After trying diet after diet with little to no weight loss results, sometimes it’s time to look at science and see if hormones are to blame. It has been documented that there are conditions where a hormonal imbalance may have a negative impact on the metabolism, which could be the cause of weight gain despite a healthy diet and exercise.
Hormones are powerful chemical messengers that cause the body to make certain changes, which can affect your body weight. Our hormones change from day to day and often affect our mood, metabolism, and energy levels. Any change in the balance of hormones means that there is an underlying cause, most of the time the cause is from a lifestyle change.
The balance of hormones in your body adapts to the level of your daily activity, so a decrease in activity could mean a decrease in hormones. A good example of this would be if a male became less active, there would be a gradual decline in testosterone. Testosterone is known to boost the metabolism and lower fat levels, so a decline in this hormone could be the cause of weight gain in males.
There are several hormones that can actively affect your weight.
- Endorphins
The release of endorphins can decrease your appetite, create a feeling of euphoria after exercising, and reduce anxiety. Endorphins greatly increase during physical exercise and eventually will stay in your blood for longer periods of time.
- Testosterone
Testosterone is important in both sexes. It helps maintain muscles mass, increases your metabolism, and decreases body fat. Men have more testosterone than women and it decreases with age for both sexes.
- Estrogen
Estrogen increases fat breakdown, elevates your moods, and increases your metabolism. Women have more estrogen than men.
- Growth Hormone
The growth hormone increases the strength in your bones, ligaments, tendons, and cartilage. It helps to reduce body fat and regulate blood sugar. Its release is increased the more you exercise.
Hormones can make a big difference in weight loss. Hormones usually work with your body and the more you exercise, the more you benefit from hormones. The more active you are, the more hormones you will release, which will help with weight loss. However, if you suspect there might be a problem with your hormones after trying to lead an active and healthy lifestyle make sure to talk with your doctor.
Losing weight can be challenging, make sure you give yourself and your body time to adjust to your new lifestyle. More hormones are released when you are active. They help to break down fat, build muscle mass, strengthen bones, increase your metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and elevate your mood. If you increase your activity levels, your body will work with you to help lose weight.