Hormones, Thyroid & Weight Management

Weight gain & obesity affect 69% of us. Testing can reveal whether hormones are the root cause of your weight gain.

Many know that maintaining an ideal weight is difficult despite the best efforts with diet and exercise. What most don’t know is that an undetected hormone imbalance can be the missing link – sabotaging our hard work to stay slim.

What’s the Connection?

Hormones are key players in regulating weight, metabolism, blood sugar, insulin, and when and where the body stores fat. As we age, shifting hormones trigger numerous symptoms of imbalance – including unexplained weight gain.

Hormones & Weight Management

HORMONES & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT How Hormone Imbalance Leads to Weight Gain

CDC reports over third of American adults are obese

Highest prevalence in women & men over 40

Diet & exercise are critical

HORMONES also play a significant role

6. Learn 5 KEY WAYS that hormones affect weight

Chronic stress triggers blood sugar imbalances & weight gain – belly fat in particular
Excesses of estrogen & cortisol inhibit thyroid function, leading to stalled weight loss
Chronically elevated insulin levels pave the way to Type 2 diabetes
Vitamin D deficiency is linked to increased abdominal fat
Too much estrogen relative to progesterone makes it tough to lose those last 10-20 pounds

What is Included in the Profile?

Estradiol (E2)

at optimal physiological levels in women promotes a healthy distribution of fat in hips, thighs, breasts, and subcutaneously. However, in excess, and in the absence of progesterone, estrogen predisposes to unhealthy surplus weight gain in these tissues. Men generally have much lower levels of estradiol and higher testosterone, which is responsible for greater muscle mass and less fat distribution in areas of the body normally seen in women. In overweight men, testosterone levels drop, and estrogens rise leading to the same problematic weight gain in the hips, thighs, and breasts (referred to as gynecomastia) as seen in women.

Progesterone (Pg)

in addition to its primary role in attenuating the effects of excess estrogen in the body by downregulating estrogen receptors, aids weight management by acting as a natural diuretic. Its natural calming effects in the brain may also reduce stress-related overeating and food cravings. As a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, progesterone counteracts the effects of mineralocorticoid activation, which include the stimulation of fat cell formation, increased body weight, and release of inflammatory cytokines. However, excessive supplementation with progesterone to higher than normal levels can increase appetite and slows the rate of food emptying from the stomach and moving through the digestive tract, causing slower digestion and bloating.

Vitamin D (D2, D3)

Deficiency is common in obesity and particularly associated with hyperinsulinemia and visceral fat. Whether by cause or effect, identifying and correcting vitamin D3 deficiency may improve insulin sensitivity.

Fasting Insulin (In)

when elevated, is a marker of insulin resistance which precedes metabolic syndrome, PCOS, and type 2 diabetes. Increased levels, particularly in concert with cortisol lead to central obesity and increased inflammatory and other cardiovascular disease markers. Hyperinsulinemia also contributes to decreased testosterone levels in men, but increased testosterone and decreased ovulation in women.

Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)

is an indirect measure of the average circulating glucose levels over the previous three months. An HbA1c of more than 6% is predictive of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk.

Fasting Insulin

insulin resistance, abdominal obesity

HbA1c

predictive of type 2 diabetes

TSH elevated

hypothyroidism, low metabolic rate, obesity

Cortisol (C)

imbalances can create problems with blood sugar control, sleep patterns, appetite, food cravings, and tolerance exercise. Under stress, excessive cortisol production particularly in concert with insulin, promotes fat storage in abdominal adipose tissue. This visceral type of fat is closely associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome and thus more hazardous to health. Chronically elevated cortisol is a known risk factor for pre-diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)

elevations, even within the high-normal range, are linked with hypothyroidism, low metabolic rate and obesity. Hypothyroidism is linked to elevated cortisol and can also be a consequence of oral estrogen therapy, which increases the production of binding proteins that reduce thyroid hormone bioavailability.

Testosterone (T)

and DHEA-S (DS) are androgens that increase lean muscle mass and metabolic rate. As androgen levels decline, muscle mass also decreases with a corresponding increase in adiposity. Low androgens can also reduce vitality and tolerance for exercise. Weight gain itself, with its resulting hormone imbalances, can trigger a drop in testosterone as the aromatase enzyme within fat tissue converts androgens to estrogens. In men this contributes to a female type body fat distribution, including breast tissue development. In women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), high testosterone and DHEA are linked to insulin resistance and weight gain, particularly in the abdomen.

Estrogen/progesterone imbalance

weight gain in hips, thighs; water retention; low thyroid/metabolism

Testosterone/DHEA imbalance

decreased lean muscle, low metabolic rate; abdominal obesity

Cortisol imbalance

increased appetite, sugar cravings, and belly fat; inhibits thyroid and metabolism

Vitamin D3 deficiency

hyperinsulinemia; visceral fat

HORMONE BALANCE: The Key to Health

Most hormones are produced by a group of glands known collectively as the endocrine system. Even though these glands are located in various parts of the body, they are considered one system because of their similar functions and relationship to each other.

Hormones are secreted into the bloodstream by these glands. From there, they travel to all parts of the body playing the role of chemical messengers turning specific target tissues on or off. Because they can’t be stored in the cells, hormones do their work as they pass through and then they’re gone. As a result, hormones must be made and released at the precise time they’re needed. To keep things functioning at their best, the body must constantly fine-tune hormone release to keep levels within proper limits.

Because of the complexity of these interactions, a hormonal imbalance rarely stems from only one type of hormone. More often, the problem involves a series of hormones that are out of balance. In addition, a disruption in the balance of hormones produced by one gland or set of glands can cause other glands or systems to dysfunction. Before you know it, you’re feeling miserable on multiple fronts.

Hormonal links to weight gain

Estrogen Dominance

Weight gain in hips, thighs, breasts
High Estrogen - Low Progesterone

Androgen Imbalance

Loss of lean muscle / fat replaces
Low Testosterone- Low DHEA

Thyroid Deficiency

Overall gain / low metabolism
High TSH - Low T3 & T4

Vitamin D Deficiency

Visceral fat gain
Low Vitamin D2 – Low Vitamin D3

Insulin Resistance/Metabolic Syndrome

Weight gain in abdomen
High Insulin-High Cortisol -High HbA1c -High Stress

Common causes of insulin resistance

sedentary lifestyle -hormonal imbalance -obesity -poor diet -poor sleep -smoking

Common hormone-related causes of weight gain
often involve the following scenarios

Estrogen & Progesterone Imbalances

Result in weight gain in hips and thighs, water retention & sluggish metabolism

Low Testosterone or DHEA

Lead to decreased lean muscle and increased body fat, decreased metabolic rate & abdominal obesity

High Cortisol

Results in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, feeling tired but wired & increased belly fat

Low Cortisol

Causes chronic fatigue, low energy, food and sugar cravings, poor exercise tolerance or recovery & low immune reserves

Vitamin D3 deficiency

Associated with hyperinsulinemia & increased belly fat.

High TSH

Leads to hypothyroidism, low metabolic rate & obesity

High Insulin

Indicative of insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome & abdominal obesity

High HbA1c

An Epidemic In 2010 the US was ranked as the world’s fattest developed nation, and the latest data out of the CDC reports over a third of American adults obese – with the highest prevalence among men and women over 40 years old. It is not a coincidence that this is the age when people start to see the impacts of hormonal imbalance. Providers can help by addressing the hormonal connection to obesity to help patients manage their weight and reduce related disease risks.
Biocore’s Weight Management Profile identifies hormonal imbalances that contribute to obesity, weight gain and difficulty losing or sustaining a healthy weight. Used as a screening tool, the profile also serves as a powerful early indicator of insulin resistance and risks for metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

Purpose

Identify hormonal imbalances associated with weight gain and obesity
Detect risk markers for insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and diabetes