What Does Hormonal Weight Gain Look Like?

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While poor diet and lack of exercise are commonly blamed for weight gain, hormonal imbalances can also be a culprit.

To tackle hormonal weight gain, it's important for you to understand how to balance your hormone production and release. It is crucial to address and treat the underlying causes of hormonal imbalances.

Hormones play a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions, and proper function often involves interactions between the hypothalamus and your pituitary gland. Your endocrine system is made up of hormones and glands that create and release them into your bloodstream.

These hormones are critical for regulating all the biological processes in your body, from conception to old age. There are organs like the stomach, intestines, and heart that produce hormones, but their main function is not hormone secretion. Your ovaries or testes also play multiple roles, including hormone production and the production of eggs or sperm.

Measure Hormone to Catch Imbalances

A hormone test can measures factors related to weight loss and control. It can help identify imbalances in thyroid, reproductive, and stress hormones, thus impacting weight control. Discussed below are common culprits, such as:

Testosterone: Testosterone is a sex hormone that affects various aspects of healthy living. Having a better understanding of its role can significantly improve a man or woman’s well-being and quality of life through achieving hormonal balance.

Progesterone: Testosterone is often referred to as the male hormone, and progesterone is often referred to as the female hormone. Nonetheless, each play important roles in both men and women.

Estrogen: It's important to find that sweet spot when it comes to estrogen hormone balance. Too much estrogen increases a woman’s risk of certain cancers and is associated with common symptoms like weight gain and a reduced sex drive.

Insulin: Insulin regulates the absorption of sugar (glucose) into target cells in your body. Weight gain is a common concern for individuals taking insulin. The good news is that it is possible to manage your weight while using insulin. Excessive insulin and cortisol can lead to weight gain over time.

Cortisol: Chronic stress, which causes continuous cortisol production and release, has been associated with obesity, cardiovascular disease, anxiety, depression, and other health issues. Regulating stress and taking breaks when needed can help combat high cortisol levels.

Thyroid Hormone: If lab results suggest you are suffering with low levels of thyroid hormone, you may need medication to help restore hormonal balance. However, it's important to note that thyroid medication alone will not cause instant weight loss.

Your choice of nutrients plays a role in hormone regulation and healthy weight control. Ensuring an adequate intake of fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and antioxidants will support hormone production and release. In addition, limiting processed foods, added sugars, and unhealthy fats is smart choice for restoring hormone balance.

Exercise can increase leptin levels (the hormone that boost satiety) by boosting sympathetic nerve activity and improving insulin sensitivity and releases more leptin when exposed to catecholamines that are also released during physical activity. It can be empowering to know that you have control over your body and mind by eliminating excessive sugar intake. Visit MRC online for more about our easy-to-use Hormone Test Kit.