How Hormones Affect Weight Gain
Hormones are chemical messengers that send messages to the rest of your body to regulate its processes. They are important for nearly every bodily process, including metabolism, appetite, and, ultimately, weight.
Since hormones are associated with inducing hunger and fullness and facilitating metabolism, they also play a significant role in weight gain.
In this article, we will explore how hormones affect weight gain, the different types of hormones responsible for body weight, how to tell if your weight gain is hormonal, and ways to manage it.
How do Hormones Affect Weight (According to Science)
As earlier stated, hormones signal your body to initiate an action in your body or stop it. Certain hormones stimulate hunger, while others induce satiety. An imbalance in those hormones can cause you to eat too much or too little.
Here's a little bit of the science behind this:
When your body needs food, certain activities are initiated in the endocrine and nervous systems through a cycle of contractions known as the migrating motor complex. This complex is stimulated by the stomach hormones motilin, Ghrelin, and others. When you are full, hormones like Cholecystokinin (CKK) are released in response to nutrients like fat and protein. This triggers fullness centers in your brain.
Hormones constantly signal your brain to eat less or more. An imbalance in any of hormone can lead to imbalanced or unhealthy eating habits, which can significantly affect how much fat is stored for energy, which can, in time, affect body weight.
How Do I Know If Weight Gain is Hormonal? 5 Signs to Look Out For
Anyone can gain weight at different times and for various reasons. However, there are signs that your weight gain may be due to an imbalance in your hormones.
The symptoms you may exhibit depend on whether there is an oversecretion or undersecretion of the hormone involved.
Here are some telltale signs to look out for:
- Acne
Weight gain with an increase in acne breakouts can be a sign of a hormonal issue. Hormonal acne is usually associated with an imbalance in testosterone or androgen in women. It usually appears on the jawline or cheeks and creates deeper cysts and nodules than regular acne.
- Weight gain around the abdominal area
Hormonal imbalance of Neuropeptide Y can lead to abdominal obesity as the hormone is usually activated in fatty tissues. Unexplained weight gain, especially around the stomach, can be caused by underlying hormonal issues.
- Fatigue
If you feel tired all the time and notice that you are gaining weight, it may be hormonal. Weight gain usually indicates that you have more than enough glucose stored up for energy. However, if you constantly feel a lack of energy, you may have a hormonal problem.
- Irregular menstrual cycle
Every woman can anticipate her period each month, especially with the help of period trackers. When it is almost impossible to anticipate your period, you may be dealing with hormonal problems. This would also accompany weight gain or weight loss in different cases.
- Frequent Urination
Hormonal weight gain can result in having an insatiable thirst, which can cause frequent urination. During pregnancy, the likelihood of this symptom is higher due to the secretion of different hormones.
Some other symptoms associated with hormonal weight gain are insomnia, depression, brain fog, constipation, etc.
Which Hormone is Responsible for Gaining Weight?
Hormones like insulin, cortisol, estrogen, leptin, etc., directly affect weight. An imbalance in any of these hormones can lead to weight gain:
Insulin
Insulin is responsible for storing glucose – a simple sugar generated from food and stored in the muscle, liver, and fat cells for future use. When you eat, the pancreas (the organ that secretes insulin) releases the hormone to convert the sugar in your food to energy. Insulin resistance occurs when your cells stop responding to insulin, causing the sugar to remain in the blood cells, which can lead to high blood sugar. To rectify the situation, the pancreas secretes even more insulin to boost glucose absorption for storage, which can lead to obesity or other health issues like diabetes.
Cortisol
Also known as the stress hormone, cortisol is released as the body's natural response to stress. It stimulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism, which increases appetite or cravings for sugary, fatty, or salty foods. When over-secreted, cortisol can cause increased appetite, insulin resistance, slower metabolism, fat storage, etc., all of which lead to weight gain.
Leptin
Leptin is responsible for triggering fullness by telling the part of your brain called the hypothalamus that you are full. However, people with obesity may have leptin resistance. This means that your brain doesn't get the message that you are full, so you keep eating. Leptin resistance has been linked to gene mutations or inflammation.
Ghrelin
Ghrelin is opposite to leptin. It triggers hunger by sending a message to your hypothalamus (the part of the brain that regulates appetite), indicating that your stomach is empty and you need to eat. It simply increases appetite. Normally, Ghrelin levels are highest before meals and lowest after meals. However, research shows that people with obesity have low Ghrelin levels but are sensitive to its effects. This sensitivity can lead to overeating. An insensitivity to Ghrelin can lead to Anorexia.
Peptide YY (PYY)
Peptide YY is a gut hormone responsible for reducing appetite. PYY levels are lower in obese people, who may experience bigger appetites and tend to overeat. A balanced hormonal secretion of PYY plays a major role in reducing food intake and reducing the risk of obesity.
Cholecystokinin (CKK)
Cholecystokinin is a hormone responsible for inducing satiety in the gut after a meal. It also increases the secretion of leptin, which is linked to inducing fullness. People with obesity have a low sensitivity to the hormone, which can lead to chronic overeating. Chronic overeating can further reduce CCK sensitivity, creating a loop.
Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)
GLP-1 is produced when nutrients enter the intestines. This hormone plays a major role in stabilizing blood sugar. It is a fullness hormone, and research suggests that people with obesity have a problem with GLP-1 signaling. This means that they have a decreased sensitivity to the hormone, causing them to overeat.
Neuropeptide Y (NPY)
NPY is secreted by your nervous cells to increase appetite and reduce energy usage during fasting or as a response to stress. Since it is responsible for stimulating appetite, it can be associated with weight gain and obesity. It is usually activated in fat tissues and can increase fat storage, leading to abdominal obesity.
Estrogen
Estrogen promotes fat storage in women for a healthy reproductive system. When estrogen is balanced, women gain and lose a healthy amount of weight needed to carry out reproductive functions. However, a spike in estrogen can lead to hormonal weight gain (as seen in the first few months of pregnancy).
How to Stop Hormonal Weight Gain (Practical Tips)
If you want to lose weight due to hormones, you should understand how these hormones work and enact countermeasures to reverse their effects. Here are some of the practical ways you can stop hormonal weight gain:
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Reduce processed food intake
Insulin is responsible for triggering fat or glucose storage. Sugary or processed foods cause an insulin spike, which can lead to weight gain. You should cut down on carbohydrates and eat more foods rich in protein. You can incorporate drinking green tea and eating Omega-3 fatty acids from fish like Salmon to help balance out your insulin levels.
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Practice regulated intermittent fasting.
Hormones like NPY influence your appetite and store energy during stress or fasting. If you have a fasting routine, do not overdo it, as you could increase your NPY levels drastically. Eat plenty of proteins and soluble fibers like apples, carrots, and beans to maintain healthy NPY levels.
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Limit alcohol intake
Alcohol can affect the function of the glands that secret vital hormones. Overconsumption of alcohol can cause blood sugar imbalance due to its high sugar content and, therefore, increase food cravings. Also, when you drink, your body stops burning fat and redirects all energy to eliminating the alcohol from your system.
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Eat early
Try to eat your last meal for the day before 7 p.m. Eating before bed can slow down your metabolism as your body shuts down for sleep. Avoid foods high in carbohydrates at night, as this makes them even harder to digest, which results in weight gain. Eat lean vegetables and healthy fats to beat the night cravings.
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Get enough sleep
Not getting enough sleep raises your cortisol (stress hormone) levels, which affects how well the other hormones function. You need at least 8 hours (more if you are female) of sleep every night for cell restoration, weight loss, and healing. No matter how clean your diet is and how often you work out, not getting enough rest can cause a myriad of other health issues, weight gain being one of them.
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Regular exercise
Regular exercise is a sure way of balancing your hormones as it helps increase hormones responsible for fullness like CCK. Committing to regular exercise can help you burn off energy and fat stored up and can lead to significant weight loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Hormones affect weight gain in females?
Estrogen, Progesterone, Insulin, and Cortisol can affect weight gain in females.
How do I balance my hormones to lose weight?
You can balance your weight by eating a healthy diet full of whole, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, and lean proteins.
How can you tell if you have a hormonal imbalance?
Symptoms such as acne, brain fog, sleep issues, menstrual irregularities in women, and temperature sensitivity often indicate hormonal imbalance.
Wrapping Up
Hormones play a significant role in regulating weight gain by controlling appetite, metabolism, and fat storage. Imbalances in key hormones like insulin, cortisol, and leptin can disrupt these processes, leading to unwanted weight gain.
By adopting healthy habits such as balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and proper sleep, you can help restore hormonal balance and prevent further weight gain.