HORMONES AND WEIGHT GAIN (OR WEIGHT LOSS)—IS THERE A CONNECTION?

Hormones are kind of like the USPS of the body in that they deliver messages from one part of the body to another. For example, the hormone ghrelin is released from the stomach which sends a message to the brain that you are hungry and should eat something.¹ Hormones regulate things like metabolism, growth, development, reproduction, appetite, blood glucose control, and more.¹ We are frequently asked if hormones can lead to problems with weight management. Well, the simple answer is, yes.

Related Reading: How Your Metabolism Works: Hormones, Food and Temperature

APPETITE AND SATIETY REGULATING HORMONES

Leptin and ghrelin^2, 3 are just two of the many hormones that regulate our hunger and satiety. Satiety is the feeling of fullness that occurs after eating, eventually cuing you to stop eating.⁴ Here are a few key points to know about appetite regulating hormones:

Leptin

Made by fat cells, leptin communicates with the brain to control energy expenditure and appetite. Under “normal” conditions, higher levels of leptin signal you to eat less, but some obese people seem to be leptin resistant. This means that the leptin does not effectively communicate to the brain to reduce food intake.⁵

Ghrelin

Made by the stomach during fasting, starvation and before meals; ghrelin is known as the hunger hormone. It is suppressed, in order of magnitude, by carbohydrates, proteins and fats.³

SEX HORMONES (ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE)

Though we tend to think of estrogen as a female hormone and testosterone as a male hormone, both hormones circulate through the bodies of men and women alike—just at differing levels. These hormones are obviously responsible for sexual function, but also play a role in body composition.³

Estrogen

A lot of the knowledge about the impact of estrogen on weight and body composition comes from understanding the changes that occur after menopause. After menopause, a woman’s fat deposition pattern changes from gynecoid, where the fat is situated around the hips, thighs and buttocks to android, where fat clusters more in the abdominal area. There is also an increasing prevalence of obesity in post-menopausal women. Though researchers don’t fully understand why this happens, they think it may be because estrogen influences energy metabolism pathways, and with less estrogen in the system, metabolic rates slow or change.⁶

Testosterone

There is an inverse relationship between testosterone and fat mass, meaning that those with lower testosterone have higher fat mass. Low testosterone is also linked to decreased muscle mass. Testosterone production declines from age 30 onward, so men may notice changes in their body composition as they age.⁸ Maintaining muscle mass is a critical factor in weight loss and maintenance, so all around, low testosterone can influence weight loss efforts. Incorporating a testosterone supplement may help.

METABOLIC HORMONES

Metabolism sums up the reactions that happen in the body, within each and every cell, that provide the body with energy. There are many hormones that regulate metabolism like insulin, glucagon, epinephrine (the flight or fight hormone), and thyroxine (also known as thyroid hormone).⁹

Insulin

Research indicates high levels of insulin in the blood correlate with obesity. Some researchers think that high insulin is one of the first steps in developing metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of symptoms including high blood sugar, elevated blood pressure, excess fat in the abdominal area, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Intervening in strategies to maintain insulin levels in a healthy range could be beneficial to health and wellness.¹⁰

THYROID HORMONES

Your thyroid gland may be small, but it plays a massive role in your metabolism. These hormones regulate metabolism and growth. Hypothyroidism, when your body does not make enough thyroid hormones, slows down metabolism and can eventually lead to weight gain. Hyperthyroidism, when your body makes too much thyroid hormones, speeds up metabolism and can lead to weight loss.¹¹

Cortisol is a hormone that tends to be higher in people stressed over long periods of time. There is research showing that long term stress is related to obesity and metabolic dysfunction.^13, 14, 15 One theory to explain this is that increased cortisol levels have been linked to increased consumption of “highly palatable foods.”¹⁶ Which brings us to our next theory, increased levels of cortisol may also contribute to additional fat in the abdominal area. This is a double whammy effect, increasing your risk for metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and more.¹²

HOW TO SUPPORT HEALTHY HORMONES FOR WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Frequent, Moderate Intensity Exercise

Exercise for weight loss follows the Goldilocks principle. Too much and too hard can result in undesirable increases in appetite hormones and cortisol. Too little doesn’t allow for meaningful increases in calorie burning.

Sleep

If it seems like we are constantly reminding you to get enough sleep, it is because sleep is of the utmost importance to so many health outcomes, and hormone balance is one of them.

In a small study of young women who slept for 4 hours or 7 hours, the women who slept for 4 hours had significantly higher cortisol and insulin levels compared to those who slept for 7 hours.¹³ Research also suggests that people with short sleep duration have higher circulating levels of ghrelin (remember, the hunger hormone?).¹⁴

If the sandman is not making regular trips to your bedroom, try a melatonin supplement sleep aid to get your address added to his route.

Stress Management

Stress is an inevitable part of life but using coping techniques to help you navigate daily stressors can make a huge difference. Regular meditation or yoga practices are wonderful ways to manage stress as are regular visits with a great therapist.

Adaptogenic herbs like ashwaghanda and rhodiola can also help your body to cope with the daily stresses of life. Theanine, an extract from green tea, can help to promote relaxation.

Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals

This technique can possibly trick your body into releasing less of the hunger hormone, ghrelin, by influencing the amounts of insulin and cortisol in your system.¹⁵ The ultimate effect of less ghrelin is less calorie consumption during meals. Smaller meals are a must with this technique.

Additionally, trying to limit intake of refined carbohydrates and added sugars may help you to maintain your insulin levels.