Healthy Leptin Levels

A fast metabolism and a happy outlook are two things we can all agree are worth chasing. Scientists are now realizing that going after one may naturally deliver both.

What we know for sure: The key to this connection is the hunger hormone leptin, which tells your brain that you feel full. “Leptin” impacts not only your food intake but your mood as well,” says Paul Burghardt, Ph.D., an assistant professor of nutrition and food science at Wayne University in Detroit. This is partly because of the hormone’s relationship with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls happiness and motivation. Generally, when leptin levels dip, the release of dopamine increases, says Stephanie Fulton, Ph.D., an associate of nutrition at the University of Montreal. That’s when the mood starts to rise. The following five strategies will help deliver a happy mind-body– balance.

Exercise Early– Working out, especially running and cycling, causes your leptin levels to fall triggering a surge of dopamine, Fulton says. “When leptin declines, it sends a signal to your body that you need to eat. That stimulates dopamine production, which in turn increases your motivation to exercise longer.” To take full advantage of this effect, hit the road or gym in the morning, before breakfast. Since you haven’t eaten for hours, your leptin levels will already be low, and you’ll be able to go longer, which may rev your metabolism even more.

Pump Up Your Iron– If you are deficient in this mineral, you’ll be less likely to score the perks of the leptin-dopamine response. People with lower amounts of iron had 3.2 times higher leptin levels than others, reports the Journal of Clinical Investigation. This could even lead to leptin resistance, which occurs when leptin levels remain too high for too long; the hormone stops affecting your brain, contributing to weight gain and moodiness. Aim for about 18 mg of iron a day.

Find Your Funny– Your body responds to laughter the same as it does to a short bout of moderate exercise, researchers from Loma Linda University in California discovered. They found that people’s leptin levels decreased after watching a comedy film.

Sleep Deeper– It’s no secret that a lack of sleep makes you cranky, but losing just two hours of sleep for three days can also cause your metabolism to grind to a halt, according to a 2015 study. Sleep deprivation increases your cravings for junk food, Fulton adds. “It’s a cycle. You don’t sleep well, so you’re more stressed and crave comfort food that’s high in saturated fats. This increases inflammation, making your mood worse.” It’s not how much you snooze but how restorative those hours are too. Sleep interruptions are worse for your mental state than not logging enough shut eye, the Journal Sleep Reports. Invest in black out curtains, a white noise machine and dim the brightness of your phone.

Eat Better Fats– Replacing saturated fat from meat and dairy with poly-unsaturated and mono-saturated fats in salmon, avocados and nuts may benefit your metabolism and your mood, research in the Journal Frontiers in Neuroscience reveals. Saturated fat makes you accumulate visceral fat, which slows the metabolism and produces inflammatory molecules that are linked to depression, says Fulton. Visceral fat also cranks out leptin and may increase your odds of leptin resistance.