The Link Between Psoriasis and Leptin

Leptin is a hormone that was discovered in 1994. It has been linked to higher levels of inflammation in the body that may increase the risk of developing heart attacks, Type 2 Diabetes, and osteoarthritis. It is also elevated in obese people.

A recent study showed that people with psoriasis have higher levels of leptin than people without psoriasis. They showed that the chronic inflammation associated with psoriasis is linked to metabolic disturbances like metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease.

The good news is weight loss can decrease leptin levels in the bloodstream. One day soon we may see weight loss in the guidelines for treating psoriasis.