Articles

Evidence based

Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Why “How to Increase Leptin” Is the Wrong Question

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on October 30, 2025

Written by Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC on October 30, 2025 — Reviewed by Hannah Wright

• What Is Leptin?|
• Leptin Resistance|
• Eating for Leptin|
• Lifestyle Habits That Improve Leptin Levels|
• FAQs|

Many people think that if leptin signals fullness, having more of it must mean faster weight loss. But the opposite is true. In fact, most people who struggle with weight gain or poor appetite control already have too much leptin—their bodies just aren’t listening to it.

Leptin is a messenger hormone made by fat cells that tells the brain how much energy is stored in the body. When this signal stops getting through, appetite control breaks down, metabolism slows, and the body enters a vicious cycle of hunger, weight gain, and increasing leptin resistance.

Instead of asking how to “increase” leptin, the better question is: How can we restore leptin sensitivity?

That shift in focus—from quantity to responsiveness—is key to improving metabolism, energy balance, and long-term weight regulation.

To understand why leptin resistance develops, it helps to first look at how leptin normally works.

What Is Leptin and How Does It Work?

Leptin is a hormone made by fat cells that tells your brain how much energy your body has stored. Its job is to keep appetite and metabolism in check. Essentially, leptin helps the brain balance how much you eat and how much energy you burn 1.

When your body fat stores drop, leptin levels fall, telling the brain to increase hunger signals and conserve energy. When fat stores rise, leptin increases, signaling fullness and encouraging the body to burn more energy 1.

Leptin mainly acts on the hypothalamus and brainstem, where it quiets neurons that drive hunger and activates those that promote fullness. It also communicates with tissues like the liver, pancreas, and intestines to help coordinate metabolism 1. 

Beyond energy regulation, leptin supports immune function by influencing T cells and other immune cells—this is one reason a leptin imbalance can affect both metabolism and inflammation 2.

When Leptin Levels Go Wrong

Too little or too much leptin can both cause problems.

• Low leptin: From genetic mutations or low body fat, this extremely rare disorder affects only one in 17 million people around the world 3. It causes severe obesity, constant hunger, recurrent bacterial infections, high insulin, fatty liver, abnormal lipid levels, and low sex hormone levels 1.
• High leptin: Far more common, this usually signals leptin resistance, where the brain stops responding to leptin’s “I’m full” message. This is linked to insulin resistance, fatty liver, depression, and food addiction 1.

Early research once suggested that raising leptin could help with weight loss, but that theory didn’t hold up. Most people with obesity already have high leptin levels. The problem isn’t production; it’s responsiveness 4. Just as in insulin resistance, leptin’s signal is present but not being heard.

This is where leptin’s counterpart, ghrelin, comes in—together, they create the push-pull system that governs hunger and fullness.

Leptin vs Ghrelin: Appetite Hormones Explained

Leptin and ghrelin work together to regulate hunger and fullness. One tells you when to stop eating, and the other tells you when to start.

Leptin is released by fat cells and signals the brain that your body has enough energy stored and doesn’t need to eat. When leptin levels are working properly, you feel satisfied after eating, and your metabolism runs efficiently. But when the brain stops responding to leptin, hunger signals can override fullness cues, leading to overeating and weight gain 1.

Ghrelin, on the other hand, is the body’s main “hunger hormone.” Produced mainly in the stomach, ghrelin tells the brain to increase appetite, promote fat storage, raise blood sugar, stimulate growth hormone, influence reward and cravings, and regulate digestion and possibly sleep. Its overall role is to signal energy needs and help the body store and use energy efficiently 5.

Together, these hormones act like a thermostat for appetite:

• Leptin turns hunger down when energy stores are full.
• Ghrelin turns hunger up when energy is low or meals are delayed.

When either system gets disrupted by poor sleep, chronic stress, poor diet, or inflammation, your hunger and fullness cues can become unreliable. Supporting both hormones through consistent meals, restorative sleep, and stress management can help bring appetite and metabolism back into balance.

But when leptin signaling remains impaired despite these efforts, it can lead to a more chronic pattern known as leptin resistance.

Leptin Resistance: Why It Happens and What It Means

Leptin resistance happens when the brain stops responding properly to leptin’s signals 2. Even though leptin levels are high, often because of excess body fat, the brain acts as if levels are low. The result is a confusing feedback loop: You feel hungrier, eat more, and gain more fat, which produces even more leptin.

Researchers believe leptin resistance develops when the hormone can’t effectively reach or activate receptors in the brain 6. This may be due to problems with leptin transport across the blood-brain barrier, reduced leptin receptor numbers, or disrupted leptin signaling inside cells. Some research also suggests that inflammation and certain molecules, such as SOCS3, interfere with how leptin messages are processed 4.

Genetic leptin-receptor defects are extremely rare. The more common form of resistance is driven by lifestyle and metabolic factors, similar to what happens with insulin resistance 4. People with obesity often have very high leptin levels, yet little appetite control or energy balance.

Interestingly, leptin resistance can affect some brain regions more than others, a phenomenon known as selective leptin resistance. In these cases, the hormone may still influence functions like blood pressure or fat burning, but appetite regulation remains impaired 6.

Sex differences also play a role. In males, leptin’s effects on the nervous system may stay the same or even increase with obesity, while in females, changes in reproductive hormones can make leptin’s appetite and metabolism signals weaker 6.

Should You Test Your Leptin Levels?

While it’s possible to measure leptin in the blood, these tests don’t tell the whole story. High or low results can’t confirm whether your body is responding to leptin properly. In other words, a test can show how much leptin you have, but not how well your brain is hearing the signal 2.

Because there’s no reliable test for leptin sensitivity, it’s more useful to look at broader patterns: ongoing hunger, difficulty losing weight, or signs of a metabolic imbalance like insulin resistance or inflammation.

Working with a practitioner can help you uncover the root causes behind these patterns (whether they stem from diet, gut health, inflammation, or poor sleep) and guide a plan to restore healthy leptin function.

If you suspect leptin resistance, a functional evaluation with our clinic team can help you uncover the underlying drivers and create a personalized plan to rebalance metabolism. 

Can You Boost Leptin With Food?

If you’re dealing with leptin resistance, chances are you have too much body fat, which is producing too much leptin, and your cells are becoming oblivious to its normal effects of telling you you’re full. The best thing you can do is lose fat, and one of the primary ways to do that is with diet. 

Eat for Leptin Sensitivity

Short-term calorie restriction can reduce leptin levels within days, even before significant weight loss occurs 7. Over time, gradual fat loss can help normalize leptin and improve how the body responds to it. There isn’t one “perfect” diet, but research shows that the key is maintaining a moderate calorie deficit while emphasizing whole, nutrient-dense foods 8.

• Protein (20–45% of daily calories) can support fat loss, muscle maintenance, and healthy metabolism 9.
• Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats—like those found in the Mediterranean diet—support both leptin and insulin sensitivity 8.
• Timing matters: Eating breakfast, avoiding late-night meals, and aligning meals with natural circadian rhythms all support metabolic balance 8.
• Fasting or time-restricted eating may help some people lose fat and reset hunger cues, as long as it’s sustainable and not overly restrictive 10.

The Importance of Hydration

Water plays a critical role in metabolism. Chronic dehydration can raise inflammation, disrupt energy use, and even increase appetite 11. Aim for at least 8 cups (64 ounces) of water per day—more if you’re active or live in a warm climate. 

Start your morning with a full glass of water before coffee, and include water-rich foods like cucumbers, oranges, and celery. You can also support electrolytes with electrolyte powders, a pinch of sea salt, or a squeeze of lemon if you sweat a lot or exercise.

Lifestyle Habits That Improve Leptin Function

Leptin isn’t just influenced by diet. How much you move, sleep, and manage stress all affect how your body responds to this hormone. The following habits help restore leptin sensitivity and keep metabolism running smoothly.

Build More Muscle

All forms of exercise are beneficial, but strength training offers the biggest metabolic payoff. Muscle tissue burns far more calories than fat (up to 13 times more) even at rest 12. Research shows that resistance training three times per week can raise daily energy burn by nearly 100 calories, especially when body fat is replaced with muscle 13.

Cardio still supports heart and lung health, but building muscle appears better for helping correct the sluggish metabolism often seen in leptin resistance.

Prioritize Solid Sleep

Sleep loss disrupts leptin and ghrelin. Too little or inconsistent sleep can increase appetite, reduce fullness signals, and make it harder to regulate blood sugar 14. Over time, poor sleep raises the risk of insulin resistance, fat gain, and even type 2 diabetes 15.

Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep per night and try to keep a consistent schedule. Your metabolism thrives on routine.

Manage Stress

Chronic stress elevates cortisol and inflammation—both of which can blunt leptin’s effects 16. Over time, this can drive weight gain and metabolic dysfunction. Helpful practices include:

• Mindfulness meditation: A few minutes of focused breathing each day can reduce cortisol and improve emotional regulation 17.
• Yoga or stretching: Even 20 minutes daily can relieve tension and lower stress markers 18.
• Deep breathing: Simple techniques like the 4-7-8 method (inhale 4 seconds, hold 7, exhale 8) can calm the nervous system and help reset the body’s stress response 18. Just 5 minutes a day can help.
• Time in nature: Outdoor time, or even viewing natural settings, can lower anxiety and support overall health 19.

Gut Care

Your gut plays a quiet but important role in metabolism. Conditions that affect nutrient absorption like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can make it harder for the body to produce and use energy efficiently 9. Chronic gut inflammation may also worsen leptin resistance 20.

Research hasn’t yet proven that gut treatments directly improve leptin function, but supporting gut health through balanced nutrition, probiotics, and fiber-rich foods can enhance nutrient absorption and reduce inflammation—both essential for restoring metabolic balance 9.

Supplements and Other Treatments 

You may come across products marketed as “leptin supplements,” but these don’t actually contain leptin. If they did, the hormone would be broken down during digestion before it could have any effect.

Some alternative therapies, especially from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been studied for their possible influence on leptin, but most of the evidence is preliminary.

What research shows 21:

• Acupuncture and electroacupuncture may modestly reduce body fat and lower leptin levels in small, short-term human trials and animal studies. It’s unclear, however, whether these results reflect true hormonal regulation or indirect benefits like lower stress and improved mood.
• Herbs and “functional foods” such as Chinese cinnamon, Gymnema sylvestre, green tea, spinach extract, grapefruit, and fenugreek have shown minor effects on leptin or appetite in limited human studies and animal research. But results are inconsistent, and dosing varies too widely to draw firm conclusions.
• Calming herbs like chamomile, valerian, and passionflower, tested in small human trials and animal studies, may reduce stress hormones that interfere with leptin activity—possibly curbing stress-driven eating—yet they haven’t been proven to directly affect leptin levels or cause weight loss.

In short, these complementary approaches may support stress reduction or metabolic balance, but none has shown consistent, direct effects on leptin in humans. The most effective way to restore leptin function remains a combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management practices, and quality sleep.

Leptin FAQs

What is leptin and what is leptin resistance?

• Leptin is a hormone made by fat cells that signals the brain about the body’s energy stores, regulating hunger, metabolism, and immune function, with problems like leptin resistance disrupting these processes.
• Leptin resistance is a condition—common in obesity—where the hormone leptin can’t effectively reduce hunger due to poor brain access, fewer or less active receptors, or disrupted cellular signaling. It often leads to overeating, with effects that can vary by brain region, sex, and receptor location.

Are some people leptin-deficient?

• Yes, but this is a very rare genetic condition, affecting only about 1 in 17 million people around the world.

How can I naturally boost my leptin levels?

• There isn’t an easy way to raise leptin levels to curb hunger because leptin is largely determined by the amount of body fat you have.
• There’s a misunderstanding out there that because leptin is the fullness hormone, anyone who wants to lose weight (body fat) needs more leptin. But the more body fat we have, the more leptin we have. At a certain level, the leptin stops working as well: Too much of it creates leptin resistance, where the body can’t “hear” leptin’s fullness signals anymore, so we keep feeling hungry, eating more, and contributing more to leptin resistance in a vicious cycle.
• The best way to maintain healthy leptin levels is to manage body fat and keep it at a healthy level. Effective strategies include a sustainable diet rich in protein, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and whole grains; proper hydration; strength training to build muscle; consistent, adequate sleep; stress management through meditation, yoga, or time in nature; and supporting gut health, including probiotics when needed. 

What foods or vitamins may help increase leptin?

• Leptin is a hormone produced by your body, not a nutrient you can eat. That means there aren’t any foods or vitamins that naturally contain or increase leptin. 

Do leptin supplements work for weight loss?

• “Leptin supplements” don’t actually work, and although some traditional Chinese medicine approaches (like acupuncture, herbs, or functional foods) show early signs of affecting leptin or metabolism, the evidence is weak, mostly from small, short, or animal studies. There’s no reliable proof that these methods meaningfully improve leptin activity or long-term weight control in humans.

What is the fastest way to raise leptin levels?

• Eat an unhealthy diet, pile on the stress, don’t exercise or sleep well, and gain a lot of body fat in a short period of time. The idea that you need to raise leptin to lose weight is a misnomer.

How to Support Healthy Leptin Function Naturally

Leptin isn’t something you “boost”—it’s something you balance. The most effective way to restore that balance is by improving how your body responds to the hormone through practical, sustainable habits: eating whole foods, sleeping well, managing stress, building muscle, and caring for your gut health.

These steps don’t just support leptin—they help restore the entire network of hormones that regulate appetite, metabolism, and energy.

If you’re struggling with constant hunger, fatigue, or weight changes that don’t make sense, our clinicians can help uncover what’s driving your metabolic imbalance.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our clients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you. The information on DrRuscio.com is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.