Treat Infertility Using Leptin

Infertility can result if you are extremely over weight. Infertility can also be caused by exercising excessively, not eating sufficient food and due to eating disorders such as anorexia. Leptin is found to have a positive effect in treating infertility.

Leptin is a hormone which helps to regulate your appetite and weight. It helps to monitor your energy levels, to know when you are really hungry and when you feel satiated. If the energy stores in your body are low, some of the non-vital processes such as your reproductive system will get shut down. During such time, your periods can become irregular or stop completely and the quantum of leptin produced by the body also gets reduced.

Women who exercise vigorously or those who have very low body fat can stop ovulating. Then their periods also stop and they may not be able to produce the essential hormones like estrogen. This condition is also referred to as anovulation or functional hypothalamic amenorrhea.  This can lead to infertility. Such women may also be prone to osteoporosis which can lead to fractures. Such women mainly make use of fertility medications for encouraging ovulation. Though this method is effective, it can create the risk towards multiple pregnancies and also requires constant monitoring.

Researchers studied fourteen female athletes in 2005. These women had ceased menstruating at least a few years before the start of the study. They were observed to have 40-percent less body fat than an average woman. While 8 of these women were given leptin, the others acted as controls. Women who were given leptin supplements twice daily got back their periods after three months treatment and normal functioning o their ovaries were also observed. Leptin was also found to improve the bone density markers of the blood significantly. In the control group however, no change was observed.

The results of the study were exciting. By taking up larger studies relating to its safety and additional dosing, leptin can be proved to be a viable and safe treatment option for many patients who are found to suffer from infertility. There are plenty of natural remedies also to cure infertility which are free from harmful side effects.