Do you feel like you could eat all day long? Santé lifestyle coach Angelien shares insights on the potential cause behind this insatiable appetite.
Struggling to resist snacks at the gas station or pairing coffee with treats? If food tempts you constantly, it may stem from leptin resistance, where this key hormone fails to signal fullness effectively.
Leptin, produced by fat cells after meals, monitors stored fat levels and signals the brain about energy availability. This ensures vital functions—like organ operation, daily activities, and immune responses during illness, such as fighting the flu—are supported adequately. Without sufficient energy reserves, recovery could be compromised.
During high-energy demands, like battling illness, fat cells ramp up leptin production to check if reserves can support a fever or immune activation. Glucose is redirected, leaving you fatigued, nauseous, and appetite-free until recovery. This is a healthy response in balance.
Chronic stress—from poor diet, medications, emotions, or overwork—triggers sustained high leptin levels, leading to resistance. Like insulin resistance, cells become desensitized, eliminating the 'full' signal. Result? Overeating, persistent hunger, and no natural brake on appetite.
Low energy, as in restrictive eating or anorexia, prompts the brain to conserve for vital organs, causing issues like hair loss or absent menstruation.
• Overweight
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Constant snacking urges
• Fatigue
• Insomnia
The great news? Lifestyle changes can restore leptin sensitivity. As a Santé coach with years of experience guiding clients, Angelien assesses nutrition, stress, exercise, and mindset to pinpoint improvements.
Reduce stress with nutrient-dense foods over empty calories, check for intolerances draining energy, balance work-life demands, and incorporate movement. Leptin is just one of over 100 hormones keeping systems in harmony—nurture them all for optimal health.
