© 2001 the British Journal of Sports Medicine
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Leptin and exercise: new directions
Department of Exercise Science University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208, USA ldurstine@sph.sc.edu
Key Words: leptin; exercise; diet; eating behaviour; obesity; weight
Initial information on the newly discovered hormone leptin suggests a primary role in energy balance and body weight maintenance. Recent published information suggests that leptin has an impact on several physiological systems, including neuroendocrine and immune function, as well as being involved in growth and development. Although the role of leptin in these areas is only partially understood at best, even less is known about the effect of exercise on plasma leptin concentrations. Further, if exercise has an impact on leptin concentration, how then does exercise affect overall leptin function? This article considers leptin function and the impact that exercise has on blood leptin concentrations, and suggests future directions for research on exercise and leptin.
Leptin, a hormone synthesized primarily by adipose tissue and secreted into the circulatory system, is a purported satiety factor with receptors in the hypothalamus. Human leptin is a relatively small protein (16 kDa) which shares
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