220. Cortisol, Leptin, and Ghrelin: Why Your Hormones Are Sabotaging Your Health

The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka

Gary Brecka

Health & Fitness

4.8 • 2.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 November 2025

⏱️ 11 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Your body is sending you signals every moment of every day, but are you listening? In this episode, I’ll walk you through how these three hormones (cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin) dictate whether you wake up energised or exhausted, maintain focus or feel scattered, and recover quickly or stay stuck in chronic stress mode. Your hormones respond to your daily choices; make them work for you instead of against you. Join the Ultimate Human VIP community for Gary Brecka's proven wellness protocols! https://bit.ly/4ai0Xwg Thank you to our partners H2TABS: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4hMNdgg BODYHEALTH: “ULTIMATE20” FOR 20% OFF: http://bit.ly/4e5IjsV BAJA GOLD: "ULTIMATE10" FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3WSBqUa COLD LIFE: THE ULTIMATE HUMAN PLUNGE: https://bit.ly/4eULUKp WHOOP: JOIN AND GET 1 FREE MONTH!: https://bit.ly/3VQ0nzW AION: “ULTIMATE10” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/4h6KHAD A-GAME: “ULTIMATE15” FOR 15% OFF: http://bit.ly/4kek1ij CARAWAY: “ULTIMATE” FOR 10% OFF: https://bit.ly/3Q1VmkC HEALF: 10% OFF YOUR ORDER: https://bit.ly/41HJg6S RHO NUTRITION: “ULTIMATE15” FOR 15% OFF: https://bit.ly/44fFza0 GOPUFF: GET YOUR FAVORITE SNACK!: https://bit.ly/4obIFDC GENETIC METHYLATION TEST (UK ONLY): https://bit.ly/48QJJrk GENETIC TEST (USA ONLY): ⁠https://bit.ly/3Yg1Uk9 Watch the “Ultimate Human Podcast” every Tuesday & Thursday at 9AM EST: YouTube: https://bit.ly/3RPQYX8 Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3RQftU0 Connect with Gary Brecka Instagram: https://bit.ly/3RPpnFs TikTok: https://bit.ly/4coJ8fo X: https://bit.ly/3Opc8tf Facebook: https://bit.ly/464VA1H LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/4hH7Ri2 Website: https://bit.ly/4eLDbdU Merch: https://bit.ly/4aBpOM1 Newsletter: https://bit.ly/47ejrws Ask Gary: https://bit.ly/3PEAJuG Timestamps 00:00 Intro of Show 01:07 Cortisol Definition and Reduction 05:00 What are Leptin and Ghrelin? 06:20 Effects of Consistent Calorie Restriction 07:30 Link to Study on Leptin Receptors: https://bit.ly/49nHUlX 08:30 How to Balance These 3 Hormones The Ultimate Human with Gary Brecka Podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no doctor/patient relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast is at the user’s own risk. The Content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their health care professionals for any such conditions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	So many things in our current environment from consistent phone notifications to ultra-processed foods
0:05.0	can impact how well we can notice what our body is actually trying to tell us.
0:09.0	We're exploring cortisol, leptin, and ghrelin today.
0:12.0	I want to break down these complex biochemical concepts because they determine whether you feel energized or exhausted,
0:19.0	or whether you maintain healthy weight or you struggle with cravings.
0:22.1	These powerful chemical messengers can either work for you or they can work against you.
0:26.3	Cortisol gets a bad reputation, but acute cortisol spikes are actually necessary for survival,
0:31.6	leptin and ghrelin.
0:32.8	Two hormones that control your appetite and your energy balance.
0:35.7	These work in opposition to each other,
0:37.5	creating an interconnected dynamic from managing food and energy storage. Understanding these
0:42.6	three key hormones gives you the keys to mastering stress resilience and appetite control.
0:47.9	If you're unaware of how these systems work, it could leave you fighting an uphill battle against
0:52.2	your own biology. Let's start with...
0:54.5	We're told all the time.
1:06.7	We're told all the time, listen to our bodies.
1:09.8	But what does that actually mean? Today, we're
1:12.1	talking about three hormones that tell us when we're hungry and when we're stressed. But so many
1:16.9	things in our current environment from consistent phone notifications to ultra-processed foods
1:21.3	can impact how well we can notice what our body is actually trying to tell us. Because these
1:26.4	powerful chemical messengers can
1:28.1	either work for you or they can work against you. It's so important to understand these
	...

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