Summary
| Direction in ME/CFS | ↑ Elevated — higher than in the comparison group |
|---|---|
| Category | Inflammatory |
| Also described as | Adipokine |
| Compared against | HC (healthy controls) |
| Associated symptoms | Inflammatory signaling |
| Test type | Blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood) |
| LOINC code | 21365-2 |
| Source | Strawbridge et al. 2019 — doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.06.019 |
| Condition atlas | ME/CFS Biomarker Atlas |
Trials, interventions and tests
In clinical-trial registrations this marker maps to the outcome term Change in blood cytokine profile (1 registered trials use a matching outcome measure).
Clinical trials using Leptin as an outcome
- NCT05556733: FMT for Post-acute COVID-19 Syndrome (Unknown)
Outcome measure: Change in blood cytokine profile
Commercial test availability
Leptin — specialty laboratory test.
Links are for reference only; availability, specimen requirements and coverage vary by location.
Related Inflammatory markers in ME/CFS
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) ↕
- Resistin ↕
- Interleukin-10 (IL-10) ↕
- Interleukin-8 (IL-8 / CXCL8) ↕
- Interleukin-6 (IL-6) ↕
- Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) ↕
- Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β) ↑
- Interleukin-1 (IL-1α/β) ↑
Full list: ME/CFS Biomarker Atlas.
Frequently asked questions
Is Leptin high or low in ME/CFS?
Elevated. Studies summarised in the OSMF atlas report higher Leptin in ME/CFS than in healthy controls. Source: Strawbridge et al. 2019.
What symptoms is Leptin associated with in ME/CFS?
The cited literature associates this marker with Inflammatory signaling. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.
Which test measures Leptin?
It is measured as a blood test (serum / plasma / whole blood). The standard laboratory code is LOINC 21365-2. Commercial laboratories such as Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp list an orderable assay.
Is one abnormal Leptin result diagnostic of ME/CFS?
No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of ME/CFS. Leptin findings come from group comparisons, overlap considerably between patients and controls, and vary with study design, timing and comparison group. A result should be interpreted by a clinician alongside symptoms, history and other tests.
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29 · Page generated from me-cfs.json · Browse: ME/CFS atlas · Biomarker Index · All marker pages
Disclaimer: This page is an educational synthesis of published, peer-reviewed research and is not medical advice. Biomarker findings vary across studies with case definitions, comparison groups, timing and assay methods. Direction of change reflects the predominant finding in the cited source and does not establish a diagnostic threshold. Discuss any test result with a qualified clinician.