Leptin Resistance
A condition where the brain becomes desensitized to Leptin (the satiety hormone), causing persistent hunger and metabolic slowdown despite adequate fat stores.
Deep Dive
Leptin is the 'fuel gauge' of the body. Produced by fat cells, it signals to the hypothalamus how much energy is stored. When body fat is high, leptin should be high, telling the brain to reduce appetite and increase energy expenditure. It is the master regulator of long-term energy balance.
In Leptin Resistance, chronic inflammation — driven by processed foods, gut dysbiosis, or oxidative stress — blocks the leptin signal at the blood-brain barrier. The brain thinks you are starving despite abundant fat stores. In response, it increases hunger hormones (ghrelin), reduces thyroid output, and lowers basal metabolic rate.
This is the primary driver of weight loss resistance in high-performers who 'do everything right.' They exercise intensely, restrict calories, and yet the scale does not move — because the brain is actively defending a higher body fat set point. Breaking leptin resistance requires reducing neuroinflammation, fixing the gut, improving sleep, and strategically cycling caloric intake rather than chronically restricting it.