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signalling between hormones and the brain can malfunction, making it harder to lose weight due to increased hunger and cravings.
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this article was produced by the healthing editorial team with the support of a grant from aquaomega. while aquaomega made the production of this article possible, they did not have any editorial influence or control over the content, including review prior to publication.
losing weight is a challenge, even in the best of circumstances. many physiological processes must function properly for weight loss to occur. one such aspect is hormones, and several play a role in weight loss and weight management by affecting appetite, fat storage, and metabolic health.
hunger and satiety hormones
hunger hormones are produced in various areas, including the stomach, small intestine, pancreas and brain. the main hunger hormone, ghrelin, plays a role in many actions related to weight management, such as stimulating appetite and helping the body store fat. these hormones also trigger the release of growth hormones from the pituitary gland, control blood sugar and insulin resistance, and protect and promote strong muscles, bone formation and the proper function of the metabolism.
however, if the body’s production of that hormone becomes dysregulated, hunger signals can be affected. there are several reasons why ghrelin may not be functioning as it should, including:
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- obesity
- gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (ibd), irritable bowel syndrome (ibs), gastritis and functional dyspepsia
- eating disorders
- celiac disease
- prader-willi syndrome
- dehydration
in these cases, the role it plays in appetite signaling and weight loss can be negatively affected.
satiety hormones, including leptin and glucagon-like peptide 1 (glp-1), signal to the brain that the stomach is full, reducing hunger. leptin, specifically, ensures that the body uses fat stores for energy when there are sufficient fat stores to keep energy in balance. glp-1, a hormone produced in the gut that helps regulate blood sugar levels, can also slow gastric emptying, making people feel fuller for longer.
both are released after eating, with glp-1 being a faster-acting hormone within 15 minutes of consuming food and leptin increasing roughly four to seven hours after a meal. they work in tandem to ensure satiety signals are sent at the right times.
these hormones can aid in weight loss when they’re functioning appropriately, but when they’re not, they can make weight loss more difficult. leptin might stop working for several reasons, such as obesity, chronic inflammation and weight loss.
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in the case of obesity, high levels of fat cells lead to a higher level of leptin production, which can cause the brain to become resistant to the signaling. obesity can also make it more difficult for leptin to cross the blood-brain barrier, making it harder for the signal to be received.
chronic inflammation that often develops due to a high-fat diet can disrupt the pathway between the hormone and the brain, leading to a lack of brain response when leptin is produced. lastly, when a person begins losing weight, leptin production stalls, leading the brain to think that it’s hungry even when the body doesn’t require any more sustenance.
glp-1 can also fail to work properly in the body, making it harder to lose weight because of:
- chronic stress
- poor sleep quality
- low fibre intake
- obesity, diabetes or insulin resistance
fat storage hormones
hormones that influence fat storage will also affect weight-loss efforts. two important hormones involved in fat storage include cortisol and insulin. cortisol, the stress hormone, has a hand in the proper functioning of the stress response, metabolism, immune function and the sleep-wake cycle.
when cortisol levels rise and fall throughout the day as they should, the hormone won’t affect your ability to lose weight. however, if you’re chronically stressed and, in turn, experience consistently high cortisol levels, the hormone signals the body to hold on to fat, regardless of your diet and exercise efforts. it does this by:
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- raising blood sugar levels
- relocating fat from other areas of the body to the midsection
- increasing cravings for unhealthy foods while making you feel hungrier
- reducing brown fat, which helps to burn fat
cortisol also slows down bodily processes because, evolutionarily, the hormone was designed to help you survive immediate threats to life. this includes metabolism: when cortisol is high, it slows down, leading to less weight loss.
insulin, often considered the primary fat-storage hormone, helps cells use glucose for energy, including the muscles, liver and fat. if there is too much insulin, or the body doesn’t respond to insulin as it should (insulin resistance), this process becomes dysregulated.
in the case of too much insulin, which can arise if your body does not register the insulin being produced, so more is made to meet the needs of glucose regulation, the body begins to store fat instead of burning it because it believes it needs to conserve energy for physiological processes.
reproductive hormones
hormones that you wouldn’t think play a role in weight management or weight loss, such as reproductive hormones estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and androgens, can all make weight loss efforts more challenging if they are not found in the body in adequate levels.
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in females, estrogen and progesterone are found in higher amounts. estrogen encourages proper fat storage and metabolic function, with progesterone working to balance out the effects of estrogen to ensure that everything is running smoothly. if either hormone level is off balance, it can lead to difficulty losing weight and increased fat storage.
in males, testosterone is tasked with regulating fat loss, fat distribution and muscle mass. if a male has low levels of testosterone, they can experience higher levels of abdominal fat and a slower metabolism, making it harder to lose weight.
higher levels of male hormones in females, specifically androgens, are often linked to certain conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (pcos). they can also make it harder to lose weight and cause weight gain. the weight gained tends to accumulate in the abdominal area as well. insulin resistance is also a higher risk in females with excess androgens, causing a two-fold issue with weight loss.
thyroid hormones
thyroid hormones affect your basal metabolic rate (bmr), which is how many calories you burn at rest. when thyroid hormones are low, the level of calories you burn at rest decreases, leading to difficulty losing weight because your body isn’t burning as many calories as you may think. this is often referred to as hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid.
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while these hormones aren’t typically imbalanced for no reason, the symptoms are often vague, so it can go undiagnosed in some cases. an underactive thyroid can develop because of various other health factors, including the presence of autoimmune disease, radiation therapy or the removal of the thyroid gland.
restoring hormone balance for weight loss
when hormones become imbalanced, it can make it feel impossible for people to reach their goal weights. that said, there are ways to address hormonal issues that can restore balance.
the first step is to find out which hormone is causing the issue by seeing your health-care provider, then develop a treatment plan that works best. things that you can do in the meantime that can help with all hormonal imbalances, include:
- eating a healthy diet rich in whole foods, high fibre and protein
- getting seven to nine hours of high-quality sleep every night
- managing your stress
- exercising regularly
- looking into certain supplements that can help with insulin resistance.
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