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Solid science now reveals how the lack of proper leptin function early in life can permanently change a person's subconscious drive to eat, showing that obesity is not just a willpower and lifestyle issue. Key signs of a leptin problem, very noticeable in the obese, include: uncontrollable sugar and food cravings, late night eating, stress eating, abdominal weight gain, yo-yo dieting, and low thyroid. Left unhandled, these issues lead to obesity and disease.
(PRWEB) April 8, 2004 -- A new study published in the journal "Science" has demonstrated that the hormone leptin determines an individual's desire for food. The animal study showed that shortly after birth a surge of leptin going through the brain actually sets up brain circuitry for food satisfaction. If this initial wiring of the brain does not occur properly shortly after birth, then a person could be much more likely to eat more food and have less ability to metabolize that food, making them highly predisposed for obesity.
The current study has received widespread media attention, with articles published in the "New York Times" and "Washington Post." The fact that the lack of proper leptin function early in life can permanently change a person's subconscious drive to eat provides solid science that obesity is not just a willpower and lifestyle issue.
The current findings are far more profound than the media is reporting, simply because the media does not understand the function of leptin as it relates to obesity. Leptin is a complex hormone. There is no such thing as "good" or "bad" leptin. Leptin must work efficiently in numerous metabolic pathways in order to have normal metabolism.
In January of 2003 we published "Mastering Leptin", the first thorough review of leptin and how it relates to the obesity epidemic. Chapter 14 is called "Inheriting Leptin Problems - Are Your Parents Overweight?" That chapter explains the existing scientific evidence showing that leptin problems are programmed into the developing brain both in the fetus and as a young baby.
The new animal study is the first to show that the brain is actually programmed regarding appetite and food intake shortly after birth by a surge of leptin getting into the brain. It is as if the brain has a blank chalkboard regarding the need for food, since the developing infant has been living on the nutrient supply coming from the mother. After birth, a new program needs to be established. A leptin surge writes a message on the blank blackboard, saying "You will be satisfied on a reasonable amount of food intake, which in turn will enable your metabolism to run at an optimal pace." Such programming is anti-obesity. If the leptin surge is not present then a pro-obesity message is wired in: "You will need more food than normal in order to feel satisfied, especially carbohydrates. The more food you eat, the more you will want."
The current "Science" study is done with mice that have leptin problems. It is very groundbreaking, as mice with genetic problems causing obesity were able to change eating patterns as if they had no genetic problem. What does all this mean for humans?
Plenty. A proper surge of leptin following birth is vital for the establishment of the potential for proper appetite signals. Failing to get that surge of leptin may cause a person to be permanently wired for excess food intake in order to feel satisfied.
How does a baby get a surge of leptin? Interestingly, leptin is highly concentrated in the first milk colostrum. After 24 hours leptin levels in breast milk are significantly reduced. Thus, based on this new information, a baby failing to get the first milk colostrum could be programmed to make the wrong subconscious brain connections regarding food intake. This would predispose the baby to later life obesity. Such a problem may manifest earlier in life or may not manifest until puberty, child bearing years, or later. Any person prone to this problem will notice much more difficulty controlling weight in their 40s than individuals who do not have this problem.
Additionally, there may be factors that significantly affect the ability of the early leptin message to get into the brain. This is consistent with the knowledge that almost all overweight Americans are leptin resistant - meaning that fat cells make plenty of leptin but the hormone does not communicate to the subconscious brain because it does not get into the brain (a problem fueled by huge portions, eating at night, and snacking).
If a baby is preprogrammed to be leptin resistant, then even though the baby gets the first milk, the leptin may not get into the brain. This would occur if one or both parents were overweight at the time of conception. This means that overweight parents are passing along leptin resistance to an unborn child, i.e., a genetic predisposition to obesity.
Certain situations like premature delivery may significantly interfere with proper leptin development. This is especially true if the baby is overfed in an effort to gain weight too rapidly. This would also apply to any infant that is overfed. In other words, overfeeding as a young person creates leptin resistance wherein the subconscious brain thinks there is a scarcity of food, and programs the body for slow metabolism that lasts a lifetime.
Another problem would be some type of toxic stress to the subconscious brain occurring during or shortly after birth that traumatizes the developing brain so it is not able to write the proper leptin message on the blackboard. Common examples of such stress would be toxemia of pregnancy, oxygenation of the brain problems due to stressful delivery (cord getting wrapped), or jaundice (excess bile acting as a powerful toxin in the developing brain).
Thus, there are four key factors that govern the predisposition to obesity that can now be identified. They are:
1) Getting a proper leptin message into the brain from mother's first milk.
2) Parents who are themselves overweight and leptin resistant.
3) A medical problem that induces stress to the subconscious brain that inhibits the message from being written properly.
4) Overfeeding as an infant.
Since these factors are all out of the unborn child's control, it seems quite prudent that parents and medical authorities get up to date on this vital issue. Our society needs to take fast action not only to correct the current obesity epidemic, but also to prevent the transfer of this epidemic to unwitting children. This is no time to be dragging feet. Leptin problems are real and there is plenty of science to back them up. The new science is showing that there are new responsibilities for parenthood. The future health of any child is significantly affected by any leptin-related problems a parent may have.
by Byron J. Richards
© 2004, Leptin Solutions, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For interview with the author, contact Carol Rouffaud at 800-717-9355 or carol@wellnessresources.com
Byron J. Richards, CCN is the first to explain the meaning of over 7,000 studies on the hormone leptin and its link to solving obesity. Co-founder of Wellness Resources, Richards is a pioneer in the field of applied clinical nutrition and has an extensive understanding of nutritional bio-chemistry as it applies to all aspects of health. He is an expert on the hormone leptin and its' amazing relation to weight, thyroid, anti-aging, hormone balance, and disease.
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