The Claim
In individuals with obesity, reduced ghrelin levels and elevated LEAP2 concentrations are associated with blunted ghrelin responsiveness, leading to impaired adaptive hunger signaling during caloric restriction and increased risk of weight regain after weight loss.
What the research says
Roughly balanced
Support and challenge are close. The picture may shift as more studies come in.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
In people with obesity, lower ghrelin and higher LEAP2 levels are linked to a reduced response to ghrelin, which results in less hunger signaling during calorie restriction and a greater likelihood of regaining lost weight.
See the scientific wording
In obesity, reduced ghrelin levels and elevated LEAP2 concentrations are associated with blunted ghrelin responsiveness, which may impair adaptive hunger signaling during caloric restriction and contribute to weight regain after weight loss.
In obesity, the hunger signal ghrelin is lower and the blocker LEAP2 is higher, so the brain does not get the signal to feel hungry even when the body needs food. This makes people eat less during dieting, but after losing weight, the brain still thinks the body is in starvation mode and slows down metabolism to save energy, making it easier to regain weight.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: The Ghrelin-LEAP2 System in Obesity and Diabetes: Pathophysiological Roles and Therapeutic Potential
In people with obesity, the body makes less of the hunger hormone ghrelin and more of a blocking molecule called LEAP2, which stops ghrelin from working well. This makes people feel less hungry even when they should, which can make it harder to stick to diets and easier to gain weight back.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.