Having difficulties in losing weight even with programmed diet and exercises? Maybe you should take a closer look on what’s happening on the inside, particularly your hormonal health. Studies have shown that any and all hormonal imbalances lead to difficulty in losing weight and an increased risk of obesity. Undiagnosed hormonal problems create a vicious cycle where it hijacks even great diet and exercise plans that results to inadequate nutrition that then feeds the imbalance, thus making you gain more weight.
Weight Gain Causing Hormonal Imbalances
If your diet and exercise programs haven’t been successful in the past, chances are your efforts are being sabotage by one or more of the following hormonal imbalances:
- Excess Insulin – An essential substance, insulin process sugar in the bloodstream and carry it into cells to used as fuel or stored as fat. Some of the reasons for excess insulin includes, stress, consuming too many nutrient-deficient cabohydrates (processed foods, sodas, and artificial sweeteners), insufficient protein intake, low fiber consumption. Side effects of high insulin such as heart palpitations, sweating, poor concentration, fatigue makes us think we are hungry, which causes us to crave for high-sugar foods and drinks.
- Low Serotonin Levels – Serotonin influence our mood, emotions, memory, sleep habits, appetite, digestion and body temperature regulation. Depression due to low serotonin levels causes cravings for sugars and starches to simulate the production of the hormone.
- High Cortisol Levels – Under chronic stress situations – whether physical, emotional, mental or environmental, real or even imagined — the body releases high amounts of cortisol. Through a complicated network of hormonal interactions, prolonged stress causes extreme appetite, low metabolism, belly fat and muscle loss. Other symptoms associated with high cortisol levels include, mood disorder like anxiety, depression, post traumatic stress disorder or exhaustion, and irritable bowel syndrome.
- Toxic Estrogen – Research show that excess estrogen in both sexes are great risk factor for obesity, which is similar to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Excess estrogen can result from the body’s excess production of the hormone, or from environmental or dietary causes. Estrogen like compounds are found in foods that contain toxic pesticides, herbicides and growth hormones.
- Low Testosterone – Testosterone regulates and enhances libido, bone density, muscle mass, fat burning and skin tone in both men and women. Low testosterone has been seen to cause an increase of body fat and loss of muscle mass even with dieting and exercise. Dr. Mitchell Harman, an endocrinologist at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, attributes the proliferation of estrogen-like compounds used in pesticides and other farming chemicals for the decrease in male testosterone levels.
- Hypothyroidism – Hormones produced by the thyroid gland influence metabolism and energy. Low thyroid hormones causes the body to slow down and along with it, is its metabolic rate. The slow burning of calories leads to low energy and higher tendency for the body to store fats.
Hormonal imbalances can contribute to a number of health conditions and among them weight gain and obesity. If you have unsuccessful attempts to lose weight, it may be because of the hormone problems in your systems. Laboratory testing provide important insights to your body’s hormonal health. With the help of doctor’s diagnosis and recommendation for hormonal problems management, you can incorporate a weight loss plan and come up with a more effective plan.
Hormone Imbalances 