Can Hormone Help With Weight Loss? Types Of Hormone Helps You Lose Weight

The first few names that pop-up in your mind when you hear ‘hormone’ is mostly insulin, thyroid, and maybe estrogen. You might have heard about how hormonal changes give you mood swings and hot flashes that can be rather uncomfortable.

Can Hormone Help With Weight Loss?

But did you know that these hormones (and many others like them) can cause weight variations? It’s true, hormones play an integral part in our body’s functioning. Hence, we need to keep a close eye on any changes we may observe.

Before we move any further, let’s see what hormones really are.

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemical messengers secreted by the endocrine glands to help all the body’s organs to function normally. Hormones are responsible for –

• Growth and development
• Metabolic functioning
• Body temperature regulation
• Cognition
• Reproduction and sex drive

What secrets the hormones needed by the body?

The endocrine glands secrete the numerous hormones we need directly into the blood. The blood thereafter carries them to the organs to aid them in their regular function. The major endocrine glands that produce hormones include thyroid, thymus, pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreas, testes, ovaries, and adrenal glands. To gain a healthy body that functions in its full potential, you must ensure that all these glands are doing what they are supposed to do.

How can hormones affect weight variations?

Research has proved that most obesity and weight gain causes are directly associated with hormonal issues. Hormonal problems may occur for various reasons, including stress, medications, eating disorders, injury, or other health issues. Whatever the reason may be, the manifestation of the imbalance always shows up as symptoms such as

• Lack of focus
• Hair loss
• Hot flashes
• Infertility
• Muscle weakness
• Night sweats
• Weight loss/gain
• Irregular periods, among many others.

There are several hormones that can impact your weight. Managing these hormones will help you shed the weight that you have been trying to lose for a while. If you are wondering – why hormone management is necessary for weight loss? Read our Resurge weight loss review to find out more. It is important as hormones affect your appetite and body fat storage decisions.

Here is a list of 7 hormones that can help you lose that extra weight that you have been carrying around:

Insulin:

This is a popular hormone that most people are aware of. There is an increased possibility someone in your near or extended family may be suffering from diabetes. Diabetics suffer from variation in the blood sugar levels that are dependent on the hormone, Insulin, that the pancreas secretes. The body secretes this hormone differently before and after meals and that explains why diabetics need a before and after-meal blood check. Some of the health problems that follow by insulin level variation are obesity and lack of stamina. This is mainly because inadequate insulin secretion triggers overeating.

Tips to control insulin and thereby lose weight:

• Zero sugar intake: Consume sugar in its natural form (i.e. as fruits) and not in the form of processed crystals.
• Omega-3 intake: Ensure you are consuming your daily dose of omega-3 in the form of walnuts and fish oil to control blood sugar levels.
• Exercise regularly: There is no substitute for exercise. So, exercise adequately and it will help in managing your insulin levels.
• Switch to green tea: Green tea is known to reduce your blood sugar and insulin levels and hence, switching from coffee/regular tea to green tea can help you greatly.

Cortisol:

Cortisol is also known as the ‘stress hormone’. It has got this name as the adrenal glands secrete this hormone when your body is in stress. Also, in a stressful situation, the best solace providing activity is comfort eating. This usually tends to turn of overeating which in turn piles up fat reserves in your body. The release of cortisol takes place in two situations. One, when you overeat, and the other, when you follow food restrictive diets. Both extremes release this hormone which leads to weight gain.

Tips to control cortisol and thereby lose weight:

• Eat right: Consult a nutritionist and design a balanced diet for you to consume regularly.
• Adequate sleep: Sleep at the right time and ensure you get at least 6-8 hours of sleep to keep cortisol under control.

Estrogen:

This is a female hormone that the ovaries release. Research says both high and low levels of estrogen can result in fat pile-on. Once a girl reaches puberty, estrogen starts accumulating fat that will serve for the fertile years to come. The variation in this hormone level is usually due to the age of the women or due to other influences. In older women who are experiencing menopause, the estrogen levels hit an all-time, causing disproportionate weight gain. This is a health hazard and hence, requires due diligence.

Tips to control estrogen and thereby lose weight:

• Consume nutritious food: Ensure that you eat food that is rich in fiber. Also, a good intake of fruits and vegetables in addition to seeds consumption (pumpkin seeds, flax seeds) can be useful.
• Exercise regularly: Adequate does of exercise does good for many health issues including hormone management.

Leptin:

Leptin is the hormone that is responsible for your appetite and hunger pangs. Variation in leptin can result in either overeating or not eating at all. Both of these situations can prove to be unhealthy. Hence, regulating leptin release can help you lose weight. However, once you start losing weight as a result of leptin control, it can result in stress and food craving which makes it difficult to maintain the new weight that you have attained.

Tips to control leptin and thereby lose weight:

• Zero sugar intake: This can help manage a host of health issues including leptin regulation.
• Omega-3 intake: Intake of walnuts and fatty fish can help manage leptin levels in your body.
• Exercise regularly: Adequate does of exercise does good for many health issues including hormone management.
• Adequate sleep: Sleep at the right time and ensure you get at least 6-8 hours of sleep to keep cortisol under control.

Ghrelin:

When you are hungry/ in an empty stomach, your body secretes ghrelin. Thus, your ghrelin levels before a meal tend to be more than after. The inadequate release of this hormone sends wrong signals to the brain and hence, promotes overeating. In addition to leptin, ghrelin also communicates with the hypothalamus of the brain controlling appetite (hunger pangs and quantity consumption).

Tips to control ghrelin and thereby lose weight:

• High protein intake: Begin your day with high-protein breakfast and continue to consume an adequate quantity of protein throughout the day for ghrelin management.
• Zero sugar intake: This can help manage a host of health issues including leptin regulation.

Neuropeptide Y:

The nervous system of your body secretes this hormone. There are numerous reasons for the release of this hormone including stressful situations, fasting, among others. It usually the craving to consume carbs which result in weight gain and hence, the regulation of this hormone is of utmost importance.

Tips to control neuropeptide Y and thereby lose weight:

• Follow intermittent fasting: Intermittent fasting lasts up to 14 hours and so can be healthy for your body. Fasting beyond that will cause hormonal imbalance.
• High protein intake: Begin your day with high-protein breakfast and continue to consume an adequate quantity of protein throughout the day for ghrelin management.
• Fiber intake: Consume food that is rich in soluble fiber to manage this hormone release.
• Probiotic intake: Ensure that you consume sufficient natural probiotic to help with the regulation of neuropeptide Y.

Cholecystokinin:

The gut releases the cholecystokinin hormone and a high release of this hormone can curb your appetite. In case you are attempting to lose weight and are finding it to be impossible, try the tips listed below to release higher proportions of this hormone.

Tips to regulate cholecystokinin and thereby lose weight:

• High protein intake: Begin your day with high-protein breakfast and continue to consume an adequate quantity of protein throughout the day for cholecystokinin management.
• Fiber intake: Consume food that is rich in soluble fiber to release more of this hormone.

Conclusion

Hormone management is one of the critical functions that you must invest yourself in to lose weight. If you have been attempting to lose weight but have been unsuccessful despite all efforts, get your hormone levels checked. There is a good chance that a hormone imbalance may be causing your weight loss efforts to go in vain. If you do find that a hormone imbalance is the cause of your weight gain, it is best to make necessary lifestyle modifications to help regulate it. You must also consider visiting an endocrinologist in case the imbalance is affecting your normal activities adversely. With lifestyle modifications (diet, exercise, and sleep) and necessary medication, you can shed the weight that is baring you down.