When you gain weight for no obvious reason, it may be linked tohormone fluctuations.
These changes can occur with age,menopause, or a medical issue.
Changes in hormone levels can affect major body functions, including the way you gain and lose weight.
Francesco Carta fotografo / Getty Images
While hormonal weight gain affects both sexes, the distribution of fat differs between women and men.
Treating hormonal weight gain involves finding and fixing the hormonal imbalance.
You may also need treatment for the underlying medical issue causing a shift in your hormone levels.
This article explains the symptoms, causes, and medical ailments linked with hormonal weight gain.
It also discusses ways to prevent and treat this problem.
A change in their normal level or function can lead to excess weight gain.
Estrogen
Estrogenis the hormone that regulates a women’s reproductive cycle.
However, it also affects other body systems, including weight gain in both men and women.
Having too little or too much estrogen is not a direct cause-and-effect link to weight gain.
Its job is to help the cells in your body absorb glucose from your blood.
Cells use glucose for energy to support your organs and other systems.
Insulin also works with your liver and muscles to store glucose as fat.
This tells your pancreas to stop making insulin.
People withtype 2 diabetestend to developinsulin resistance.
Leptin
Leptinis a hormone secreted by fat cells.
It acts primarily on the brain, affecting thehypothalamusandbrainstem.
Leptin helps control appetite and satiety, or a feeling of fullness.
Its job is to alert the brain when energy stores in the liver and body fat decline.
It controls the processes linked to your “fight or flight” response.
It also helps regulate blood sugar, metabolism,sleep cycles, and inflammation.
Higher than normal cortisol levels are linked with abdominal obesity.
It controls hunger by working with the hypothalamus to control your appetite.
It also tells thepituitary glandto release growth hormone, which destroys fat tissue and supportsmusclegrowth.
Ghrelin levels typically rise before eating and during periods of fasting, when it promotes hunger.
Levels decrease after a meal.
Obese people usually have lower ghrelin levels than thin people, but may be more sensitive to it.
This suggests that the hormone may help with regulating weight, rather than weight gain.
Having a sensitivity to ghrelin could also lead to overeating.
Conditions That May Cause Hormonal Weight Gain
The conditions that cause hormonal weight gain vary broadly.
These issues often occur due to genetics, aging, or other uncontrollable conditions.
Treating and managing these problems can help regulate hormonal imbalances and control weight gain.
Menopause
Menopausedescribes the period in a woman’s life she has gone without aperiodfor 12 months.
During this time, the production of estrogen decreases.
This hormonal shift triggers changes that make weight gain common during this time.
Endometriosis
Endometriosisis a chronic condition in which uterine tissue grows outside your uterus.
Lesions or patches can grow on your ovaries, fallopian tubes, pelvic area, bladder, or bowel.
They remain and bleed and swell duringmenstruation.
Endometriosis is highly estrogen-dependent.
Treatment typically involves suppressingovulationand menstruation to reduce ovarian estrogen production.
The condition results in the production of cysts that grow on one or both ovaries.
Weight gain and obesity are more common among women with PCOS versus those without the condition.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidismis a disorder that involves an underactivethyroid gland.
The gland can’t produce enough thyroid hormone to support normal functions.
It controls body temperature, fatigue, forgetfulness, and depression.
Without enough thyroid hormone, you may have a modest amount of excess weight.
However, there is some thought that the condition is secondary to obesity.
Researchers reported a decrease in lean body mass, not fat mass, for people treated for this problem.
Controlling thyroid hormone levels caused a release of excess water.
This implies that the weight gain in hypothyroidism may be brought on by water retention.
Insomnia
People withinsomniahave difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting productive sleep.
It can occur as a temporary or long-term condition.
Symptoms of other conditions, such as night sweats in menopause, can also cause insomnia.
Research shows that people who don’t get enough sleep are prone to weight gain.
Medications or hormonal weight gain supplements may also be advised.
They can reset hormone levels, treat the effects of abnormal levels, or control underlying problems.
Some common treatments include:
In extreme cases, treatment may involve surgical intervention to treat underlying problems.
This can happen when your body resists a certain hormone.
It can also occur when you have too much or too little of one.
Hormonal weight gain can be hard to lose until you correct the levels behind your problem.
This can require medication to restore hormone levels, treatment of a medical issue, and/or surgery.
Once you manage the cause of hormonal weight gain, you could resume a weight loss plan.
Having balanced hormones can help you succeed with a healthy diet and exercise.
A Word From Verywell
Dealing with hormonal weight gain isn’t easy.
While affecting the way you look and feel, it can also damage your health.
Carrying more than the normal amount of weight raises your risk of conditions likeheart disease, diabetes, andstroke.
you’re able to often get to the root of your weight problems with a blood test.
Finding the right diagnosis is the first step in getting the treatment you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hormonal weight gain looks like any throw in of excess weight.
Visiting your healthcare provider is the only way to know if your weight gain is hormonal.
They can order diagnostic tests to find the source of your weight gain.
A blood test can show some hormonal imbalances.
An imaging study, like anX-ray,MRI, orultrasoundcan give details about a gland.
Hormonal weight gain affects different areas in men and women.
Men tend to gain excess weight in the abdominal area.
However, premenopausal women add pounds around the hips and thighs.
After menopause, women usually gain weight in the abdomen and develop a “menopausal belly.”
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