Hormone balance may occur when your hormone levels are high or low. People with hormone imbalance may experience fatigue, muscle weakness, unexplained or sudden weight loss, increased hunger and taste, depression, dry skin, and weight gain.
Weight gain—and increase in body weight—is the most obvious and common symptom of hormone imbalance. But why is this so? Why isn’t fatigue or muscle weakness a common sign of this condition?
That is where this article comes in. Below, we'll find out the link between hormone imbalance and weight gain.
What are Hormones?
You must have heard of the word hormones, but do you know what they are or do?
Hormones are chemical messengers that transmit messages through your bloodstream to other parts of your body, telling them what to do. In essence, your hormones can be likened to an errand boy.
Functions of hormones
This errand boy, aka hormones, are essential chemicals in your body, hence having several responsibilities. To start with, they are responsible for your metabolism, sexual function, growth, mood, and reproduction. However, unlike a typical errand boy or messenger, your hormone works slowly but efficiently. Hence sometimes, it may be hard to know if you have a hormone imbalance.
As mentioned earlier, weight gain is a common sign of hormonal imbalance. While there is nothing wrong with adding and losing weight from time to time, gaining a significant amount of weight in a short period indicates hormone imbalance.
Types of hormones
Your body is home to many hormones produced in your endocrine glands. Major endocrine glands are the pineal, thymus, thyroid, pituitary, adrenal, and pancreas. These glands produced the following hormones:
Estrogen
Progesterone
Testosterone
Insulin
Cortisol
Growth hormone
Adrenaline
Thyroid hormone
These hormones significantly impact how you feel, whether mentally or physically. They also play a crucial role in how your body operates and can affect your health in many ways.
Considering the significant role your hormones play in your overall health, you should keep close tabs on your hormone levels. You can decide to go for regular hormone tests or order a hormone test online, whichever is convenient for you. Hormone tests are used to determine hormone imbalances that may be making you sick. One of the primary causes of your body feeling 'off' is the thyroid, this is the most common problem area when it comes to hormones and feeling unwell. If this is really affecting you and making lifestyle changes isn't helping, you may want to consider visiting thyroid care services in Knoxville, TN (or elsewhere more applicable to you).
Why do hormones cause weight gain?
Hormones are the primary culprits of weight gain, and if you are asking yourself, "why?" you are in the right place.
You see, hormones can affect your body in many ways without you knowing. However, weight gain is an obvious sign that you can notice even without looking in the mirror. Below we have highlighted some reasons why you might be experiencing a hormone imbalance.
1. Menopause
Menopause is associated with women. It signifies the end of a woman's menstrual cycle. Typically women experience menopause between 45 and 55 years old. At this point, the estrogen hormones reduce, causing a woman's menstruation to end. A drop in estrogen levels can also result in weight gain. The extra fat tends to gather in areas like your thighs and hips.
As men grow older, their testosterone levels reduce, leading to an increase in body fat and a drop in muscle mass. Weight gain is a cause for concern due to the conditions it comes with. For instance, weight gain can put you at the risk of
High blood pressure
Type 2 diabetes
Sleep apnea
Cancer
Heart disease
Stroke
Gallbladder disease
Metabolic syndrome
Breathing problems
2. Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism occurs when your body fails to produce adequate thyroid hormones. Thyroid hormones are produced in the thyroid gland. Located at the base of your neck, the thyroid hormone is responsible for regulating metabolism. Plus, it makes sure that your organs have adequate power to operate.
If your thyroid gland isn’t producing enough energy or power as it should, you can experience weight gain. In addition to weight gain, other signs of hypothyroidism are:
Fatigue
Hands numbness and tingling
Brain fog
Depression
Constipation
Higher blood cholesterol levels
Low libido
Frequent and heavy menstruation period
3. Beyond weight gain
Are you gaining weight fast without any clear cause? It's high time you check your hormone levels. Aside from weight gain, some other symptoms of hormonal imbalance to look out for are:
Loss of libido
Severe acne
Issues sleeping
Fatigue
Mood swings
Headaches
Irregular periods
Foggy memory
Depression
Hormone Imbalance: what to do
Hormone imbalance isn't a life-threatening condition; hence it's not a cause for concern. However, that doesn't mean you should ignore the symptoms. If you are experiencing the signs of hormone imbalance, you can consider undergoing hormone therapy. Hormone therapy is ideal for women and men experiencing a drop in their testosterone levels.
Conclusion
Hormone imbalance is a common cause of weight gain; your eating habit is another culprit too. To reduce your chances of gaining unwanted weight, ensure that you regularly conduct hormone tests to understand your hormone levels and know what to do. Also, watch what you eat and your lifestyle habits.
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