Many people struggle with maintaining proper weight. However, weight management can be especially challenging the older you get. Studies show that a large majority of women gain weight between 35 and 55 years and can have difficulties getting rid of this weight.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle, eating right, and regular exercise are important for weight loss. However, many people forget or do not understand the role that hormones play when it comes to weight management, especially right before and during menopause.
During these life-changing phases, your hormones can get out of whack, and no matter how much dieting or exercising you do, you may still gain extra weight, which never seems to go away.
In particular, researchers have found that too little estrogen, testosterone, and estrogen, or excessive cortisol can cause unnecessary and stubborn weight gain.
Hormone therapy can help to restore balance, help with weight management, and boost your energy level even as your body and mind age.
Read on to learn more about the relationship between hormones and weight and how bio-identical hormones can help you manage your weight better.
What Are Bio-identical Hormones
Boosting your hormone levels can help you lose age-related weight. Fortunately, although age causes a decline in hormones, this process is reversible with hormone therapy.
On the downside, you cannot restore hormonal balance with nutrient supplements or by eating certain foods. The most effective way to increase your hormone levels and restore balance is through the intake of hormone supplements.
Bio-identical hormones are hormone supplements extracted from plants. These supplements have a similar molecular structure to the hormones produced in the human body.
Additionally, plant-based bio-identical hormones also have the same benefits as the hormones the body produces naturally. Because these hormone supplements are natural, the body metabolizes them easily.
Hormones and Weight Gain
As mentioned earlier, as many as 90% of women gain unwanted weight between ages 35 and 55.
Right before menopause, some women gain between 10 and 15 pounds and proceed to gain at least one pound each year. Early onset of menopause can, however, increase the rate of weight gain.
Weight gain related to menopause, especially due to imbalances in the androgen hormone, tends to appear around the abdomen.
In the period right before menopause and during menopause, your body endures significant hormone fluctuations. These drastic changes affect your appetite, metabolism, and body’s ability to store and redistribute fat.
Below are examples of the hormones that are impacted the most before and during menopause:
Estrogen: During menopause, your estrogen levels may diminish, which can stop the process of ovulation. This decline in estrogen levels in your ovaries encourages your body to look for other sources of energy, such as fat cells. To make up for the declining amounts of estrogen, your body begins to convert calories into fat, resulting in weight gain.
Progesterone: Menopause can also cause a decline in the levels of progesterone. However, low levels of progesterone do not cause weight gain but instead cause your body to retain more water. As a result, you will feel more bloated and look heavier.
Testosterone: Testosterone plays an important role in helping you build and maintain muscles, which in turn boosts metabolism, and helps to burn calories. Testosterone decreases during menopause, causing your body to lose muscle mass, which results in low metabolism and weight gain.
Stress and insulin resistance: The combination of stress and insulin resistance can make weight loss particularly difficult during menopause.
Sometimes, the body incorrectly converts all calories into fat, resulting in insulin resistance. With time, your body begins to reject the insulin produced in your blood, increasing the risk of weight gain.
Excessive stress triggers a fight or flight mechanism in your body, which causes the body to store more fat in case of an emergency. This inevitably results in unwanted weight gain.
Bio-Identical Hormones and Weight Loss
Hormone replacement therapy using bio-identical hormones has been found to help with body fat redistribution and weight management.
For example, intake of bio-identical estrogen hormones boosts the production of leptin, a protein hormone that regulates fat storage in the body. Leptin makes you feel fuller for longer so you eat less and burn calories faster.
Bio-identical testosterone can boost the formation of lean muscles and increase energy levels.
Other benefits of hormone replacement therapy include:
- Strengthening of the bones
- Better sleep
- Minimizing stress and anxiety
- Improving memory
- Boosting your libido
- Balancing your menstrual cycle
- Mitigating adverse menopause symptoms
- Improving urinary and vaginal health
Summary
Hormones and weight are related. A slight hormonal imbalance can have adverse implications for your weight.
In addition to eating healthy foods and exercising regularly, consider hormone replacement therapy using bio-identical hormone supplements to restore hormonal balance, which will, in turn, minimize unnecessary weight gain especially before and during menopause.
Bio-identical hormone therapy is non-invasive, safe, and natural. Your doctor will prescribe a hormone supplements dosage based on your current hormone level.