Balancing the Scales? Learn How Hormonal Weight Gain & Loss Works

Does your weight fluctuate frequently? Hormones might be at play. Various glands in your body, such as the pituitary, thyroid, and adrenal glands, secrete chemical signals that enter your bloodstream and reach different tissues and organs to carry out essential functions. Hormones influence nearly every aspect of health, from mood and metabolism to growth and sexual function. So, an imbalance — too much or too little of a hormone — can have a noticeable impact on your health, including your body weight.

In the realm of weight loss, nutrition and physical activity typically play the leading roles. But to truly understand weight management, it's important to consider the role hormones play. Hormones such as leptin, insulin, oestrogens, androgens (including testosterone), and growth hormones play a vital part in controlling appetite, metabolism, and how the body accumulates fat. They directly influence how your body handles hunger, digestion, and fat distribution — crucial factors for weight management.

Even small hormonal imbalances can make losing weight more challenging. So, if you're finding it tough to shed those pounds despite eating well and exercising, it might be time to take a closer look at your hormones. For instance, fluctuations in oestrogen levels, whether elevated or diminished, can cause weight gain related to hormones or make losing weight more challenging. Similarly, hormones like cortisol, thyroid hormones, and leptin also have a big impact on weight loss efforts.
A study conducted on the adult population in India found that mean TSH serum levels were significantly elevated with higher BMI.

Understanding how hormones impact weight is key to managing both weight gain and loss effectively. Here are some of the major hormones that play a role in shaping your weight management journey.

Insulin, produced by your pancreas, is the body’s main storage hormone, helping convert food into energy. Following meals, insulin transports glucose (the sugar derived from food) into muscle, liver, and fat cells for either energy use or storage, based on the requirements of your body. It’s released in small amounts throughout the day and in larger amounts after eating.

However, when the body can’t use insulin effectively, a condition known as insulin resistance occurs. This results in your cells not responding correctly to insulin, which causes glucose to accumulate in the bloodstream and leads to raised blood sugar levels. To compensate, your pancreas cranks out even more insulin, but it still can’t move glucose into your cells, which can contribute to weight gain.

Insulin resistance is commonly linked to obesity and can increase the likelihood of developing conditions like cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and diabetes. But there’s good news: improving insulin sensitivity — the opposite of resistance — is possible with some simple lifestyle changes.

• Exercise regularly: Both high and moderate-intensity workouts are proven to help reduce insulin resistance and improve insulin sensitivity.
• Get better sleep: Poor sleep is linked to obesity and insulin resistance. Focus on getting quality rest for better overall health.
• Increase omega-3s: Omega-3 can help improve insulin sensitivity, especially in those with conditions like diabetes. Try adding more fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils to your diet.
• Adopt a Mediterranean diet: Consuming additional vegetables and healthy fats from sources like nuts and extra virgin olive oil may aid in lowering insulin resistance. Cut down on saturated and trans fats too.
• Maintain a moderate weight: Healthy weight loss or weight management can improve insulin sensitivity, especially for those who are overweight.
• Focus on low glycaemic, high-fibre carbs: Instead of cutting carbs completely, choose ones that are low glycaemic and high in fibre, like whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Leptin is your body’s ‘fullness’ hormone. It sends signals to your brain — specifically the hypothalamus, which controls appetite — that you’re full and should stop eating.

But here’s the catch: in people with obesity, leptin resistance can develop. This means your brain doesn’t get the ‘I’m full’ message, which can lead to overeating. As a result, your body keeps producing more leptin, causing levels to rise even further.

The exact cause of leptin resistance isn’t fully understood, but it’s thought to be linked to factors like inflammation, gene mutations, or the body making too much leptin, often in response to obesity.

• Maintain a healthy weight: Since leptin resistance is linked to obesity, keeping a healthy weight may help. Studies also suggest that reducing body fat can lower leptin levels.
• Improve sleep quality: Leptin levels are often tied to sleep quality, especially in people with obesity. While this link may not apply to everyone, there are plenty of other benefits to prioritising good sleep.
• Exercise regularly: Regular physical activity slashes leptin levels and promotes a balanced hormone profile.

Ghrelin, the antithesis of leptin — is the hormone that tells your brain, specifically the hypothalamus, that your stomach is empty and it’s time to eat. Its primary job is to boost your appetite.

Typically, ghrelin levels peak just before meals and drop after you’ve eaten.

Interestingly, research shows that people with obesity tend to have lower ghrelin levels but are more sensitive to its effects, which can increase the tendency to overeat.

One of the reasons weight loss may be challenging is that calorie restriction usually boosts ghrelin levels, leaving you feeling hungrier. At the same time, metabolism slows down, and leptin levels drop, making it even tougher to keep the weight off.

• Maintain a moderate weight: Obesity can increase your sensitivity to ghrelin, which may ramp up your appetite.
• Aim for quality sleep: Lack of sleep can increase ghrelin production, which may result in overeating and subsequent weight gain.
• Eat when you're hungry: Ghrelin naturally spikes before meals, so listen to your body and eat at regular intervals.

Oestrogen is known for regulating the female reproductive system, but it does more than just that. It also supports immunity, bone health, and heart health. Oestrogen levels fluctuate throughout different life stages and menstrual cycles. They also shift during pregnancy or breastfeeding and dip with age, perimenopause, and menopause.

When oestrogen levels are high (often in people with obesity), there’s an increased risk for certain cancers and chronic conditions. Conversely, low oestrogen levels, which happen with age and menopause, can lead to weight gathering around the midsection, known as central obesity. This shift can bring along issues like high blood sugar and elevated blood pressure and even raise the risk of heart disease.

The good news? Keeping a balanced, healthy weight can go a long way towards managing these risks and supporting overall health.

• Keep an eye on your weight: Weight management can lower the risk of heart disease linked to low oestrogen, especially in women between the ages of 55 and 75. Research also supports that maintaining a healthy weight helps reduce the risk of chronic diseases overall.
• Make exercise a habit: Low oestrogen can make workouts feel tougher, but staying active during times like menopause is still crucial for weight management and overall health.
• Eat a balanced diet: High intake of red meat, processed foods, sweets, and refined grains may raise oestrogen levels, increasing the risk of chronic disease. Consider limiting these foods for a healthier balance.

Cortisol, commonly referred to as the hormone linked to stress, is secreted by the adrenal glands. When stress hits, cortisol and adrenaline jump into action, raising your heart rate and energy levels — a response we know as ‘fight or flight’.

While cortisol is essential for helping us respond to immediate threats, consistently high cortisol levels can become problematic. Long-term stress and higher cortisol levels are linked to various health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, fatigue, high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, and potential weight gain.

Lifestyle habits play a huge role here. Poor sleep, chronic stress, and diets heavy in high-glycaemic foods can all contribute to elevated cortisol. And there’s a tough cycle involved: Obesity can raise cortisol levels, while high cortisol can also lead to weight gain, creating a negative feedback loop.

• Prioritise quality sleep: Chronic sleep issues like insomnia, sleep apnoea, and irregular sleep patterns can drive up cortisol. Try to build a consistent bedtime routine and keep a regular sleep schedule.
• Exercise regularly: Engaging in intense exercise may cause a temporary spike in cortisol levels; however, maintaining a consistent workout regimen can lead to a gradual decrease in these levels by alleviating stress and enhancing overall health.
• Practise mindfulness: Research shows that mindfulness practices, like meditation, can help reduce cortisol levels. Aim to add a few mindful minutes to your daily routine.
• Maintain a healthy weight: Having a healthy weight can aid you in managing cortisol levels, as obesity can increase cortisol, which in turn may cause weight gain.
• Follow a balanced diet: Diets with refined grains, saturated fats, and added sugars in large quantities can raise cortisol levels, whereas a Mediterranean diet that includes whole grains and healthy fats may help reduce them.

Recognising how hormones influence weight control is essential for reaching and sustaining a healthy weight. Hormones like insulin, leptin, ghrelin, oestrogen, and cortisol have a powerful influence on appetite, metabolism, fat storage, and overall health. When hormonal imbalances occur, they can hinder weight loss efforts and lead to weight gain as well as long-term health issues.

If you suspect your hormones are affecting your weight, it’s important to consult with a healthcare professional to explore the potential for imbalances. Improving your hormone levels through lifestyle adjustments — like a nutritious diet, regular physical activity, sufficient sleep, and handling stress effectively — can enhance your weight loss efforts and lower the likelihood of chronic diseases.

Hormones regulate appetite, metabolism, and fat storage, directly impacting weight loss. Imbalances in hormones like insulin, leptin, ghrelin, oestrogen, and cortisol can make it harder to lose weight, even with proper diet and exercise. For example, insulin resistance and leptin resistance can prevent weight loss, while imbalances in cortisol and oestrogen can lead to weight gain.

Stress and sleep are key to hormonal balance. Persistent stress increases cortisol production, which may contribute to weight gain. Poor sleep disrupts hormones like ghrelin (increases appetite) and leptin (signals fullness), making hunger harder to control. Prioritising good sleep and managing stress helps keep hormones in balance and supports weight management.

Managing hormonal imbalances starts with lifestyle changes. Eat a balanced diet with whole foods, exercise regularly, get 7-9 hours of sleep, and reduce stress. These habits can regulate hormones like insulin, cortisol, and leptin. If you suspect a hormonal issue, consult a healthcare provider for personalised guidance.

To effectively manage hormones for weight loss, prioritise a nutritious diet, consistent physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress reduction techniques. These habits regulate insulin, cortisol, and leptin, which influence weight loss. If needed, a healthcare professional can provide specific support for imbalances.

If you’re gaining weight despite eating well and exercising, hormonal imbalances could be to blame. Symptoms like unexplained weight gain, fatigue, or hunger may indicate an imbalance in hormones like insulin, leptin, or thyroid hormones. Consult a healthcare provider for advice.