Hormone Imbalance and Weight Gain 

If you are struggling with excess weight that simply won’t budge, it may be time to focus on the following four hormones. Consider scheduling an initial appointment at Synergy Health and Wellness about testing to see if a hormonal imbalance may be at the root of your weight gain.

 

Your hormonal response to stress may have more to do with why you succumb to stress-related eating than a lack of willpower. 

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Your hormones directly influence everything from your mood to your blood pressure to the amount of calcium in your bones. Some hormones can also have a profound effect on your weight by regulating your metabolism, appetite, and insulin levels. But when your hormones are out of balance, it leads to unwanted weight gain. 

 

Hormonal weight gain doesn’t just change the way you look, it may also contribute to a variety of health problems such as cardiovascular disease, dementia, and several types of cancer.

 

 

One reason is that body fat, especially visceral fat, is metabolically active and can create hormones and chemical messengers that cause inflammation and other ill effects. For example, older overweight women can produce excess estrogen in their fatty (adipose) tissue. And this can increase their risk of developing breast cancer.

 

Cortisol
Often called the “stress hormone,” cortisol is a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands and released during the fight or flight reaction. But cortisol doesn’t just help you survive real or perceived dangers. It also plays a key role in controlling blood sugar levels and regulating your metabolism. If you suffer from chronic stress—as many of us do—it can cause a steady stream of cortisol to flood the body, as well as a heightened response to the hormone. This can make us more vulnerable to coping mechanisms like stress-eating which can lead to weight gain. 

 

Estrogen
Menopausal women everywhere know that when estrogen levels drop, weight rises. Estrogen is the most important female sex hormone and is responsible for promoting fat storage during a woman’s reproductive years to maintain fertility and support a healthy pregnancy.  During menopause, however, the ovaries produce decreasing amounts of estrogen. As a result, fat storage shifts from subcutaneous fat in the hips and thighs to stubborn visceral fat in the abdomen. 

Insulin
Insulin is an essential hormone produced in the pancreas that moves sugar, or glucose, into your cells. Your cells can then use this sugar for energy. Insulin is also the main fat storage hormone in the body. It tells your cells to store fat and then prevents this stored fat from being broken down.  A diet high in ultra-processed foods can cause chronically elevated insulin levels or frequent spikes in insulin. This can result in insulin resistance and weight gain, especially around the belly area. Worse still, the more weight you gain, the more insulin resistant you become. 

Thyroid hormones
Your thyroid is a small butterfly-shaped gland that sits at the base of your throat. Its excretes two primary hormones: triiodothyronine, known as T3, and thyroxine, known as T4. Under normal circumstances, T3 is converted to the more active T4 as needed to regulate your metabolic rate and turn calories and oxygen into energy. Low levels of these hormones—a condition called hypothyroidism—or glitches in this conversion process, have been shown to cause weight gain, along with a slew of other symptoms. 

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Losing weight is tough. When key hormones are out of whack, it can be even harder. Combining hormone-balancing supplements with weight-specific lifestyle hacks might give you the edge you need to overcome underlying hormonal problems that can stall weight loss.

 

At Synergy Health and Wellness we can help manage hormone levels by conducting specific lab testing, adjusting hormone levels with bio identical hormones helping you to lose the weight sustainably.