If you have a bad lifestyle and eating habits, expect to gain weight over a few months. The increase in weight will happen over an extended time. However, it is possible to gain weight in a reasonably short time even if you are maintaining an active lifestyle. One of the leading causes of such weight changes is hormonal imbalances.

Hormones are a vital aspect of body function regulation. They are essential in managing your metabolism, intake of nutrients, and controlling blood sugar and blood pressure. They affect your appetite and how hungry you feel throughout the day. These changes affect both women and men despite the varying differences in biology.

Symptoms of Hormonal Weight Gain

Weight gain from hormones can happen due to an imbalance of different hormones. Because of this, the symptoms of hormonal weight gain can have a wide range. However, these are the most common symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance:

• Fatigue.
• Irregular heartbeat.
• Frequent urination.
• Insomnia.
• Frequent tremors or sweating.
• Depression.
• Constipation.
• A constant thirst that will not resolve.
• Brain fog.
• Acne.

Body Areas Affected by Weight Gain

Despite both men and women experiencing weight gain due to hormonal imbalances, their bodies respond differently. Men's bodies will start to collect fat in the abdominal area. On the other hand, women's bodies collect fat in the thighs and hips when they are premenopausal. However, postmenopausal women will gain weight like men—in the belly area. 

Hormones That Cause Weight Gain

Estrogen

Estrogen is more commonly understood as a reproductive hormone in women. While this is its most popular function, it influences other aspects of your body's function.
 

Estrogen itself does not cause weight gain directly; rather, its influence on other functions is affected, leading to changes in weight. Some functions it influences are energy, metabolism, fat distribution, appetite, and inflammation. 

Cortisol

Cortisol is the stress hormone that manages fight-or-flight responses. Produced in the adrenal glands, it helps regulate sleep cycles, blood sugar, inflammation, and metabolism. High cortisol levels due to stress or medical issues will affect your weight. Scientists have found a link between high levels and abdominal obesity. 

Leptin

Leptin is a hormone that affects the brain stem and the hypothalamus. Secreted by fat cells, it controls the feeling of satiety or fullness through appetite. It alerts the body when the energy stores in the fat and liver decline. While leptin levels are consistent with fat deposits, some obese people resist the hormone.

Ghrelin

Another hormone that affects your appetite is ghrelin. This hormone is secreted in the stomach, specifically the gastrointestinal tract. It works with the hypothalamus to control your hunger levels and appetite. Moreover, it stimulates the growth of muscle mass by signaling the pituitary gland to release the growth hormone.

Insulin

Another essential hormone that affects weight gain is insulin. Produced in the pancreas, it helps your body's cells absorb glucose from the blood. Insulin resistance can produce more fat cells as glucose does not make it to the cells. This condition is common in people with type 2 diabetes.

For more on the signs of hormonal weight gain, visit Full Life at our office in Nashville, Tennessee. Call (615) 805-5600 to book an appointment today.