Hormone Leptin Influences A Woman’s Fertility

The hormone Leptin is known to be released by the body’s fat tissue into the bloodstream to control appetite and weight. Besides it’s influence on the body’s complex energy regulation process, it also plays a major role in women’s reproductive hormone levels. A recent study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital observed the effects of Leptin given to women who had stopped menstruating and developed hypothalamic amenorrhea due to very low body fat. Results showed that women treated with Leptin resumed mensrual periods and reproductive hormone levels normalized. Current research is looking at treatments using Leptin for conditions such as eating disorders, bone-loss, and infertility.