Weight loss is conditioned not only by a healthy diet and exercise but by the influence of body hormones as well. If you regularly workout and maintain a healthy diet but still lack the weight loss results, you might consider the impact of the hormones. Hormonal changes can affect weight fluctuations. In further text, abortion clinic Fort Lauderdale experts will review the link between hormones and body functions, to reveal how they condition the body weight. The common hormones that have the most influence on weight gain:
Estrogen
Estrogen is a female hormone associated with the reproductive system that regulates many cycles in a woman’s body. Fluctuations of estrogen are expected throughout the lifetime, its levels highly rise in puberty and decline in menopause. At young ages, estrogen is responsible for triggering puberty and gaining fat on the hips and tights while affecting the body shape.
Lack of estrogen can cause increased fat storage and difficulties in losing weight. The drop of estrogen during menopause accumulates visceral fat, the fat lodged in deep abdominal layers.
Testosterone
Testosterone is the hormone accrued in both males and females. This hormone stimulates muscle formation while inhibiting body fat. People with a lower level of testosterone have less muscle mass and more body fat. Testosterone levels in men naturally drop by 5%-10% per decade, starting from the mid-20s. This explains the spontaneous gain in visceral fat in men. Men suffering with symptoms of low test can look into Testosterone replacement therapy at an ED clinic, which can help in raising testosterone levels back to normal levels for your age. Sex hormone-binding globulin protein (SHBG) carries testosterone through body tissues. SHBG reduction can be influenced by insulin resistance provoking the body to surge weight.
Leptin
Leptin is the hormone responsible for the feeling of fullness. Leptin functions as an alert in the body. When body fat increases, leptin levels perform with reduced appetite and boosted metabolism. Risen level of leptin signals the brain to discharge fat. On the opposite, when the body losses fat, leptin sends signals to the brain of emerged starving, promoting appetite and slowing down the metabolism.
People with obesity have reduced sensitivity to leptin, a consequence of difficulty to lose or maintain weight, while leptin deficiency is extremely rare.
Ghrelin
Ghrelin is a “hunger hormone” that regulates your feeling of hunger. As secreted by the stomach, his function is to send a signal to the brain area hypothalamus responsible for hunger, to encourage appetite and craving food intake.
Insulin
Insulin is the hormone secreted by the pancreas. It regulates energy balance and blood sugar after eating, by carrying excess sugar into muscle and fat cells. At an increased level, this hormone also indicates the brain to reduce food intake. The disbalance of insulin affects the body in two ways: insulin sufficiency can lead to gaining weight, and deficit causes serious health problems.
Cortisol
Cortisol is also known as the “stress hormone” because it’s triggered by stress. It is responsible for the body’s stress response. The level of cortisol rises with chronicled stress which results in increased appetite and distribution of fat in the abdominal area, and consequently the addition of visceral fat. That is why this cortisol is commonly linked to a bigger waistline.
As hormones control metabolism, hunger, and fat distribution their role in losing weight should not be neglected. Checking hormonal levels can help lose weight, besides your weight loss program, as their disbalance might be the key to more or less storage of fat in your body. Keep your hormones balanced with physical activity, a healthy diet, enough sleep, and avoiding stress.
