Spare tire got you feeling deflated? A functional medicine specialist says a hormonal imbalance could be to blame for your weight troubles.
Dr. Pranav Vyas, a chiropractor and acupuncturist in the Chicago suburbs, is sharing five signs that your weight loss struggles may be hormone-related.
“If you have any one of these or a combination of some of these, well, then it makes sense to look at your hormones as the source of your weight problems,” Vyas said on TikTok.
You’ve put in the effort — with nothing to show for it
“The first sign is that you’re having trouble losing the weight,” Vyas said. “You know, you’ve tried all the fad diets and the influencer workouts, and you’re still having trouble losing the weight.”
Hormones are chemicals produced by the body that regulate metabolism, growth, reproduction and other processes.
Heathline reports that nine hormones significantly affect weight — insulin, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, estrogen, neuropeptide Y, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), cholecystokinin (CCK) and peptide YY (PYY).
For its part, cortisol is the primary stress hormone. Cortisol can slow your metabolism and trigger cravings, so you may not see weight loss results when stressed out.
You’ve got a beer belly or muffin top
Vyas warns of a “midsection fat pouch” that’s tough to shed.
For men, this could be due to a decrease in testosterone. Testosterone is key to maintaining muscle mass — muscle tissue burns more calories than fat tissue.
Fat tissue also contains the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen, potentially exacerbating hormonal imbalance.
For women, mid-section weight gain may be due to menopause. A decrease in estrogen can cause fat to be stored around the abdomen.
You’re gaining weight in your hips, thighs or butt
Estrogen is the primary culprit for weight gain in the hips, thighs and buttocks.
The ovaries produce less estrogen during perimenopause and menopause, spurring symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness and mood swings.
Menopause, which typically occurs between the ages of 45 and 55, is when a woman no longer gets a period — and it’s determinedwhen she hasn’t menstruated for 12 consecutive months.
Some women turn to hormone replacement therapy to replenish lost estrogen and relieve menopause symptoms.
You’re losing muscle
“No. 4 is you’re losing muscle, as in you try to work out and instead of gaining muscle, you end up with that flabby feel to yourself,” Vyas said.
Elevated cortisol levels can lead to muscle loss, as can low testosterone, estrogen and an underactive thyroid.
Your appetite is increasing
Ghrelin is the “hunger” hormone that signals the brain when it’s time to eat. Too much ghrelin can be caused by calorie restriction, not enough sleep or certain conditions such as anorexia or the metabolic syndrome cachexia.
Ghrelin levels can remain high even after losing a lot of weight, making it difficult to maintain the results.
