Hormonal components of weight gain

Let’s flip things and talk weight gain! Sometimes alternative frames of reference can help us understand concepts that may otherwise seem obscure.

By understanding how you gained an extra few pounds (or more), you may be able to slowly peel away the layers that led you here. One key element I’d like you to note as you read on is how often the culprit “insulin resistance” (IR for short, see notes below) is mentioned. And treating IR may be all it takes to get you off the vicious cycle and onto the virtuous cycle:

one good change leading to another good change until all is in balance again: you’re feeling good, energetic, content and feeling your best self!

So let’s start!

Weight-gain is a complex process influenced by various hormonal components that regulate appetite, metabolism, and fat storage in the body. Understanding these hormones can provide insights into how you may need to address weight-loss:

1. Insulin: Insulin is produced by the pancreas and plays a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels. After a meal, blood sugar rises, prompting the release of insulin to facilitate the uptake of glucose by cells for energy or storage. When insulin levels are consistently elevated due to a diet high in refined carbohydrates and sugar, it can lead to insulin resistance (IR). IR means cells become less responsive to insulin’s effects, which leads to higher insulin levels to maintain normal blood sugar levels. Elevated insulin levels then promote fat storage.

2. Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4 and Reverse T3): Thyroid hormones are essential for regulating the body’s metabolism. The thyroid gland produces thyroxine (T4), which is then converted to triiodothyronine (T3) in various tissues. Reverse T3 is produced as a result of stress. With high stress and consequent high cortisol, cortisol deactivates active hormone T3 into inactive Reverse T3. Knowing your ratio between active and inactive T3 may be necessary to understanding the hormonal contribution to your weight-gain.

3. Ghrelin: Ghrelin is known as the “hunger hormone” because it stimulates appetite. It is primarily produced in the stomach and signals the brain when the body needs food. Ghrelin levels typically rise before meals and decrease after eating. 3 major factors that contribute to high ghrelin are:

• • Low protein intake: Consuming a diet low in protein can lead to elevated ghrelin levels. Protein-rich foods help promote satiety and regulate appetite hormones.
  • Stress and sleep deprivation: Chronic stress and lack of adequate sleep can disrupt the body’s hunger-regulating hormones, including ghrelin. This can lead to increased appetite and cravings for high-calorie foods.
  • High-sugar and high-carbohydrate diets: Diets high in sugars and refined carbohydrates can cause rapid fluctuations in blood sugar levels, leading to increased ghrelin production and subsequent hunger.

3. Leptin: Leptin is produced by fat cells and acts as a satiety hormone, signaling the brain when the body has enough energy stores and reducing appetite. It plays a crucial role in maintaining energy balance. However, in overweight or obese individuals, there can be a condition called leptin resistance, where the brain becomes less responsive to leptin’s signals. This can lead to overeating and an inability to regulate food intake properly. Here are the top 3 modifiable lifestyle factors that lead to Leptin resistance (hence overeating):

• • Chronic inflammation: Inflammation in the body, often associated with a poor diet, stress, lack of sleep, and sedentary lifestyle, can interfere with leptin signaling pathways and contribute to leptin resistance.
  • Sleep deprivation: Chronic lack of sleep can disrupt hormonal balance, including leptin, leading to alterations in appetite regulation and potential leptin resistance.
  • Insulin resistance: IR and leptin resistance are closely related and can exacerbate each other. Elevated insulin levels can interfere with leptin signaling, reducing its effectiveness in regulating appetite.

3. Cortisol: Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands. In stressful situations, cortisol levels rise, leading to increased appetite and potential overeating. Chronic stress can cause prolonged cortisol elevation, which can contribute to weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. Additionally, elevated cortisol levels may influence insulin sensitivity, potentially leading to insulin resistance and weight gain.
4. Estrogen and Testosterone: Sex hormones, such as estrogen in females and testosterone in males, can influence body fat distribution. Estrogen tends to promote fat storage around the hips and thighs, while testosterone contributes to more fat storage in the abdominal region. However abdominal obesity isn’t unique attributable to testosterone as the stress hormone cortisol, and hormonal changes during menopause and various other factors can also lead to abdominal obesity.

Overall, the interplay of these hormonal components is intricate, and their influence on weight gain -and weight loss- can be multifaceted. Lifestyle factors, including diet, physical activity, stress management, and sleep can have a huge impact on hormone levels and play a significant role in weight management. Consultation with healthcare professionals is crucial for understanding individual hormonal imbalances and implementing appropriate strategies for weight-loss. Book in for a Comprehensive Initial intake and let’s see if hormonal imbalances may be holding you back.

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Insulin Resistance (IR) isn’t the same as pre-diabetes. However it is a state that develops way before even tests like HgA1c that can pick up on Pre-diabetes/diabetes can detect. There are calculations that are made from knowing your fasting Glucose and Fasting Insulin levels that help us know where you are on the scale of IR. If you’d like to know your values, it’d be an inexpensive blood test of no more than $48 (Lifelabs $, as of July 2023). Book an Initial Consult so we can determine if IR is presenting an obstacle to you achieving your goals.

NOTE: you can have IR and not show any obvious signs or symptoms which makes it all the more essential to test & rule-out!