Three hormones that cause weight gain

Hormones are known to wreak havoc on the body, especially if the particular hormones are imbalanced. If your hormones are out of whack, you could experience anything from excessive hair growth, to uncontrollable weight gain and a variety of symptoms in between. 

If you have been noticing weight gain, regardless of being mindful of your food choices and counting your calories; your issue may lie in your hormones, instead of your lifestyle. 

Consult your doctor to assess the imbalances you may have and make a more direct intervention with nutritional supplements and formulas.

What are hormones?

Hormones are the body’s messengers. Essentially, they send signals from the body’s organs and tissues for physiological regulation and behavioural activities, such as metabolism, respiration, digestion, tissue function, sensory perception, stress, growth and development, movement, reproduction, sleep, excretion, lactation and mood.

Your hormones control every bodily function, both primary and secondary.

So how do hormones impact weight, specifically?

Hormones can impact your ability to use calories, balance blood sugar, boost metabolism, burn belly fat and feel satisfied from foods, explains Ali Miller. 

If you do not feel satiated by your food, you will probably keep eating and eating until you do. This is how most people who have hormone imbalances start gaining weight. 

Which hormones are the most likely to make you fat?

Cortisol

Widely known as the hormone created by high stress levels, cortisol increases body fat, decreasing muscle tone and hinders immune function. If there has ever been motivation to take it easy, cortisol is it.

And weight gain isn’t the only negative side effect of cortisol. Cortisol provides the body with glucose by tapping into protein stores. High levels of cortisol over the long term consistently produces glucose, leading to increased blood sugar levels and eventual diabetes.

Insulin 

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas whose main role is to regulate glucose (sugar) levels and promote fat storage, especially around the belly.  Foods that promote the secretion of insulin include white refined flours and sugars, says City Line.

Dopamine

Dopamine, known for being a ‘feel good’ hormone, is also responsible for all of those sugar cravings!

When your dopamine depletes after a particularly stressful day, you may feel the need to eat in excess to replace the upbeat feeling it gives by overeating.

How do you balance your hormones?

What you put into your body is what you will get out. Eat loads of fruit and vegetables. Eat loads of protein. Dietary protein provides essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own and must be consumed every day in order to maintain muscle, bone and skin health, Healthline advises.  

Exercise daily to reduce insulin levels and increase insulin sensitivity.