5 Causes of Hormonal Weight Gain and How to Prevent It

5 Causes of Hormonal Weight Gain and How to Prevent It

Have you been losing and gaining the same 10-20 pounds for the past couple of years? It’s now halfway into 2020 and if your New Year’s Resolution was “lose weight” and you haven’t quite reached your goal yet, don’t feel too discouraged.

Weight gain and weight loss are influenced by a lot of factors, some of which you may not know about and are out of your control.

Keep reading to learn more about the reasons for hormonal weight gain and the steps you can take to prevent it. 

What Is Hormonal Weight Gain? 

Hormones are chemical signals that control a wide variety of different functions in the body. Hormones influence everything from stress levels and mood, growth, sleep, reproduction, and yes, weight and appetite. 

An imbalance in the hormone levels in your body, whether it is too many or too few, may cause a number of changes to your body and daily function. When looking at hormones and weight gain, these conditions may be worth discussing with your doctor: 

1. Endometriosis 

Endometriosis is a condition that causes endometrial tissue, which is found on the inside of the uterus, to form outside of the uterine lining. This tissue can spread to surrounding areas, like the ovaries or fallopian tubes. It causes severe pain, especially when menstruating. 

While the most common symptom people with endometriosis report is a pain in their pelvis, bloating and weight gain are also common. Since endometriosis is what’s called an “estrogen dependant disease,” this means levels of estrogen are too high and progesterone is too low. Estrogen dominance may be linked to weight gain. 

2. PCOS 

A similar hormonal imbalance to endometriosis is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). They often may be mistaken for each other because they both are associated with painful periods, bloating, and weight gain. It is not certain whether PCOS causes initial weight gain in everyone, but if you are at a higher weight your symptoms may be more severe and difficult to manage.  

In this case, people with PCOS have hormonal imbalances such as insulin resistance (which causes an increase in risk for type II diabetes) and have excessive androgen levels. 

3. Menopause 

Menopause is, of course, inevitable. During menopause, estrogen levels get lower and lower. Along with hot flashes, difficulty sleeping, changes in emotions, headaches, and thinning hair, many report weight gain. 

Estrogen doesn’t just play a role in your reproductive health. People post-menopause are at an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. 

4. Cortisol   

Aside from hormonal imbalances caused by changes in estrogen levels, another hormone that can influence weight gain in both men and women is cortisol. Cortisol, also known as your “fight or flight“ signal is released in the face of a perceived threat. Our fight or flight instinct does not help us as much as it once did.

Cortisol levels spike during times of stress, good and bad. When these levels spike, your blood sugar levels are raised. Spikes in blood sugar followed by drops in glucose may lead to fatigue and cravings (especially for sugar). 

This is a reason why you may feel the instinct to eat “comfort food” like chocolate or ice cream during stressful times or after a hardship. Eating too much sugar in response to this will perpetuate spikes and blood sugar and crashes.

It is a vicious cycle that is best to avoid altogether. Certain foods lead to more significant spikes in blood sugar than others, such as high-sugar, carb-heavy, processed foods. Better foods that cause smaller spikes in glucose levels are green vegetables, oatmeal, apples, quinoa, and legumes. 

A hormonal imbalance called Cushing Syndrome is characterized by excess cortisol levels and may cause weight gain, especially in the chest, stomach, and face. 

5. “Sluggish” Thyroid  

You may have heard the term “sluggish” thyroid before. What this is typically referencing is conditions that cause low levels of thyroid hormone, like hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s syndrome. The hormones released by your thyroid gland, T3 and T4, regulate many parts of your body. 

Hypothyroidism is caused by the lack of thyroid hormones. On top of weight gain or difficulty losing weight, some signs are fatigue, problems with digestion, dry skin, overall pain and stiffness in your body, thinning hair, mental health issues, and goiter. 

Hashimoto’s Syndrome is a rare autoimmune condition that causes many of the same problems as hypothyroidism. Unlike hypothyroidism, Hashimoto’s causes damage to the immune system. If you believe you have a “sluggish thyroid” you can have your T3 and T4 levels tested to check. 

Weight Loss 

As of now, the generally accepted way to lose weight is through the CICO diet. CICO stands for “calories in, calories out”. This method of losing weight entails measuring your TDEE, or Total Daily Energy Expenditure, which tells you the number of calories you need to eat during the day to meet your nutritional needs.  

However, if you have a hormonal imbalance, calculating your TDEE and eating fewer calories may not be a simple solution for you. If the scale isn’t budging after all of your efforts, it may be time to try something else. 

Resolve Your Hormonal Weight Gain Issues

If you believe a hormone imbalance may be inhibiting your weight-loss journey, we are here to help you. We specialize in bio-identical hormone replacement therapy and design individual treatment plans for all of our patients.

If you have any questions about hormonal weight gain or our program, call us or send us an email. We’re here to help you on your journey to wellness.