Here’s How Hormones Can Sabotage Weight Loss

Are you feeling frustrated with your weight loss journey? There’s one critical element you may have overlooked. Your hormones! Achieving hormonal balance is not only necessary for optimizing the body’s function, but it is also foundational for maintaining a healthy weight. Impact Medical Group of Tampa looks at how hormones can sabotage weight loss and what you can do to prevent it.

Most people don’t realize that hormones play a vital part in the body’s metabolism and energy processing. One of the most critical hormones for these functions is estrogen. When high levels of estrogen are found in the body, it can increase the amount of fat in the belly and hip areas. This is such a common occurrence in women in their early 30s that this time is called “estrogen dominance.” Men can also experience this estrogen surge in their early 40s. But there are ways to decrease the estrogen load and achieve balance. Eat foods that detoxify the liver like leafy vegetables and fatty fish. Consider adding topical bioidentical progesterone to help counteract the effects of high estrogen. For an in-depth assessment, work with a team of professionals to identify supplements and blends that can reduce estrogen in your body.

The pancreas is another place where hormonal imbalances can sabotage weight loss. Insulin regulates blood glucose or blood sugar. Insulin shepherds glucose into the body as fuel or stores it as fat. Insulin sensitivity measures how well the body responds to insulin but if imbalanced, can lead to insulin resistance. This causes the cells to lose their response to insulin, a key indicator of Type 2 Diabetes.

Stress is almost always a factor in weight loss difficulty. Cortisol, a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, is also known as the “stress hormone.” Its role in the body is to respond to fight or flight situations but it also influences blood sugar levels. Stress triggers the body to release extra cortisol. When released for a long period, it causes the hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal gland to become inflamed.

If you are interested in optimizing your health and restoring hormonal balance within your body, contact the Impact Medical Group of Tampa today. Call us at (813) 283-1910 or visit us online to schedule an appointment.