Research
Hormonal
Leptin replacement or sensitization can counter adaptive responses to weight loss (increased appetite, decreased expenditure) and may be effective for weight loss maintenance when targeted to the right individuals.
Leptin therapy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It may be effective for some people who have lost weight, particularly if they have low leptin levels. Consult a healthcare provider to see if this targeted approach is appropriate for you.
GoodConditionalMEDIUM confidence
In weight-reduced individuals, leptin alone has shown to counter many of the adaptive responses to weight loss... For these reasons, the use of leptin alone after weight loss or leptin in combination with a leptin sensitizer even during weight loss could prove valuable if targeted to the right individuals.
Why this rating
Based on clinical trials showing leptin's effects in weight-reduced individuals, but not yet widely implemented.
Source
NIH working group report: Innovative research to improve maintenance of weight loss
Paul S. MacLean et al. · Obesity · 2014
DOI 10.1002/oby.20967
narrative_reviewCited 559×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- Weight loss triggers physiological adaptations (increased appetite, decreased energy expenditure) and behavioral shifts (declining adherence) that create a biological pressure to regain lost weight, making maintenance significantly harder than initial loss.Strong
- Exercise attenuates weight regain after weight loss by counteracting biological adaptations (reducing intake and elevating expenditure), but its effectiveness depends on adherence and individual responder status.Good
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