Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Plasma leptin is influenced by diet composition and exercise

International Journal of Obesity volume 27, pages 901–906 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: A low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet (≤30% of total energy intake as fat) in conjunction with moderate intensity physical activity is widely recommended for weight maintenance and reduction. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of adding daily exercise to a short-term high-carbohydrate diet on fasting and postprandial leptin levels.

SUBJECTS: Eight healthy, postmenopausal women aged 60±4 y (mean±s.d.) (body mass index, BMI: 26.4±2.3 kg m−2; predicted maximal oxygen uptake: 29±2 ml kg−1 min−1).

DESIGN: Plasma responses were studied after subjects consumed the same high-fat, mixed meal on three occasions: after 3 days on a low-carbohydrate diet (35, 50 and 15% energy from carbohydrate, fat and protein, respectively) (Low-CHO); after 3 days on an isoenergetic high-carbohydrate diet (corresponding values 70, 15 and 15%) (High-CHO); and after 3 days on the same high-carbohydrate diet with 60 min of brisk walking daily (High-CHO-Ex).

MEASUREMENTS: Fasting and postprandial plasma or serum concentrations of leptin, glucose and insulin.

RESULTS: Fasting leptin was significantly higher (P<0.05) after the High-CHO (18.4±2.6 ng ml−1) (mean±s.e.m.) than after both the Low-CHO and the High-CHO-Ex interventions, which did not differ significantly from each other (16.9±2.1 and 15.5±2.0 ng ml−1, respectively; P=0.08). Overall (fasted and postprandial states), plasma leptin concentrations were significantly higher after the High-CHO than after the High-CHO-Ex intervention. There was a strong, positive, linear relation between postprandial insulin responses and postprandial leptin concentrations at 6 h. In addition, there was a strong, negative, linear relation between whole-body insulin sensitivity (based on postprandial responses of glucose and insulin) and postprandial leptin concentrations at 6 h.

CONCLUSION: Daily moderate intensity exercise, without concomitant changes in body fat mass, suppressed fasting and postprandial circulating leptin concentrations after consumption of a short-term high-carbohydrate diet. As shown in previous studies, insulin appears to be an important modulator of leptinaemia.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

References

  1. Friedman JM, Halaas JL . Leptin and the regulation of body weight in mammals. Nature 1998; 395: 763–770.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Havel PJ . Control of energy homeostasis and insulin action by adipocyte hormones: leptin, acylation stimulating protein, and adiponectin. Curr Opin Lipidol 2002; 13: 51–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Romon M, Lebel P, Velly C, Marecaux N, Fruchart JC, Dallongeville J . Leptin response to carbohydrate or fat meal and association with subsequent satiety and energy intake. Am J Physiol 1999; 277: E855–E861.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Considine RV, Sinha MK, Heiman ML, Kriauciunas A, Stephens TW, Nyce MR, Ohannesian JP, Marco CC, McKee LJ, Bauer TL, Caro JF . Serum immunoreactive-leptin concentrations in normal-weight and obese humans. N Engl J Med 1996; 334: 292–295.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Weigle DS, Duell PB, Connor WE, Steiner RA, Soules MR, Kuijper JL . Effect of fasting, refeeding, and dietary fat restriction on plasma leptin levels. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997; 82: 561–565.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Havel PJ, Townsend R, Chaump L, Teff K . High-fat meals reduce 24-h circulating leptin concentrations in women. Diabetes 1999; 48: 334–341.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lissner L, Levitsky DA, Strupp BJ, Kalkwarf HJ, Roe DA . Dietary fat and the regulation of energy intake in human subjects. Am J Clin Nutr 1987; 46: 886–892.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schaefer EJ, Lichtenstein AH, Lamon-Fava S, McNamara JR, Schaefer MM, Rasmussen H, Ordovas JM . Body weight and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol changes after consumption of a low-fat ad libitum diet. JAMA 1995; 274: 1450–1455.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kasim-Karakas SE, Almario RU, Mueller WM, Peerson J . Changes in plasma lipoproteins during low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets: effects of energy intake. Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 1439–1447.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hickey MS, Israel RG . Exercise and adipose tissue production of cytokines. In: Nicklas B (ed.). Endurance exercise and adipose tissue. CRC Press LLC: Boca Raton, FL; 2002. pp 79–100.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Hickey MS, Houmard JA, Considine RV, Tyndall GL, Midgette JB, Gavigan KE, Weidner ML, McCammon MR, Israel RG, Caro JF . Gender-dependent effects of exercise training on serum leptin levels in humans. Am J Physiol 1997; 272: E562–E566.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. van Aggel-Leijssen DPC, van Baak MA, Tenenbaum R, Campfield LA, Saris WHM . Regulation of average 24 h human plasma leptin level; the influence of exercise and physiological changes in energy balance. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1999; 23: 151–158.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. NHLBI. Clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation, and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. NIH Publication no. 98-4083; 1998. pp 1–262.

  14. Krauss RM, Eckel RH, Howard BV, Appel LJ, Daniels SR, Deckelbaum RJ, Erdman JW, Kris-Etherton P, Goldberg IJ, Kotchen T, Lichtenstein AH, Mitch WE, Mullis R, Robinson K, Wylie-Rosett J, Jeor SS, Suttie J, Tribble DL, Bazzarre TL . AHA dietary guidelines. Revision 2000: a statement for healthcare professionals from the nutrition committee of the American Heart Association. Circulation 2000; 102: 2284–2299.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Saad MF, Khan A, Sharma A, Michael R, Riad-Gabriel MG, Boyadjian R, Jinagouda SD, Steil GM, Kamdar V . Physiological insulinemia acutely modulates plasma leptin. Diabetes 1998; 47: 544–549.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Koutsari C, Karpe F, Humphreys SM, Frayn KN, Hardman AE . Exercise prevents the accumulation of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and their remnants seen when changing to a high-carbohydrate diet. Arterioscl Thromb Vasc Biol 2001; 21: 1520–1525.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Belfiore F, Iannello S, Camuto M, Fagone S, Cavaleri A . Insulin sensitivity of blood glucose versus insulin sensitivity of blood free fatty acids in normal, obese, and obese-diabetic subjects. Metabolism 2001; 50: 573–582.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Havel PJ, Kasim-Karakas SE, Mueller W, Johnson PR, Ginsberg RL, Stern JS . Relationship of plasma leptin to plasma insulin and adiposity in normal weight women: effects of dietary fat content and sustained weight loss. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996; 81: 4406–4413.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Schrauwen P, van Marken WD, Westerterp KR, Saris WHM . Effect of diet composition on leptin concentration in lean subjects. Metabolism 1997; 46: 420–424.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Raben A, Astrup A . Leptin is influenced both by predisposition to obesity and diet composition. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000; 24: 450–459.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Kohrt WM, Landt M, Birge SJ . Serum leptin levels are reduced in response to exercise training, but not hormone replacement therapy, in older women. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1996; 81: 3980–3985.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Perusse L, Collier G, Gagnon J, Leon AS, Rao DC, Skinner JS, Wilmore JH, Nadeau A, Zimmet PZ, Bouchard C . Acute and chronic effects of exercise on leptin levels in humans. J Appl Physiol 1997; 83: 5–10.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kraemer RR, Kraemer GR, Acevedo EO, Hebert EP, Temple E, Bates M, Etie A, Haltom R, Quinn S, Castracane VD . Effects of aerobic exercise on serum leptin levels in obese women. Eur J Appl Physiol 1999; 80: 154–158.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Dirlewanger M, Di Vetta V, Giusti V, Schneiter P, Jequier E, Tappy L . Effect of moderate physical activity on plasma leptin concentration in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 1999; 79: 331–335.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Kieffer T, Habener J . The adipoinsular axis: effects of leptin on pancreatic β-cell. Am J Physiol 2000; 278: E1–E14.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Coppack SW, Pinkney JH, Mohamed-Ali V . Leptin production in human adipose tissue. Proc Nutr Soc 1998; 57: 461–470.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Evans K, Clark ML, Frayn KN . Carbohydrate and fat have different effects on plasma leptin concentrations and adipose tissue leptin production. Clin Sci 2001; 100: 493–498.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Imbeault P, Doucet E, Mauriege P, St-Pierre S, Couillard C, Almeras N, Despres J-P, Tremblay A . Difference in leptin response to a high-fat meal between lean and obese men. Clin Sci 2001; 101: 359–365.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Mueller WM, Gregoire FM, Stanhope KL, Mobbs CV, Mizuno TM, Warden CH, Stern JS, Havel PJ . Evidence that glucose metabolism regulates leptin secretion from cultured adipocytes. Endocrinology 1998; 139: 551–558.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Wellhoener P, Fruehwald-Schultes B, Kern W, Dantz D, Kerner W, Born J, Fehm HL, Peters A . Glucose metabolism rather than insulin is a main determinant of leptin secretion in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000; 85: 1267–1271.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Coppack SW, Fisher RM, Gibbons GF, Humpreys SM, McDonough MJ, Potts JL, Frayn KN . Postprandial substrate disposition in human forearm and adipose tissues in vivo. Clin Sci 1990; 79: 339–348.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Malkova D, Evans RD, Frayn KN, Humphreys SM, Jones PRM, Hardman AE . Prior exercise and postprandial substrate extraction across the human leg. Am J Physiol 2000; 279: E1020–E1028.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Trayhurn P, Duncan JS, Hoggard N, Rayner DV . Regulation of leptin production: a dominant role for the sympathetic nervous system? Proc Nutr Soc 1998; 57: 413–419.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Couillard C, Mauriege P, Prud'homme D, Nadeau A, Tremblay A, Bouchard C, Despres J-P . Plasma leptin response to an epinephrine infusion in lean and obese women. Obes Res 2002; 10: 6–13.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Keim NL, Stern JS, Havel PJ . Relation between circulating leptin concentrations and appetite during a prolonged, moderate energy deficit in women. Am J Clin Nutr 1998; 68: 794–801.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was funded in part by British Heart Foundation Grant PG/99113. Christina Koutsari was supported by the Greek State Scholarships Foundation. We thank the subjects for their participation, and Jane Riley, Julia Wells and Professor Peter RM Jones for assistance with data collection.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Muscle Metabolism Research Group, School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, UK

    C Koutsari & A E Hardman

  2. Oxford Centre for Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK

    F Karpe, S M Humphreys & K N Frayn

Authors
  1. C Koutsari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. F Karpe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S M Humphreys
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K N Frayn
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A E Hardman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to C Koutsari.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Koutsari, C., Karpe, F., Humphreys, S. et al. Plasma leptin is influenced by diet composition and exercise. Int J Obes 27, 901–906 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802322

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802322

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links