Hormones and their effect on weight

The influence of hormones on weight regulation in women is probably known to many. This is especially true for middle-aged women. Today, when hormone tests have become publicly available, it has become possible to identify any hormonal disorders that can lead to excess weight. 

So, the main hormones that affect weight are: estrogens, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, prolactin, cortisol, insulin and thyroid hormones.

Estrogens

There are three types of estrogens in our body: estradiol, estrone and estriol. These three types are not interchangeable, because they have a decisive effect on the female body in middle age.

Estradiol, the dominant estrogen in the human body, is produced by the ovaries, and during menopause its formation completely stops. Estradiol increases insulin sensitivity, adds energy, causes a good mood, promotes clarity of thinking, good memory, ability to concentrate, normal blood pressure, optimal bone density, improved sleep, sexual desire and a normal, active metabolic process.

A decrease in estradiol levels in middle age leads to a reduced release of serotonin. Loss of serotonin leads, in turn, to depression, increased irritability, anxiety, increased sensitivity to pain, digestive disorders, obsessions, and disruption of normal sleep patterns. Each of these factors can slow down the metabolism, and therefore a decrease in the amount of estradiol leads to the problem of excess weight and difficulties in shedding it.

Progesterone

Progesterone prepares the body for pregnancy and carrying, so woman begins to eat for herself and the baby. Progesterone levels are high in the second half of the cycle, which explains appetite during this period. Other changes - fluid retention and breast enlargement - are also explained by the work of progesterone in preparation for pregnancy.

Progesterone slows down the movement of food through the digestive tract, which allows the female body to absorb more nutrients. In times of famine, this should serve pregnant women well. (This is why a woman may feel "bloated" during this period of the cycle.) Progesterone also affects the brain, having a calming effect, but in many women this leads to decreased activity and weight gain.

Testosterone

The female body has testosterone (in tiny amounts compared to the male body), and its content decreases with age. With the onset of menopause, testosterone in the female body begins to be produced 2 times less, but this can happen at a younger age. Testosterone not only contributes to a healthy sex drive, but also plays an important role in weight regulation. This hormone is an anabolic, i.e. it promotes the growth of muscle mass, and uses fats as fuel, which, in turn, helps to reduce weight.

I will tell you more about this in the second part, from which you will learn that estradiol together with testosterone strongly affect weight and can help achieve a healthy balance of muscle mass and less fat. Since women lose up to 95% of their estradiol and over 50% of their testosterone when their ovaries stop functioning properly, it's no surprise that they have to struggle with excess weight in middle age. After all, they lose a huge amount of hormones that promote muscle growth, prevent fat deposition and accelerate metabolism.

DHEA

DHEA is another "male" hormone produced by the adrenal glands, as well as by the ovaries before menopause. DHEA has been advertised as a hormone that helps to lose weight, but it is effective only for men. Modern analysis has proven that women taking this hormone gain weight and experience many side effects - hair loss and facial hair, acne, cravings for sweets, restless sleep and irritability. Medicament containing DHEA are widely available, but since the doses of the hormone in them are too high for women, undesirable side effects are often found.

Thyroid hormones

T3 and T4 are the main thyroid hormones produced by the thyroid gland. These are the main regulators of the metabolic process, because they regulate the use of energy and its reproduction in all cells and tissues of the body. Metabolism depends on the normal functioning of thyroid hormones and the chemical reactions they cause at the cellular level. With a decrease in the work of thyroid hormones, especially when the functioning of ovarian hormones is disrupted, women gain weight very easily, even if they begin to consume low-calorie food. Sometimes, in cases of excessive amounts of thyroid hormones, women gain weight in the first half of the cycle due to increased appetite associated with the activity of these hormones.

Cortisol

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone whose levels rise in the presence of a one-second or prolonged irritation. Short-term and severe stress also causes the release of adrenaline. However, due to both short-term and long-term reactions to stress and stimuli, fat on the waist and the entire abdomen is deposited rather than broken down. Why? After acute stress, you feel hungry because of the release of adrenaline into the blood, this leads to a desire to eat, especially sweet things, and as a result you eat more than necessary. Chronic stress leaves you overworked, totally exhausted and with the urge to eat “comfort food” - sweets.

Insulin and glucagon

Insulin and glucagon affect the amount of glucose ("sugar") in the blood, as well as on the ratio of fat and muscle mass. They are called counter-regulating hormones, because they have the opposite effect on blood sugar (glucose). Insulin lowers glucose levels, forcing it to move from the blood into muscle cells, where it is burned and produces energy, or into fat cells, where it contributes to their deposition. The rate and amount of insulin formation depend on the foods we consume, their combination, and the time they enter the body. The action of glucagon is reversed by the action of insulin. When the brain realizes that the amount of sugar in the blood is decreasing, glucagon causes the liver to "push" glucose from fats into the blood, with which it enters cells and is burned. The formation of insulin is influenced by ovarian hormones, and vice versa. With high levels of insulin and immunity to it (insulin resistance) the woman's waist is starting to get fatter. A similar violation of the reaction to insulin is observed in polycystic ovaries and with a reduced amount of estradiol.

Prolactin

Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland, and with a large amount it is the cause of excess weight. Prolactin regulates the formation of milk during lactation. In men and non-pregnant women, its amount is less than 15-20 ng/ml, but in the last trimester of pregnancy, prolactin levels rise to 300 ng /ml. In the first few months after giving birth, its level drops, even when the mother continues to breastfeed.

When the level of this hormone exceeds 15-20 ng/ml, the menstrual cycle becomes irregular, and the formation of estradiol is suppressed. With prolonged release of a large amount of prolactin, menstruation may stop (amenorrhea), and milk will begin to be released from the breast (galactorrhea). This is clear evidence of high prolactin levels, which are associated with other problems that are often lose sight by doctors - weight gain, breast enlargement, headaches and depression.

Elevated prolactin levels affect weight by stimulating a nursing mother's appetite, causing her to consume more calories - for herself and the baby. But if you are not breastfeeding, you do not need to eat for two, and as a result, excess food is deposited in the body. Prolactin also affects weight by suppressing the work of the ovaries, which produce estradiol and testosterone, which are responsible for active metabolic processes, regulation of the ratio of insulin and glucose and promote muscle and bone growth. Bone erosion leading to premature osteoporosis also indicates an untreated case of high prolactin levels.

With age and during menopause, the amount of this hormone increases, which affects the acquisition of excess weight in middle age. Its elevated amount can also be caused by stress, exhausting workouts, hypothyroidism, nipple stimulation and many habitual medications such as Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Luvox, tricyclic antidepressants - pamelor, amitriptyline and others, Tagamet, Pepcid, neuroleptics (Navan, Haldol, Mallaryl and others). Some formations in the pituitary gland that produce a lot of prolactin can cause vision loss, since these formations, even being benign in nature, exert pressure on the optic nerve. If you suspect that you have high prolactin levels, your attending physician will suggest a simple blood test. For a more accurate result, the test should be done from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

All these analysis are available to you in the OLYMP laboratory branches, where they are done on modern high-tech equipment, and the results of most tests are ready within a day.