How Hormones are linked to Weight Gain, Affecting Your Body Shape
Weight gain can be the result of numerous factors. You can gain weight because of improper eating habits, lack of physical exercise, and other reasons. But, can hormones be related to weight gain? It may seem like a strange question, but the answer is, “Yes.” Hormones have been linked to weight gain. Before exploring the linkage between hormone and weight gain, we will explore a little bit about hormones.
Hormones can be defined as the special chemical messengers found in the human body that are formed in the endocrine glands. Hormones control various functions in the body, such as hunger, reproduction and emotions. As hormones play an important role in various functions of our body, it is absolutely critical to keep them balanced. Hormonal imbalances can create many problems, including weight gain. Excessive weight is really a serious problem. The federal government’s statistics show that more than two out of every three adults are overweight.
How are hormones linked to weight gain?
Hormones are linked to weight gain, but how? As noted earlier, hormones are responsible for directing our body’s response to various things, such as stress, hunger and emotions. Moreover, hormones also influence metabolism, including whether the food you consume gets stored or burned, the feelings of hunger and cravings and also your interest in exercise.
Now that you know something about the role of hormones, you might be wondering, “Is there an optimum hormone level?” The answer to this question is, “No.” It depends upon the individual. If a person’s hormone level is imbalanced, then the task of losing weight becomes nearly impossible. For an instance, older women who go through various symptoms of menopause experience weight gain and one of the reasons behind it is a hormonal imbalance. Some of the hormones linked to weight gain are:
- Adiponectin
If you want to lose your weight, your body should burn fat. Adiponectin is a hormone that directs the body to burn fat. So a lower amount of adiponectin in your body results in less fat burning, which leads to weight gain.
- Ghrelin
This hormone also is called the hunger hormone. A higher level of ghrelin leads to more hunger. A recent study shows that a higher level of ghrelin will lead to a desire for foods with a higher calorie content.
- Insulin imbalance
Insulin imbalance will lead to higher levels of sugar or glucose in your body. It is a serious condition, as it makes the carbohydrates in your body get stored as fat.
- Cortisol
Cortisol is formed by our body in the process of responding to stress. It is what makes you get “fight or flight” in a stressful situation. However, excess cortisol also will lead to cravings for carbs and sweets, which ultimately leads to weight gain.
In addition to these hormones, there is a hormone called human growth hormone (HGH). One of HGH’s benefits is that it enhances weight loss.
It is necessary to maintain an optimum weight, and one of the ways to lose weight is by choosing the correct weight loss program.
Do you know that hormones can affect your body shape as well?
After learning about the linkage between hormone and weight gain, let’s explore how hormones can affect your body shape. Hormones are responsible for four common types of body shape:
- The Adrenal Shape
Your adrenal gland is located in your kidneys. It is responsible for dealing with stress. Your level of stress depends upon various conditions. If you are under too much stress, then you should take steps to manage it. Too much stress will trigger the hormone named cortisol, which will lead to building up fat in your vital organs.
- The Thyroid Shape
You probably know about thyroid. It lies in the lower part of your neck. The thyroid body shape is triggered by the hormone named estrogen. When the estrogen hormone begins to dominate, your thyroid starts to become passive. When the thyroid starts to get bigger, it does not stay contained in one place.
- The Ovary Shape
Some women have over-producing ovaries. The ovary shape is triggered by estrogen. This hormonal imbalance leads women to have saddlebags and a stomach pooch.
- The Liver Shape
This body shape makes the person look very unattractive. Imagine having thin legs and a jutted-out belly. This is what this shape looks like. When the liver is damaged, it is unable to properly carry out its functions of detoxification and filtration, leading to hormonal imbalance and the liver body shape.
Conclusion
The impact of hormonal imbalance in our body is scary, isn’t it? Studies show that hormonal imbalance in women also can lead to severe mental disorders. This makes hormonal imbalance even scarier. However, you can balance your hormones with healthy diet and proper health care. So take good care of your health to keep your hormones balanced.
