In 2005, almost 1/2 of the American adult population was trying to lose weight. With so many people struggling to shed excess body fat, there has been an increased focus on factors other than diet and exercise that may affect weight loss. Several hormones have an effect on how much food we eat and on the way that food is metabolized. While eating less and moving more is still the standard for successful weight loss, certain hormones can either facilitate the process or hinder it.
Feeding Control
Leptin, the "satiety hormone," is produced by body fat and travels through the bloodstream to the hypothalamus. It tells the brain that enough has been eaten and compensates by stopping food intake and boosting metabolism. Ghrelin, the "hunger hormone," is made in the stomach and acts in the opposite way, signaling to the brain that it's time to eat. Using leptin for weight loss has been researched, but obese people tend to be leptin-resistant due to long-term overeating that desensitizes leptin receptors in the brain.
Metabolic Control
Thyroid hormone and insulin are responsible for how easily food is either stored as fat or used as energy. Thyroid hormone regulates metabolic rate--higher levels of thyroid hormone increase metabolism and promote calorie expenditure. Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, is responsible for transporting sugar and carbohydrates from the bloodstream to be stored in body tissues. High insulin levels in the bloodstream promote fat storage and prevent fat burn.
Dieting Effects
Up to 64 percent of people who go on restrictive diets eventually regain more weight than they had lost. One hormone that may play a role in this trend is cortisol. Made by the adrenal gland, cortisol is a steroid hormone that releases glucose into the bloodstream. Cortisol levels increase with stress and starvation. Emotional stress caused by dieting, coupled with calorie restriction leads to high levels of cortisol releasing glucose into the blood. High blood glucose triggers the release of insulin, and chronically high insulin levels eventually lead to weight gain.
Methods
Two popular hormone-based weight-loss methods are cortisol blockers and HCG. Cortisol blockers claim to help you lose weight by blocking the weight-gaining effects of cortisol. Although cortisol control may be effective in people diagnosed with cortisol disorders, research has not shown that it is effective in the general population. The HCG diet uses human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone normally produced by the placenta during pregnancy, to induce weight loss. During pregnancy, HCG stimulates the release of fat stores to be used as nourishment for the growing fetus. The theory behind the diet is that taking HCG supplements will stimulate the release of body fat, but without the fetus, the released fat will suppress appetite and be used as energy. The HCG diet also involves a 500-calorie per day diet. Research studies have not produced solid evidence that using HCG is an effective method of weight loss.
Recommendations
Although hormones play a relatively small role in the bigger picture of weight loss, knowing how to control hormones like insulin and cortisol can be helpful for long-term weight management. Control your insulin levels by eating smaller, more frequent meals and by cutting excess sugar and carbohydrates from your diet. To prevent cortisol from hindering your weight loss, lose weight in a slow and steady manner and use stress management techniques like exercise and meditation.
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