Hormones are essential substances that play the role of chemical messengers in the body.
They enable almost every process happening, including hunger, fullness, and metabolism. Since they participate in appetite management, there are certain hormones that influence our weight.
Below, learn about five hormones that may affect your weight. What’s more, you can find useful tips to stabilize them and encourage a healthy weight.
5 Hormones that Affect the Weight & How to Stabilize Them
- Leptin
This hormone of satiety informs the hypothalamus (brain part which regulates our appetite) that you’ve had enough food.
However, in obese people, there may be leptin resistance. As a result, the message doesn’t get to the brain, which elevates the chance of overeating.
Some lifestyle improvements may help reduce leptin levels. Some of them are losing weight, improving your sleep quality, and working out on a regular basis.
- Insulin
This storage hormone is produced by our pancreas.
In healthy people, it encourages the glucose storage in our liver, fat cells, and muscle to be used later on.
This is a simple sugar we get from food. Our body produces it in small amounts during the day and in bigger amounts after we eat.
Insulin resistance is a common condition that disables the cells from responding to insulin.
As a result, the sugar levels in the blood elevate as the insulin is unable to transfer the glucose into the cells.
The pancreas also begins to produce more insulin in an effort to better the absorption of glucose.
To balance its levels, it’s recommendable to work out on a regular basis, sleep better, get sufficient omega 3s, keep a healthy weight, and reduce the intake of trans and saturated fats.
- Cortisol
This hormone, also known as the hormone of stress, is produced by the adrenal glands. When we’re stressed, the heart rate elevates.
Cortisol release is also known as the fight or flight response. Though this is essential for situations that are dangerous, excessive and chronic high stress is linked with diseases like hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular illnesses, and obesity.
To reduce the levels of this hormone, you need to improve your sleep quality, work out on a regular basis, practice mindfulness and meditation, keep a balanced weight, and follow a healthy diet.
- Peptide YY
This gut hormone is known to lower our appetite.
Its levels may be lower in obese individuals, resulting in bigger appetite and overeating. Balanced levels of it play a pivotal role in balancing the intake of food and reducing the chances of obesity.
To balance this hormone, you should optimize the protein levels and work out on a regular basis.
- Estrogen
This hormone plays a role in the regulation of the reproductive system in women, but also the skeletal, vascular, and immune systems.
Its levels fluctuate during stages of life like pregnancy, menopause, and nursing, but also throughout women’s menstrual cycles. Excessive levels of it are seen in obese people and linked with a higher risk of some cancers and other chronic illnesses.
Low levels of it are linked with aging, menopause, and perimenopause.
To optimize its levels, it’s essential to maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly, and eat a balanced diet low in red meat, sweets, processed foods, and refined grains.
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