of nowhere I’m starving mid-day. No changes in the quantity of protein and the veggies per meal. My work assigned health coach said could be the leptin in my system coming down.
This doesn’t track for me. As far as my knowledge extended, if my leptin resistance is coming down than I get the full feeling sooner, thus eating less overall. Anyway, I’m here asking under the assumption I don’t really understand the role leptin plays. I appreciate any clarity. -Thanks
In: Biology
Leptin level correlate with body fat.
More fat = more leptin.
Lose weight = less appetite suppression.
But also remember that Ghrelin is the hunger hormone. As you lose weight ghrelin levels go up.
I don’t know of any specific research on leptin resistance and keto. It is pretty common that people who have a lot of weight to lose will see a big drop in hunger on keto, and the elimination of leptin resistance is a reasonable mechanistic theory that would account for that. With leptin resistance gone, we would expect the brain to work correctly and drive hunger down if there is a lot of fat mass leading to high leptin levels.
I think your health coach has the right explanation. You’ve presumably lost a lot of weight and your leptin is down; you’ve probably gotten all you are going to from the leptin resistance going away and your hunger will likely be more normal. You might need to eat more food, eat more fat, or something else.
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