Hormone imbalances occur when you have too little or too much of a particular hormone. This condition can make losing weight a challenge. Hormones are chemical messengers that cause the body to make certain changes, Weightlossforall.com explains. Hormones are often affected by our lifestyles and choices, so a decrease in activity can alter your hormonal makeup, leading to unwanted pounds.
Hormone Imbalance
A hormonal imbalance occurs with overproduction or underproduction of specific hormones in the body. Hormone levels naturally change as male and female adolescents go through puberty, and fluctuating hormone levels sometimes affect females after pregnancy and during menopause. One of the most commonly affected hormones is estrogen, considered to be a female hormone. However, Replenishhormones.com cautions that men can suffer hormonal imbalances, too, for example, if there is a decline in testosterone.
Causes
Activity levels can directly affect hormone levels. Lousie O'Connor, a naturopath and wellness coach, points out that some overweight women have a hormone imbalance, usually linked to high estrogen levels. Similarly, overweight men might have hormone imbalances because of too much testosterone being converted into estrogen. In both cases, it is hard to lose weight.
Womenhealthzone.com notes that depression, endometriosis, osteoporosis and the use of oral contraceptives can lead to hormone imbalances. Birth control pills especially can affect hormones by lowering progesterone levels. And regardless of gender, hormone changes can result from stress and aging, according to Replenishhormones.com.
Weight and Hormone Imbalances
Hormones change day to day and affect your metabolism and energy levels. Some changes in hormonal balance are the result of the body adapting to specific levels of activity. For example, testosterone decreases as the level of activity decreases. Bottom line: If you lead a more sedentary life, you will struggle to lose weight.
Treatment and Adjustment
Hormone replacement therapy is one treatment option. For women, one form is a self-administered estrogen replacement, and the second is a combination of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones, however, come with side effects, such as spotting, headaches, dizziness, blood clots and stroke.
A more active lifestyle can alter hormone levels for the better. Regular exercise forces the body to adapt to the increase in stress. Chemical reactions speed up, a process that boosts the metabolism and leads to weight loss.
Antidepressants can help aid hormone imbalances brought on by depression, but weight gain can be a side effect of certain medications.
Conclusion
It is possible to have a hormonal imbalance that has nothing to do with level of activity, but regular exercise will force the body to produce hormones that boost metabolism, ultimately leading to weight loss. Hormones directly affect metabolism, and if your metabolism begins to function at a slower rate or experiences a disruption due to changing activity levels, weight gain can occur. Subsequent lower hormone production can cause weight loss to be difficult.
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