Looking sexy and living a healthy life is a high priority in more of our lives. When we step on that scale and see a weight higher than we would prefer, we usually make the decision to change what we are eating and to start exercising. However there is more to our weight management than just the types of food we eat or how much we move around during the day. There are certain hormones that play a large role in our weight, as well as what foods we find enjoyable, and how often we actually feel the desire to eat.
Hormones and Their Roles
One of the most well known hormone associated with weight loss issues is insulin. High blood sugar stimulates insulin secretion from the pancreas. Insulin then decreases blood sugar by promoting uptake of sugar by tissues. High carbohydrate diets lead to high blood sugar levels, which in turn causes the release of insulin. When we do not use up all of the sugar being taken up by the tissues, the body begins storing what should be used as energy as fat instead. An interesting fact about insulin is that it is antilipolytic, meaning it fights against the breakdown of fat. Something to think about when we come across “diets” that promote high carbohydrate intake if the goal is to lose weight.
High amounts of stress cause the release of cortisol. This hormone is secreted by the adrenal gland during times of stress and high amounts of insulin in our blood. One of its functions is to break down muscular tissue into sugar through the liver. So if we are stressed, with a hormone that prevents the breakdown of fat cells (insulin), cortisol will do what it can to make sure our body gets usable sugar. It is easy to see how this can cause issues when someone is trying to lose weight. The more muscle we have, the easier it is to burn fat cells. The fat cells in the abdomin generally contain more cortisol receptors. Chronic stress results in storing fat.
Leptin is an interesting hormone that is produced by fat cells that basically tell the body that it is full and to stop eating. It is common to be over weight when the leptin hormone is not found in sufficient amounts. At the same time, it is possible to become resistant to the hormone if we force ourselves to continue eating even after reaching the “I am full” stage of eating.
Like leptin, serotonin plays a roll in the “I am full” part. This neurotransmitter consists of amino acids found in proteins. Serotonin sends messages that we have eaten a sufficient amount of food to fulfill our bodies needs. When or levels are low, we can experience symptoms such as depression, weight gain, lethargy, and an increased desire to eat refined carbs. When serotonin is low, the brain tells the body that it is starving and leads to overeating. This in turn can result in weight gain.
Hypothyroidism plays a large role in weight issues as well. An improperly functioning thyroid reduces our fat burning rate and causes fatigue. Sluggishness at ever level occurs when there is a shortage of thyroid hormones. It also leads to slowed digestion leading to constipation. Sluggish metabolism leads to weight gain and can also provoke an increase in cholesterol levels. The thyroid hormones are also needed for the production of serotonin.
One of the effects of estrogen is the encouragement of fat storage leading to weight gain. A proper balance of estrogen and progesterone is essential to avoid an imbalance. Foods such as wheat produces and soy bean products can promote an imbalance of these key hormones and lead to weight gain as well.
As we can see, a variety of hormones play a large part in appetite and weight. Many of these hormones interact with each other. By improving our food quality and a variety of other therapies, we can expect to see an improvement in our hormone levels and balances.
If you have any questions about this, or would like to schedule an appointment to see how we may be able to help with your weight loss goals, then feel free to give us a call at our Friendswood location. You can also check us our on our website HaydenInstitute.com to see the other services we offer.