There are so many things that hormones affect in our bodies for our health. A hormonal imbalance can trigger things like sleep problems, moodiness, irregular periods, but can it affect your weight?
Hormones are chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands and secreted directly in the bloodstream to send a specific message to organs and tissues. They aid in the control of various bodily functions such as development and growth, metabolism, reproduction, cognitive function, and mood, etc.
These chemicals are secreted in small quantities and any imbalance in their amount can have serious consequences throughout the body, one of which is weight gain.
Often it is said that weight loss is always about the number of calories consumed v/s the number of calories burned. However, many individuals especially women find it difficult to lose weight even if they are eating clean and include physical activity in their daily routine.
Read more: Signs You May Have a Hormonal Imbalance
This resistance in weight loss is found to be majorly connected with hormonal imbalance. Although a nutrition-rich diet and exercise are important tools to lose weight, most of the famous diets fail to address the issue of hormonal imbalance.
When you have a hormonal imbalance, you have too much or too little of a certain hormone. Even tiny changes can have serious effects throughout your whole body.
Hormones responsible for weight gain
1. Cortisol
The majority of the time it is found that a steroid hormone called CORTISOL is the main culprit here. Our body produces cortisol when we are stressed, depressed, anxious, and angry. Most of us due to our lifestyle remain stressed and frustrated all the time as a result the levels of cortisol rises which makes us store fat, impairs our sleep, and causes hyperinsulinemia.
2. Thyroid
Thyroid hormone (T3, T4, calcitonin) majorly regulates metabolism along with other functions in the body. When the thyroid hormone is secreted in fewer quantities (hypothyroidism) it can cause weight gain, fluid retention, constipation, fatigue, depression, and many other issues.
3. Leptin
In a normal healthy body, Leptin signals the brain to stop eating when it is full. But when a person continuously overeats sugary, junk, and processed food the excess of fats gets deposited all over the body. These fat cells produce a large amount of Leptin which in turn bombards the brain with an excess of signals and finally, the brain becomes insensitive to it. As a result, the Leptin levels keep rising, but your brain doesn’t get the signal and you don’t feel full, causing high levels of weight gain.
4. Insulin
Insulin helps cells to take in glucose to be used for energy. Excessive consumption of unhealthy foods leads to insulin resistance, which means your cell can’t take up glucose from the bloodstream and that glucose gets converted into fat by the liver. This finally leads to weight gain and type-2 diabetes.
5. Estrogen
High levels of estrogen can make you insulin resistant thus causing weight gain. On the other hand, low levels result in stubborn fat gain around the abdominal region which is evident during peri-menopause and menopause.
6. Ghrelin
It is often called the “hunger hormone” because it increases food intake. High levels of ghrelin in the blood lead to weight gain.
Hormones and weight gain are closely related to each other, many factors such as nutrient deficiency, chronic stress, depression, excess of toxins in the body, etc can contribute to hormonal imbalance which can lead to weight loss resistance.
It is essential to create natural hormone balance in the body. It can be done through various lifestyle changes and supplements. However, it is always recommended to test the levels of hormones and take the advice from your physician before taking any medications.
