Nourish Veda by Dietitian Riyaa

By Dietitian Riya Chandra
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By Dietitian Riya Chandra

How Hormones Affect Your Weight and What to Do About It

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Hormonal weight gain commonly occurs as we age, influenced by hormonal imbalances. The endocrine system secretes various hormones, including adrenaline, cortisol, insulin, and thyroid hormones, but the most significant imbalances come from sex hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone.

Women experience noticeable hormonal imbalances during puberty and menopause, which cause emotional fluctuations such as mood swings, anxiety, irritability, and loss of concentration, often associated with these hormonal changes. This situation can cause other problems such as hormonal weight gain.

Thyroid hormones regulate the rate at which the body works. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) could lead to irritability, anxiety or irregular heartbeat whereas hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) results in depression, fatigue, muscle pains or aches plus weight increase.

A few patients have noted a connection between hormone therapy and weight gain; however, recent NHS research suggests limited evidence that HRT causes an increase in body mass.

Hormone Therapy for Weight Gain

During conditions like menopause (woman reaches her 40s or 50s), doctors often recommend taking hormone therapy medications as a treatment option for them. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), for instance, can alleviate symptoms like hot flashes and mood swings significantly, although this might disrupt the natural balance of our bodies too.

A few patients have noted a connection between hormone therapy and weight gain; however, recent NHS research suggests limited evidence showing that HRT could cause an increase in body mass. Hormonal weight gain may occur as one advances in age and menopause but it is often unrelated to whether or not one takes HRT.

If you are struggling with menopausal weight gain, why not discuss it with our specialized physicians for weight loss or find out more about who we can help you cure it naturally.

What Hormonal Belly Looks Like

An average hormonal belly almost always has a fat deposit around the belly area. There are instances when this kind of belly obesity is accompanied by low estrogen levels or high cortisol levels which can be attributed to insulin resistance or hormonal imbalances. Being able to recognize hormonal bellies helps suggest better ways of fighting against them.

Hormones That Increase Weight Gain

Several hormones can lead to an individual gaining lots of pounds among them:
Estrogen: Too much and too little estrogen both result in weight gain.
Testosterone: Disturbance in your testosterone levels may lead to increased body fat.
Cortisol: Also known as stress hormone, a higher level of cortisol increases appetite and paves the way for excess fat deposition.
Insulin: Fluctuations in insulin levels can result in excessive fat storage that is localized around the belly.
Thyroid hormones: Having low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) results in a slow metabolism that leads to weight gain.

Manage Estrogen Level and Weight Gain

Regulating body weight is one of the most important roles of estrogen which is why there is often such a close relationship between estrogen and weight gain. Reduced estrogen levels such as those experienced during menopause, can cause increased fat storage and slower metabolic rate. It is important to know how to control estrogen levels to avoid it leading to gaining weight.

When estrogen imbalance causes obesity, dieting, exercising, and sometimes hormone therapy are needed. Including exercises like aerobic training with weights or a well-balanced diet with high fibre content while low on refined sugar will help deal with this problem due to reduced levels of estrogen. Our nutritionist has professional knowledge in nutrition hence she/he can offer consultation services about good health.

Manage Testosterone Level and Weight Gain

Decreased testosterone production could lead to increased body fat deposits and diminished muscle mass. For males, taking care of their testosterone level through physical exercise, eating the right foods and at times using medication can facilitate achieving an ideal body mass index (BMI). In females, testosterone amounts are less but they are still very necessary for maintaining muscle mass as well as metabolism rates within the body system.

Low testosterone levels may be responsible for rapid weight gain accompanied by sluggishness.  Such as people must comprehend how Testosterone influences the gain of weight so that they may be able to draw a proper strategy for dealing with their health and weight issues.

Speak with Our Specialized Persons

Since endomorphic hormones are involved in every cell of the human body and tissues, they can affect almost every aspect of health and functioning. Nevertheless, by focusing on physical and psychological aspects and having adequate knowledge about hormonal imbalance, we can correct it or at least find ways to deal with its manifestations.

Oftentimes, hormones may be to blame; if you suspect this is the issue, consult with weight loss doctors and experts for advice on how to get your hormones in check and thus handle any hormonal weight gain issues you may be going through.

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