Final answer:
Leptin is the key hormone involved in the long-term regulation of body fat, governing hunger and energy expenditure. It is produced by adipose tissue and its functioning is crucial for maintaining energy balance, but can be disrupted in obesity leading to leptin resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The hormone primarily involved in the long-term regulation of body fat is leptin. Like insulin, which regulates blood glucose levels, leptin is produced by adipose tissues and has a crucial role in maintaining energy balance. As body fat increases, so does the secretion of leptin, leading to a decrease in hunger. Conversely, lower fat mass results in reduced leptin levels, increasing appetite.
Leptin's ability to regulate food intake and energy expenditure holds significant implications for obesity treatment. However, obesity may disrupt leptin function, leading to leptin resistance. This condition entails a decreased sensitivity to leptin, impairing the ability to feel full and potentially resulting in overeating.
Furthermore, growth hormone also has a role in fat metabolism. It stimulates lipolysis, which results in the use of fatty acids as an energy source, preserving glucose. This effect is essential for the regulation of body composition and metabolism.
Leptin is a hormone produced by adipose tissues (fatty tissues) that governs the balance between food intake and energy expenditure. When there is more adipose tissue, more leptin is released, which decreases hunger and gives a feeling of fullness. On the other hand, when there is less fatty tissue, there is less fat and less leptin, which has the opposite effect.
Obesity may be related to the malfunctioning of leptin, leading to ongoing research for finding obesity treatment.