Hormone Imbalance Can Cause Hair Loss

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Hormones are key to your body’s control center and become the messengers for increased or decreased production and release. From regulating your bodily functions to influencing your emotions, hormones are the key to how you feel and function. Researchers know that hormones influence your mental, emotional, and physical well-being.

Hormonal imbalances can lead to serious or chronic medical conditions like cardiovascular disease or a sudden loss of desire for things you once loved to do. Luckily, there are simple activities like exercise and enjoying your favorite music that can help boost the production and release of feel-good hormones.

For many imbalances, hormones can be managed through adopting healthy lifestyle habits. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland are special glands that serve as a bridge between the nervous and endocrine systems releasing chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream and act on specific target cells or tissues.

Experiencing Weight Gain for No Reason?

Hormonal imbalances in thyroid, reproductive, and stress hormones that may impact weight maintenance are discussed below. All can influence appetite, metabolism, and body fat distribution, including:

Estrogen: When estrogen levels are balanced, fat helps with reproductive functions. During perimenopause and beyond, women become more estrogen-dominant, leading to insulin resistance and fat accumulation around the butt, thighs and belly.

Progesterone: Since leptin hormone helps regulate appetite and makes it easier to eat in moderation. Progesterone balance supports weight loss and reduces fat storage and a woman’s risk of obesity.

Testosterone: Proper nutrition and exercise, in combination with testosterone balance, play a vital role in men's health and can impact the risk of developing chronic medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.

Insulin: Prediabetes and insulin resistance often precede Type 2 diabetes, characterized by higher than normal blood glucose levels due to reduced sensitivity to insulin. Weight gain is a common concern for those taking insulin.

Cortisol: Did you know that your body has its own natural stress response system? It's called cortisol, and it's responsible for keeping you alert. But, while helpful in short bursts, prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol can cause a lot of problems.

Thyroid Hormone: Imbalances in thyroid hormones can lead to serious health conditions like Grave's disease or Hashimoto's disease, which affect weight management and natural energy levels. An underactive thyroid can slow down metabolism, leading to weight gain.

Sugar is closely linked to estrogen, a hormone that has many important functions in the body. Too much intake can lead to increased estrogen levels, which is not beneficial. It also leads to changes in adipocytes, which are the fat-storing cells. Adipocytes release more leptin when exposed to catecholamines, that are increased by physical activity.

If you're experiencing weight gain without any apparent reason, it's important to test for hormone imbalances. Increasing your fiber intake can help regulate the hormone ghrelin, which promotes a feeling of fullness between meals. Including plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your diet is a great way to ensure you're getting enough fiber.