Hormones Can Have a Big Impact

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If you are you struggling with unexplained weight gain, it might be due to hormonal imbalances. Hormones like leptin, insulin, estrogens, androgens, and growth hormone play a big role in your appetite, metabolism, and body fat distribution.

Hormones play a vital role in our bodies, and even small changes in hormone levels can have a big impact on your health. Understanding how hormones work is essential. Hormones have the power to shape your body and mind but communication is key. Endocrine glands release hormones into your bloodstream.

Most hormones in the body are proteins, except for the sex hormones and those from the adrenal cortex, which are steroids. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland, known as neuroendocrine glands, serve as a connection between the nervous and endocrine systems. Hormones often tell other glands when to release hormones.

Hormonal Imbalances Have Symptoms

When hormones are well-balanced, individuals both look and feel their best. Conversely, imbalanced hormones can lead to a range of distressing symptoms. Simple hormone test kits can determine if hormonal weight gain is the cause of your struggles. Listed below are common culprits, including:

Estrogen: A woman's body and a man's body produce both testosterone and estrogen hormone. The difference is that women release more estrogen into the bloodstream and men normally have higher levels of testosterone.

Testosterone: Issues with testosterone imbalance can have significant effects on a person's health and well-being. Conversely, maintaining optimal balance can improve aspects of healthy living. In addition to reducing belly fat and increasing muscle mass, it can enhance libido and improve energy levels.

Progesterone: The female body is both amazing and hormonally complex. Progesterone balance plays an important role in the female reproductive system and affects a woman’s weight, energy levels and overall well-being.

Insulin: High blood sugar levels can harm healthy cells, which means it is crucial for your body to produce and release insulin to control glucose levels. When released from the pancreas, insulin helps decrease blood glucose concentration as long as your body doesn’t suffer from insulin resistance.

Cortisol: In addition to its role in the stress response, cortisol also plays a role in regulating your metabolism, blood pressure, and inflammation. It even helps with memory formation. So, you can see just how important hormone balance is for your overall wellness.

Thyroid Hormone: If you are struggling with weight gain and constantly feel fatigued, your thyroid gland may not be producing enough hormone. This small but mighty gland located in your neck produces crucial thyroxin that regulate your metabolism and can wreak havoc on your weight control and overall well-being.

Once you get the results from your MRC Hormone test kit, you will know if your body is producing too much or too little of a certain hormone. If you’ve been experiencing vague symptoms that are hard to pinpoint, you may simply feel out-of-whack without knowing why.

Aim for about 25 grams of fiber per day. Additionally, making healthier food choices, staying physically active, getting enough sleep, managing stress effectively, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption are all ways to prevent and reduce hormonal weight gain. If you're gaining weight without any clear explanation or changes, it's worth testing your hormone levels at MRC.