How Hormones Cause Weight Gain in Atlanta GA

We can all agree that a wholesome diet and regular trips to the gym should lead to a healthy weight. But, for some people, no matter how much time they spend at the gym or how much food they turn down, the scale remains the same. Losing weight can be a difficult task. Finding the right weight loss program can be even more difficult especially when hormones and weight gain are in the picture.

Weight gain isn’t just an issue associated with the food you eat or how much you exercise– it can also be affected by your hormones. Hormone balance plays a role in almost all aspects of health, including sexual function, growth and development, mood, appetite, and metabolism.

As a result, hormonal imbalance, which occurs when your body produces too little or too much hormone, can significantly influence your health, including your weight. If you live with hormonal imbalance, your body tends to work against you. And in most cases, the result is weight gain.

To lose weight, you must grasp the deep inner workings of your hormones. Shall we dive into the sizzling relationship between hormones and weight gain?

What is the Link Between Hormones and Weight Gain?

According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, hormones are chemicals produced in the body that regulate the function of cells and organs. They are potent molecules, especially in a woman’s body. A woman going through menopause may have a hormonal imbalance, such as the cessation of her monthly cycle due to the body’s inability to ovulate and produce hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

Everything from energy levels to reproduction,  growth, and development is affected by hormone balance. When your hormones are out of whack, you might experience a variety of adverse health repercussions, from acne to weight gain.

The hormones leptin and insulin, growth, and sex (estrogen and progesterone) influence your appetite, metabolism, and body fat distribution. People with weight gain issues have levels of these hormones that encourage abnormal metabolism and the accumulation of body fat.

The endocrine system secretes hormones into our bloodstream through a network of glands. The endocrine system collaborates with the neurological and immune systems. So, hormonal changes, and hormone excesses or deficits, can cause weight gain. Now, let’s explore various hormones and how they affect your weight gain. 

Insulin Hormone Causes  Weight Gain in Atlanta GA

When it comes to increasing a few pounds of weight, insulin is one of the most significant hormones. The pancreas produces insulin and is responsible for storing or using blood sugar, depending on your body’s demands.

Another essential function of the insulin hormone is fat storage. Insulin manages how much fat is stored and how much your body converts into energy. High-chronic levels of insulin can lead to a condition called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance links to an uptick in blood sugar and elevated insulin levels.

Insulin resistance causes weight gain. When the body becomes insulin-resistant, it compensates by manufacturing more insulin. The insulin causes weight gain when the cells absorb too much glucose, and the body converts this into fat. The impact of insulin on hepatic glucose production or glucose transport requires six or two times higher hormone levels, respectively.

Avoiding insulin resistance is critical since it leads to weight gain and, eventually, type 2 diabetes. Obesity and metabolic syndrome are typical outcomes when insulin levels remain high for a lengthy period.

According to recent studies, you can combat insulin resistance by treatment methods limiting the body’s insulin amount. Low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets and supplements can help you lose weight and reduce insulin resistance.   

Estrogen Hormone Causes  Weight Gain in Atlanta GA

      The majority of women are aware that estrogen causes weight gain. Estrogen is crucial for the optimal functioning of all female reproductive organs. It stimulates fat storage to maintain a healthy reproductive cycle.

One reason for the gender difference in weight gain may be that fluctuations in reproductive hormone concentrations throughout women’s lives uniquely predispose them to excess weight gain. Studies show that hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle affect calorie and macronutrient intake and alter 24-hour energy expenditure. 

During pregnancy, most women have a high amount of estrogen, and that’s why they gain weight. Too much estrogen causes weight gain. Then there’s perimenopause and menopause, marked by a significant drop in estrogen and progesterone levels.

Types of Estrogen Hormone

Three are three types of estrogen made by the body, estradiol, estriol, and estrone.

Estradiol hormone aids in the regulation of metabolism and body weight, while estrogen plays a role in glucose and lipid metabolism. The Estradiol hormone decreases at menopause and can contribute to weight gain. As your estrogen levels decline, so does your metabolic rate. Low estrogen levels can lead to insulin resistance, leading to fat storage; as your estrogen levels drop, your belly fat increases. 

Estriol is the weakest form of estrogen in the body. Like estrone, estriol levels naturally increase during pregnancy leading to weight gain.

When women go through menopause, they can continue to make estrogen from fat tissues but can’t make progesterone because the ovaries can only make progesterone during ovulation. In the absence of ovulation, progesterone deficiency leads to an excess of estrogen, known as estrogen dominance, which causes weight gain in the hips and thighs and slows metabolism, making weight loss more difficult than before. Estrogen plays a role in weight gain but not as much as a progesterone deficiency.

You can balance estrogen levels naturally and prevent weight gain by eating organic foods, fibrous foods, and veggies in the cruciferous family. You can also use supplements like LaiDex to aid in estrogen hormone balance. Too much or too little estrogen can lead to weight gain.

Progesterone Hormone and Weight Gain in Atlanta GA

The corpus luteum in the ovary produces progesterone hormone. It is necessary for the menstrual cycle and the early stages of pregnancy. While progesterone does not cause weight gain, it interacts with estrogen in fundamental ways that might affect your weight and induce weight gain.

Estrogen reduces food intake during the first part of your cycle, so your hunger levels may be lower than usual. Progesterone levels rise after ovulation, improving your metabolism and increasing your appetite. While progesterone does not cause weight gain directly, it stimulates your appetite, making you feel like you’re eating more and gaining weight.

However, hormone imbalances, such as low progesterone, can contribute to weight gain, as estrogen and progesterone imbalances are among the most common causes of obesity. Low progesterone indicates a sign of estrogen dominance- Because estrogen and progesterone must always stay balanced.

So, progesterone can appear low when estrogen levels are excessively high to progesterone levels. You may be at a higher risk of weight gain if estrogen dominance is the reason for your low progesterone.

Testosterone Effect on Weight

As men and women age, their testosterone levels drop as well. Like estrogen, a decrease in testosterone can lead to belly fat and loss of muscle. Loss of muscle mass decreases the body’s ability to burn fat and calories.

Ghrelin Hormone Causes Weight Gain in Atlanta

Hormones assist your body in maintaining energy levels by regulating your appetite. Some hormones like ghrelin stimulate hunger, while others signal that you’ve had enough to eat, inhibiting food intake.

Ghrelin also called the “hunger hormone,” activates the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that controls appetite and signals your brain that it’s time to eat.

The primary function of ghrelin is to enhance appetite. It causes you to crave more meals, consume more calories, and store fat. The higher your ghrelin levels, the hungrier you become. When your stomach is empty, ghrelin levels typically rise before a meal. When your stomach is complete, it gradually decreases.

A study conducted in 2020 on people with type 2 diabetes discovered that a spike in ghrelin levels was strongly involved in boosting appetite, making weight loss more difficult.

According to other studies, people with weight gain issues have an overactive ghrelin receptor (GHS-R), leading to higher meal cravings. You can lower ghrelin and reduce hunger with meal replacement cravings. You can also consume high protein diets to increase fullness and reduce appetite.

How Other Hormones Relate to Weight Gain

Other hormones like thyroid and cortisol hormones might cause hormonal weight gain.

Thyroid hormone causes weight gain – A gland on your neck is responsible for producing, storing, and secreting thyroid hormone, a vital hormone for the function of practically all parts of your body. Thyroid hormones have a crucial role in weight management.

Reduced thyroid hormone production might be temporary, but the condition is known as hypothyroidism when it is permanent. Hypothyroidism can cause slowed metabolism, weight gain (because your body stops using calories efficiently), and a higher body-mass index (BMI).

Typically, the more severe the hypothyroidism, the greater the weight gain, but some studies show that even mild hypothyroidism can lead to weight changes and may be a risk factor for weight gain. Some people with the synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine, but not everyone loses weight with treatment.

Cortisol hormone causes weight gain– Cortisol is a hormone that your body produces naturally. Produced by the adrenal glands on your kidneys, it is released when you’re under stress. It makes your body go into fight-or-flight mode, halting normal biological operations and reducing your metabolism. While this hormone is necessary for survival tactics, too much of it is harmful.

Cortisol boosts your energy levels by stimulating your fat and glucose metabolism. This technique, while necessary in emergency cases, also increases your hunger. High cortisol levels might trigger sweet, fatty, and salty food cravings. It means you’re more likely to eat snacks than a healthy meal causing weight gain.

Even though lowering your stress levels seems unattainable on some days, you can still manage the impacts of high cortisol levels by practicing relaxation through mindfulness. You can also replace meal craving with a diet high in proteins that help you stay full.

Hormone balance and weight gain have a strong bond in a significant way. A chain of events happens when hormone levels rise or fall. Your hormones decline or rise, the metabolism slows, and your weight increases.

How Do You Lose Hormonal Weight Gain?

Taylor Medical Wellness, Weight Loss and Aesthetic Group located in Atlanta, Georgia can help restore hormone balance.

Our medical doctors can do a hormone evaluation and identify hormone problems that may be affecting your weight loss. They prescribe bioidentical hormone replacement instead of synthetic hormones which can have side effects. Bioidentical hormones look and behave like the hormones that your body makes naturally. Bio identical is the way to go when balancing hormones to promote weight loss and burn fat cells.  Restoring hormone balance via bioidentical hormone therapy fixes your metabolism so that you can burn calories and fat. Call our Atlanta-based medical clinic at 678-443-4000 today for a weight loss consultation. We offer many medical weight loss programs that can be customized to meet your individual needs.

As you can see, addressing the hormonal changes that come with weight gain can sometimes mean walking a tightrope between finding relief and staying healthy over the long haul. Supplements are a viable option for many people. However, hormone testing is important to assess your ability to lose weight.

You can work with our Atlanta physicians to develop a treatment plan that works best for you. Bioidentical hormone replacement may be the key to balancing hormones to help you lose weight and permanent weight loss.

Conclusion

We provide hormone replacement therapy to correct hormone imbalances that can occur at any age. Both men and women are affected by hormone imbalance. Hormone replacement therapy can be offered as a cream, capsule, troche, or pellet for your convenience. Give us a call today and let us help you with your weight loss.