Adiponectin and leptin are the two primary hormones secreted from your stored fat. In health, they are released in balance. As body weight rises, then leptin increases and adiponectin decreases. It has been known for some time that the lowering of adiponectin is the primary cause of insulin resistance in your liver. This new study¹ shows that low adiponectin is associated with adverse changes in your circulatory system that lead to plaque accumulation and hardening of your arteries.

The researchers found that when adiponectin levels were normal, then larger artery and small artery elasticity was good. When adiponectin levels dropped then thickening of the arteries occurred. The researchers also confirmed the earlier findings that low adiponectin was associated with insulin resistance that leads to type 2 diabetes. They also found that normal adiponectin levels supported higher HDL cholesterol and that low adiponectin was associated with increased triglycerides (also a sign of leptin resistance).

Leptin problems tend to drive adiponectin low, meaning that if you follow the Leptin Diet you take the primary stress off adiponectin by helping leptin work properly.