Are you struggling to lose weight despite feeling like you are doing everything right? Maybe you started a nutrition plan or are working with a personal trainer, have tried laser treatments or even jumped on the GLP1- RA injections, but the weight doesn’t feel like it’s budging. Have you considered a hormone imbalance may be causing either weight gain or inability to lose weight.

Excess weight can be due to either poor diet and lifestyle or more complicated hormone imbalance. Some of the key hormones that contribute to weight gain are cortisol, thyroid and sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA ).

Cortisol, also known as your stress hormone, has many different functions, one of them acts to regulate blood sugar levels. Have you ever been under a lot of stress and noticed you crave more sugar or the weight creeps on, particularly in the midsection? This can be caused by  HPA-axis dysfunction which is chronic dysregulation of the cortisol hormone, due to prolonged stress over a period of time.

Cortisol is produced by the adrenal glands, which is a gland that produces both neurotransmitters and hormones responsible for may function in the human body. Its role in regulating the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system touches every cell in the body.

Many lifestyle factors can contribute to the imbalance of cortisol, such as poor diet (excessive caffeine, highly processed foods, lack of essential vitamins/minerals and antioxidants, excessive sugar/processed white flour products), lack of sleep, stress (financial, work, marital) smoking, environmental toxins, inappropriate amount of exercise (both too much or too little), childhood trauma’s, emotional stress, fear’s etc.

Symptoms of Dysregulated Cortisol:

The thyroid gland is another key player in both maintaining a healthy weight and ability to lose weight as it controls both body temperature and metabolism. Even slight under function of this gland or suboptimal levels of these hormones can make it very difficult to lose weight.

There are a number of key nutrients responsible for having a healthy thyroid function, including iodine, tyrosine, iron and selenium. Certain medications, lifestyle (process foods, crash diets), or environmental toxicities may impact these micronutrients and your thyroid function. Comprehensive lab testing to evaluate your thyroid function should include TSH, fT4, and fT3. If you are noticing any of the below symptoms it may be time to have your thyroid levels checked.

Symptoms of Dysregulated Thyroid Hormones:

Changes in sex hormones such as estradiol, progesterone, testosterone and DHEAs as we transition through perimenopause, menopause, post-partum or even with such hormone related conditions as PCOS, endometriosis can impact our ability to lose weight or cause weight gain particularly in the abdomens and hips. Imbalances in estrogen and progesterone or dropping of testosterone levels can influence our appetite, ability to gain muscle, metabolism and have a direct impact on our adipose tissue. 

While these below symptoms are common and often considered normal, they are in actuality your body’s way of signaling a change has occurred and should be investigated further. Hormonal changes and imbalances can be detected through lab testing (blood, urinary and salivary) and can be correct through lifestyle modifications, herbal remedies, liver and gut support as well as BHRT (bioidentical hormone replacement therapy).

Symptoms of Dysregulated Sex Hormones:

To find out if hormone imbalances may be contributing to your weight gain or inability to lose weight, book a naturopathic consultation with lab testing at AE.R Skinlab.