What hormones prevent us from losing weight?
Sometimes it happens that all our efforts and efforts in losing weight end in nothing.
At some point, the fight against extra pounds becomes impossible, because... The cherished 4 kg remains to the desired goal, but the weight treacherously “rises” at a certain moment and it is completely unclear what to do with it when so much effort has been made. And it seems like you give up at such a moment and you don’t want to do anything else. Or maybe it’s just at this moment that we should think about the fact that our body has “sounded the alarm” and say thank you to the body and start to figure out what’s wrong! We all know how important hormones are for losing weight, because very often they are the culprits of excess weight. But, unfortunately, it is easier for us to close our eyes to some things than to find out the essence of the problem.
Let's find out!
Have you ever thought about how much hormones affect excess weight!? An excess of some hormones or a deficiency of certain other hormones blocks all weight loss efforts. By making a few minor changes to your lifestyle, your hormones will work for you rather than against you.
And now it’s time to find out which hormones prevent us from losing weight.
Hormones that prevent you from losing weight
07.04.2020
Our body weight, or how we manage to lose, maintain, or gain weight, depends on a number of factors. The most important are energy balance, the role of macronutrients, food distribution throughout the day, genetics , as well as the hormonal system of our body. Which hormones affect body weight the most?
When it comes to weight and its changes, sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen) and thyroid hormones . Male sex hormones are responsible for the growth of muscle mass, while female sex hormones are involved in the typical distribution of fat in a woman's body. An underactive thyroid gland can cause a lot of weight gain and other problems, while an overactive thyroid gland can cause weight loss. If thyroid hormones are replaced with medications, there is no reason for further weight gain or drastic weight loss.
Insulin
The well-known hormone is produced by the pancreas, and its main function is to reduce blood . Its leaching into the bloodstream is directly dependent on the actual value of blood , i.e. blood . The more carbohydrates we eat, the more insulin is washed into the blood . Another function of insulin is to transport nutrients to muscle and fat cells (increasing lipid synthesis and therefore the production of fat deposits). You don't have to avoid carbohydrates, even simple ones. On the other hand, don't overdo it with sugar so you don't end up with insulin resistance (tissue insensitivity to insulin).
Glucagon
A friend of insulin and its antagonist at the same time. It makes sure your blood doesn't drop too much. If there is little sugar in the blood , glucagon will begin what is called liver , which causes glucose to be released into the blood or begins to participate in gluconeogenesis, that is, the production of glucose from non-sugar sources.
Leptin
This hormone is produced by adipose tissue cells and is designed to adapt the body to prolonged fasting. Leptin regulates energy intake and increases energy expenditure. Its level is directly proportional to the amount of fat in the body. If leptin works as it should, then when adipose tissue is gained, it increases and thereby gives instructions to limit food intake and vice versa. However, if we don't listen to our body's signals and combine overeating with crash diets, leptin resistance develops and weight control becomes very difficult.
Ghrelin
The mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines (even the brain ) produces this hormone as a leptin antagonist. Ghrelin is responsible for the feeling of hunger. It's no coincidence that during times of stress, ghrelin levels increase, which is why we tend to overeat. Another factor that increases ghrelin levels is lack of sleep, which implies that if we want to lose weight properly and consistently, we need to sleep well. The longer diet , the higher the ghrelin levels, and we have a constant feeling of hunger even after we switch to a normal, energy-dense diet .
Published in Endocrinology Premium Clinic
High cortisol levels
Cortisol is a stress hormone that is designed to regulate your response to difficult situations. If you put yourself under too much stress (not getting enough sleep, a stressful job, problems in your personal life, junk food, too much caffeine), you can end up greatly increasing your cortisol levels.
When you're stressed, you're more likely to eat fatty and sugary foods to relieve your stress—a recipe for weight gain. Poor sleep will only increase your risk of obesity.
Do hormones affect weight loss?
Often, in our fruitless attempts to get rid of extra pounds, we begin to look for reasons in anything but ourselves. Sound familiar? “Bone is wide” and “hormones are acting up” are the most common excuses for those who are always losing weight. But is this really so? Can hormonal imbalance really seriously affect body weight? We looked for answers to these questions together with the head of the Department of Endocrinology of the Belarusian State Medical University, Tatyana Mokhort.
Everyone knows a simple truth in the fight against excess weight: to lose weight, you need to eat less and move more. Endocrinologists around the world (and they are echoed by nutritionists and fitness trainers) are sure: the main cause of obesity is this very energy imbalance, when a super-calorie diet exceeds the body’s energy needs. Of course, hormonal disorders and excess weight are also always related. But the big question here is what is primary and what is secondary.
- Hormones really affect our weight,
— Tatyana Mokhort confirms.
— Hormonal imbalances begin due to overeating, and because of them it is difficult to control appetite.
It turns out to be a vicious circle. Of course, there are some disruptions in the body that disrupt hormonal levels. But these facts are very rare. The reason for extra pounds in 97% of our patients is not hormones, but poor nutrition, overeating and physical inactivity. Insulin
When they start looking for a connection between hormones and excess weight, insulin, a hormone produced by beta cells, is always blamed for everything.
What hormones should I take to find out the cause of excess weight?
If you suspect that your weight gain is due to changes in hormone levels, consult a qualified healthcare professional. An endocrinologist treats hormonal diseases.
A sharp increase in weight is an alarming symptom that requires qualified help.
An endocrinologist may order laboratory tests to determine the levels of the following hormones:
- Adiponectin.
- Adrenaline.
- Glucagon.
- Ghrelina.
- Insulin.
- Cortisol.
- Leptin.
- Melatonin.
- Progesterone.
- Prolactin.
- Somatotropin.
- Testosterone.
- Thyroid-stimulating hormone.
- Chorionic gonadotropin.
- Endorphin.
- Estradiol, etc.
Each of these substances can directly or indirectly affect weight gain, as well as kilograms lost. For example, in men, excess weight can be caused by an excess of female sex hormones, in women - by sex hormones and thyroid hormones. In children and adolescents, the most common cause of obesity is increased levels of insulin, cortisol and adrenaline.
Cortisol
Referred to as a stress hormone. A person’s reaction to any stressful situation depends on its quantity. The production of this biologically active substance is delayed for a number of reasons.
This may be caused by:
- psychological trauma;
- nervous and physical fatigue;
- lack of sleep;
- unbalanced diet.
Any of the above factors is stress. The body perceives poor nutrition or chronic lack of sleep in the same way as stress in the traditional sense, for example, a conflict situation at work or at home. Many people try to eat away stress by eating sweets and fatty foods. The result is not long in coming - in this case, extra pounds are guaranteed.
Measures to reduce cortisol levels:
- night sleep about eight hours;
- inclusion in the daily diet of foods with large amounts of tryptophan and melatonin;
- avoiding prolonged use of social media, especially before bed.
In addition, if you have trouble falling asleep, you should avoid foods and drinks that contain large amounts of caffeine. Eat high-quality cottage cheese, low-fat turkey, cherries, and kiwi.
Thyroid hormones
They aren't talked about much, but thyroid hormones also affect body weight. They are called T3 and T4, which affect the metabolic rate.
With low activity of these hormones, metabolism slows down, which increases the growth of fat mass, you feel constant fatigue, and even digestive problems may begin. It will not be possible to completely get rid of this process, but it is possible to bring the functioning of hormones close to normal.
What to do?
Scientifically, this phenomenon is called Hypothyroidism, in order to increase the activity of thyroid hormones, it is necessary:
♦ spend more time outdoors and pay attention to walks;
♦ increase the proportion of protein consumed;
♦ reduce consumption of caffeine, salt and refined carbohydrates;
♦ eat more broccoli, cauliflower and white cabbage, as well as spinach.
