Hormonal Issues That Lead To Weight Gain

Did you know that hormonal imbalance is one of the major reasons for failure in weight loss among women and men? This may come as a surprise to you, but have you noticed how you have been eating all the right foods, exercising regularly yet no  weight loss is occurring?  Often the reason for this is you’re suffering from some kind of hormonal imbalance.

Do not be alarmed. This may not be as scary as it sounds. Studies show that 37% of women gain and are unable to lose weight because of excess production of the hormone androgen. Many women have issues with their thyroid hormones that can lead to weight gain or a plateau in weight loss efforts. Where there is a problem, also lies a solution. Here is all the information you need about hormones and weight loss.

How do Hormones Lead to Weight Gain?

There are certain hormones in the body, when produced in excess or in too low amounts, can give way to either increased weight or lack of weight loss. So which hormones hinder your weight loss or give rise to the risk of obesity?

Thyroid

Number one cause of weight gain that occurs due to hormonal imbalance are thyroid issues. Whenever there is low production of the thyroid hormone (TSH), weight gain can result along with depression, fatigue, anxiety, high cholesterol, and slower heart rate. You will need to see your doctor to get this issue first diagnosed.

Use of iodized salt, zinc, fish oil, vitamin D supplements and well cooked food is going to help you in keeping thyroid issues at bay. Also, check out our thyroid webinar:  www.bit.ly/J2317

Testosterone

The hormone produced by males for fertility, testosterone is also produced in a limited quantity by females. When there is a discrepancy in the production of this hormone, it leads to hormonal imbalance that causes a disorder known as PCOS. This in turn leads to weight gain. Keep in mind that the body can go into stress because of decreased testosterone.

Estrogen

Another sex hormone, this one present among females, can also lead to weight gain when it is not produced in the right quantity. Studies show that people who consume too much processed meat, drink alcoholic drinks are at an increased risk of having estrogen issues. Once these problems are cut out of the routine, along with proper exercise and use of fresh fruits and veggies, estrogen levels can easily be maintained.

Insulin

Insulin resistance is what can give way to diabetes. If insulin levels are high in your blood, it means they are not doing their job properly, that is converting sugars into energy and getting them utilized. The only way to control your insulin level is to get rid of processed food consumption, working out at least 4 hours every week, taking in an Omega 3 rich diet, and drinking lots of water every single day.

Cortisol

Called a steroid hormone, cortisol is the hormone that is secreted in the body when you are depressed, angry, injured, anxious, or simply stressed out. It not only releases energy, but also regulates it. This is the hormone that decides what kinds of energy, carb, fat or proteins your body requires at a certain time. If your body is in a constant state of stress, cortisol will not be able to convert fat into energy properly and as a result, this will get stored in the body.

You can keep this hormone in balance by keeping your stress levels low. If you feel that you are unable to do so on your own, consult a doctor as they can give you lifestyle changes that will aid in reducing excessive cortisol in your blood stream.

Leptin

Leptin is another hormone that if not kept in check, can give way to weight gain. It is a hormone that is produced by your body’s fat cells and is responsible for giving you that feeling of fullness (satiety) you have after eating. Did you know that your body can become resistant to leptin?  When this happens,  you may have a difficult time knowing when you are full? This happens because of excessive intake of fructose, a sugar found in all processed food.

The more you eat such foods, the more you are likely to continue eating and hence gain weight. Studies show that the best way to keep leptin in check is by getting enough sleep. Another thing you can do is consume less amounts of fructose rich foods and consume omega 3 rich foods like fish, chia seeds, grass-fed meats and omega 3 supplements.

Serotonin

Serotonin hormone is responsible for the control of emotions, memories, cravings, pain tolerance, appetite, digestion and moods. It is also the hormone that controls body temperature. If serotonin levels in the body are low, your body becomes stressed and depressed, which means that it immediately seeks sugars and starchy foods as they help in increasing the happy hormones in the body. Result? Weight gain.

According to experts, in order to make sure that serotonin levels are adequate in the body, you need a rich diet of minerals, vitamins and proteins, good sleep, good amounts of sunlight and proper exercise. As long as these requirements are met, your body will have less of a chance to have low  serotonin levels.

Melatonin

Known as the sleep hormone, melatonin is the hormone that aids the body in relaxing and falling asleep. It is melatonin that helps the body in recovering the from the wear and tear of each day. It helps your body in healing and rejuvenating for the next day. It is released in the body during the late evening hours and tend to disappear by early morning. This means that people who tend to sleep late are unable to make full usage of this hormone.

Hence the reason that if you are a night owl, you are more predisposed to gaining weight because the body is not fully utilizing melatonin the way it is supposed to. Weight gain occurs because of the stress that leads to inflammation.

Are you having a difficult time losing weight?  Are your scales showing that weight is increasing every single month? Go see a doctor today and get yourself checked for all these hormones to find out what could possibly be missing.  As you know which hormone is causing trouble, you can get your treatment started and lose weight effectively. You will also see a huge difference in the quality of your life once your hormones are working in harmony again!

References

• http://www.stylecraze.com/articles/hormones-responsible-for-weight-gain-in-women/#gref
• https://www.rodalewellness.com/weight-loss/hormone-imbalances
• https://gethealthyu.com/balance-4-hormones-want-lose-weight/