The leptin blood test is a fairly rare blood test. How useful it actually is has yet to be determined. From a medical standpoint, the most common reason it is ordered right now is to evaluate the reasons behind a child struggling with obesity. If there is a family history of childhood obesity, then researchers believe this could be because of a leptin deficiency.
Adults may also have the leptin blood test ordered for them if they are obese and struggling with the symptoms of chronic hunger. If hunger pains occur frequently and persistent even after eating a large number of calories, then this test can help to determine if there is an abnormal leptin level that may be behind the issue.
The leptin blood test is often ordered with other tests that evaluate blood sugar levels, hormone levels, and thyroid functionality. Most leptin tests, however, are ordered within a clinical research setting instead of through a family doctor or specialist.
What Do the Leptin Blood Test Results Mean?
When individuals are struggling with obesity, a decreased amount of leptin may indicate that there is a deficiency contributing to the weight gain. Most people who have a BMI above 30 will usually have increased leptin levels, but about 1 in 10 people are believed to have some level of a deficiency in place instead.
There may also be a genetic link to the decreased leptin levels found in individuals. This is usually seen when leptin levels are severely low. Testing for leptin typically occurs in the morning because levels are the highest at night. If the leptin blood test is administered in the afternoon, then the test results may show an abnormal level even though their peak circadian rhythm levels are actually in the normal range.
What Health Conditions Could Be Related to Leptin?
Having abnormal levels of leptin may also be associated with certain health conditions. Please note: research is still required to determine if there is a link between leptin and these conditions. No cause and effect has yet to be proven.
Some researchers believe that leptin levels may contribute to inflammation and the development of atherosclerosis with individuals who have high cholesterol levels. It may also increase when there is gestational diabetes and play a role in fertility. Part of the reason for this is because there is some evidence that leptin plays a role in the maintenance of glucose levels in the blood an how those sugars interact with insulin.
There is also some thought that abnormal leptin levels could play a role in the mental health of certain individuals. Anxiety, stress, and depression are believed to have an influential effect that can be detected by the leptin blood test. Limiting stressful situations may lower hunger urges and therefore restore leptin levels, making it possible to lose weight.
Here’s What You Should Know
Leptin testing is not routinely performed. Anyone who has a BMI that is below 30 may not be suitable to have this test even if it becomes routinely available. It is typically only considered an option when someone is obese and has hunger that is persistent.
For this reason, it is important to know what your personal BMI happens to be. Although people who work out frequently and have large muscle mass can skew their BMI, for the average person it is a fairly accurate calculation of risk factors. In youth, the classification includes weight, height, and gender in addition to their placement on their standardized growth chart. A child is considered to be obese if they are above the 95th percentile on their growth chart or their BMI is calculated to be above 30.
Proactive lifestyle choices can help to raise or lower leptin levels. People who are obese will often see an increase in the results on the leptin blood test when they begin to lose weight. For those with a standard or normal weight, no lifestyle changes will usually affect leptin levels.
When there is an inherited leptin deficiency, replacement therapy has been shown to be effective in treating obesity. If you are not currently obese or your BMI is not above 30 as an adult, then the leptin blood test is probably not right for you. Speak to your medical provider if you are obese and struggling to keep your hunger under control about this test to see if a change in your treatment plan could help you to get back to a normal weight.