Impact of Hormone Imbalances on Weight Gain

May 18,2018

Don't be frustrated by unwanted weight gain. The golden rule of "consuming fewer calories than you burn" only applies to someone in perfect health. For the rest of us, there are numerous reasons as to why we can gain weight without changing what or how we eat.  In fact, hormonal disparities are one of the leading causes of sudden weight gain. Moreover, once your body experiences an imbalance, weight loss resistance can make it very difficult to shed those unexpected pounds.

Your body generally relies on hormonal balance to avoid changes in body weight by regulating your appetite and hunger signals. Ghrelin hormone lets you know you're hungry and leptin hormone controls when you are sated. As a long-term regulator of body weight, leptin is released as a result of fat buildup, whereas ghrelin is a short-term signaler released in your stomach when it is empty. Any impairment of communication between your body and your hunger hormones results in hormonal imbalances that can alter your eating behavior.

Metabolism can be adversely impacted by both the underproduction as well as the overproduction of thyroid hormones. When it comes to weight loss struggles, low thyroid hormone and a sluggish metabolism are the most common culprits. Hypothyroidism is the condition for weight gain due to the low production of thyroid hormone. If you are eating better, managing your stress, your sleep pattern is good and you still cannot lose weight, it might be time to check your thyroid.

There's an interesting connection between estrogen hormone and weight gain. Estrogen is the hormone that is responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics, such as breasts and hips. If your ratio of estrogen to progesterone is out of balance, you can gain weight and store fat deposits around your middle. Although your doctor may have said you are at an age where your estrogen levels are falling, estrogen dominance due to decreasing levels of progesterone can still cause unexpected weight gain.

Hormone testing can uncover presence of estrogen dominance due to hormone imbalances. If you've experienced an unexpected weight gain or have difficulty losing weight, schedule an appointment at either PrimeMED location for testing.