Hormones are often blamed when body weight changes unexpectedly or abdominal fat becomes harder to manage. There is some truth behind the connection—but the relationship between hormones and fat storage is considerably more complex than “hormonal imbalance causes weight gain.” Hormones influence appetite, fullness, glucose metabolism, energy expenditure, and where fat tends to be stored. At the same time, genetics, food intake, physical activity, sleep, medications, aging, an

What Is Leptin? Leptin is a hormone produced by fat cells that communicates with the brain, particularly the hypothalamus, to signal that the body has sufficient energy stores. When this signaling works properly, appetite decreases and feelings of fullness increase. Because of this important role, leptin is often called the "satiety hormone." Why Are People with Obesity Still Hungry? People with obesity usually have higher leptin levels because they have more body fat. Howev