Can Hormone Replacement Therapy Help You Lose Weight?
With aging and stress, you can develop a hormonal
imbalance that can cause weight gain. For most people, a decrease in hormone
production starts from 40 to 50 years, but it can start earlier.
Initial symptoms can be subtle, but they can only
get worse if not attended to. As hormones shift, you may start to notice muscle
loss and rapid weight gain. And while you may be determined to shed the extra
weight and stay fit, your body may not respond to diet and exercise because the
hormone balance is off.
While this can be frustrating, hormone therapy
solutions can restore the balance necessary for a healthy life. While there are
split views about the effectiveness of hormone therapy, you need to understand
the facts before you make a decision.
Hormones Affect Body Weight Regulation
Produced by the endocrine glands, hormones are
vital chemicals in your body that guide various systems' functions. Typically,
various hormones affect how your body regulates weight, and a decline in
hormone levels can lead to weight gain. Here are some of the hormones
associated with weight regulation:
- Thyroid-
Regulates metabolism and low amounts are associated with low metabolism
and decreased ability to burn calories.
- Estrogen-
A decline triggers lower metabolic rates and increased fat accumulation.
- Cortisol-
Often produced in large amounts when you're under stress and high levels
promote fat storage.
- Dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA)- Regulates metabolism and fat storage; therefore, decreased amounts
lead to weight gain.
- Testosterone
-Inhibits fat storage and low levels lead to fat accumulation in the
abdomen.
- Pregnenolone-
Regulates other hormones to ensure optimum systems functioning.
What Causes Hormone Imbalances
Your hormones can get out of balance for several
reasons, and while hormone production often declines with age, it is not the
only reason. Having a demanding, fast-paced career, unhealthy diets, lack of
enough rest and health conditions can cause mental and physical stress, which
eventually affects your hormonal system.
Your body interprets some of these stressors as
threats and responds by producing cortisol to protect you. But if you are
constantly stressed, it will be hard for your body to satisfy the high demand
for cortisol. Often, the body starts converting available progesterone to
cortisol, and this can lead to estrogen dominance.
Naturally, endocrine glands produce fewer hormones
as you age, but they can also produce exact amounts at slower rates. For
instance, the onset of menopause comes with declined levels of estrogen, while
andropause triggers a gradual decline of testosterone.
Hormone Therapy for Weight Loss
Hormone therapy can help restore the balance of
your hormones and reverse unwanted symptoms like weight gain
and chronic fatigue. Most importantly, it also helps your body hold off most
serious health conditions that come with low hormones.
Hormone therapy is based on synthetic hormones or
bioidentical hormones. The former are prescription medications, while the
latter are molecularly similar to hormones produced by your body. Initially,
synthetic drugs were the most preferred hormone therapy solutions; they have become
less popular. This is after some clinical trials reported underlying health
risks. While both methods can be effective, studies show that bioidentical
hormones are more effective, safer, and have few undesirable side effects.
Treatment varies depending on individual
conditions and requirements. For most men and women looking to lose weight,
testosterone therapy may be the primary focus. However, women may need
additional therapies, including estradiol.
How Hormone Therapy Works
Hormone therapy can make a huge difference in
your body functions and overall wellbeing. This process involves a review of
your medical history before running tests to assess hormone levels. Depending
on the test results, a personalized therapy is designed to provide exact
amounts of hormones needed in your body. This approach is essential as it helps
avoid the occurrence of health conditions linked to excess hormones.
Typically, you can notice the difference within a
few days, but peak absorption of hormones takes about 4 to 5 weeks.
While hormone therapy can restore optimal body
functions, it's not a replacement for a healthy lifestyle, exercise, and diet.
The therapy is meant to help your body regulate weight and quickly respond to
weight loss measures. And since your body has slowed down on hormone
production, stopping hormone therapy can trigger a rebound weight gain.
Before you stop, discuss with your therapist about appropriate diet and
exercise measures to maintain a healthy weight.
Final
Words
Hormones play a critical role in weight
regulation, and a decline in production levels can jeopardize weight loss
efforts. When diet and lifestyle changes become inadequate for stubborn weight
gain, hormone therapy can be your best shot for getting back in shape.
However, most therapy solutions work in tandem with weight loss diets and workout regimes. Besides, healthy habits can go a long way in reducing other health conditions related to hormone imbalance. For more information regarding bio-identical hormones and HRT, please visit https://varmedicine.com/
CONTACT US
(727) 771-3915
2595 Tampa Rd Ste P, Palm Harbor FL 34684
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