leptin

American  

[lep-tin] / ˈlɛp tɪn /

noun

1. a hormone that is thought to suppress appetite and speed up metabolism.

---

leptin British  

/ ˈlɛptɪn /

noun

1. a protein, produced by fat cells in the body, that acts on the brain to regulate the amount of additional fat laid down in the body

---

leptin Scientific  

/ lĕp′tĭn′ /

1. A peptide hormone and neurotransmitter produced by fat cells and involved in the regulation of appetite.

---

Etymology

Origin of leptin

1995–2000; < Greek leptós small, thin + -in ²

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

leptin

This is because the leptin signal shares a signalling pathway with insulin.

From BBC ● Jan. 4, 2026

Sedentary rats on the cafeteria diet had sharply higher insulin and leptin levels, but these elevations were significantly reduced in those that exercised.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2025

This means that, when we eat too quickly, we ingest more than we actually need – leptin does not have enough time to kick in and tell us that we have had enough.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2024

Investigators discovered that when exposed to UV radiation consistently, mice fed a normal diet and those on a high-fat diet exhibited increased appetite due to a decrease in leptin, a key hormone in appetite regulation.

From Science Daily ● May 22, 2024

“Your leptin levels go down, and when leptin goes down, a signal goes to the brain that you don’t have enough fat to survive.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 15, 2024