Background: Introduction of leptin, a product of the obese gene, recently has led to numerous experiments to better understand body weight and composition function. Based on these findings, leptin is proposed to be an important factor in energy balance and metabolism to influence body weight. In addition, investigators have reported contradictory findings about the influence of physical exercise under various experimental conditions on leptin secretion regulation from adipose tissue stores. Thus, this review has been focused on the conflicts in the literature and the acute effect of various physical exercises on leptin and leptin’s response to acute exercise and trainings.

Methods: In this review, the studies that examined the influence of a variety exercise on leptin and the complications in the literature are summarized then the implication with physical exercise and training are discussed.

Results: The effect of physical exercise and training on leptin concentrations is currently controversial. Several researchers revealed that exercise may result in reductions depending on the duration and calorie expenditure whereas others have reported no change in concentrations.

Conclusions: This review appears that involving in physical exercise longer than 60 minutes with a significant caloric agitation (>800 kcals) is necessary for acute exercise to result in a significant reduction in leptin concentrations in non-athletes.