When it comes to losing fat, maintaining a healthy weight and managing problem areas such as your midsection, thighs and glutes, not to mention mitigating the associated cardiovascular and diabetic health risks that come with obesity, an informed and well-researched strategy will go a long way to ensuring success. Your diet has to be spot on. This is always the first rule that anyone who wants to change their life has to accept.
It is futile to focus on anything else if your diet is not on cue. After all, as the old idiom proudly proclaims: “you are what you eat”. Understanding the basic principles of basal metabolic rate, energy requirements, calories in versus calories out, the difference between good and bad calories, macronutrients and different exercise strategies are all vital cogs in the giant wheel of weight-loss. However, there is another factor that can make or break the most well-considered strategies: hormones.
In understanding the importance of hormones in managing and controlling the various systems in the body, it becomes clear that balance, or homeostasis, is vital in the efficient and healthy functioning of the body. Despite the endocrine system working to achieve homeostasis, an inhibition, dysfunction, or imbalance in any part of the system will have a knock-on effect. Dr Deepa Parbhoo, a medical aesthetic and general practitioner, who practices in Bryanston, Johannesburg, was asked about the importance of hormones in weight control: “An imbalance in any of the hormonal systems may contribute directly or indirectly to weight gain and weight loss respectively.”
According to Dr Parbhoo the most important hormones related to weight control or weight loss are insulin, cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), oestrogen, leptin, growth hormone and thyroid hormone.
Leptin
Leptin is a hormone that is secreted by fat cells and has been found to be a signal to the brain. “During a person’s lifetime leptin levels drop. This drop may be accredited to the use of cortisone or the presence or progesterone and oestrogen. For this reason, some young girls are prone to obesity during puberty. Women who are taking contraceptives, pregnant women and those who have had hysterectomies, especially when it goes together with hormone replacement therapy, are also prone to lower levels of leptin,” wrote Dr Parbhoo, quoting from the Slender Wonder website, a programme Dr Parbhoo believes in, and works with, for treating people struggling to lose weight.
Leptin prevents the body from storing fat and controls hunger. If your leptin level is low, your body tends to store food as fat, and you do not feel satisfied easily. Other factors, pointed out by Dr Parbhoo (and available on the Slender Wonder website), that can lower leptin include antidepressants, stress and anxiety, certain antibiotics, emotional trauma, physical shock such as a car accident, menopause, bad eating habits, some viral infections and genetic factors.
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. It is central in regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. It causes cells in the liver, skeletal muscles and fat tissue to absorb glucose form the blood. In the liver and skeletal muscles, glucose is stored as glycogen, while in fat cells it is stored as triglycerides.
With the exception of diabetes and metabolic syndrome, insulin is provided within the body as a constant proportion to remove excess glucose from the blood, which would otherwise be toxic. A poor diet that is high in sugar and refined carbohydrates can lead to chronically high levels of insulin, which in turn may lead to insulin resistance. Dr Parbhoo indicated that factors that have a negative impact on insulin resistance are poor diet, lack of exercise, excessive alcohol intake, stress, central abdominal obesity and a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure.
Cortisol
Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal gland and released in response to stress. Its functions include increasing blood sugar, suppressing the immune system, as well as aiding in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism.
Prolonged periods of raised cortisol levels can affect one's overall health. Cortisol increases appetite and a long-term effect of high levels is weight gain. Research has also shown that raised cortisol levels fro
m chronic stress increases abdominal fat storage in people who are otherwise thin.
Working to bring cortisol levels back into balance does not require much investment, but takes practise and patience. Sleep is one of the most important tools in managing this hormone. Accordingly, sleep deprivation increases cortisol levels, which, in turn increases cravings and your appetite for sugary treats.
Oestrogen
Oestrogen is the primary female sex hormone, performing vital roles in the development and functioning of women's bodies. Studies suggest raised oestrogen levels will result in increased body fat around the hips, and links it with difficulty in losing weight. Menopausal women may experience decreased libido, depression, memory loss and increased abdominal fat.
There are various ways of dealing with raised oestrogen levels. Dr Parbhoo suggested supplementation with green tea, turmeric and indole-3-carbinol (this compound is found in cruciferous vegetables including broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower). These three substances have been shown to correct the balance of oestrogen to testosterone by reducing the levels of excess oestrogen. Supplementation with folic acid, fish oil, vitamin E, magnesium and vitamin C is also said to help.
DHEA
DHEA is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands, and is a precursor to both oestrogen and testosterone. This hormone also helps counteract the negative effects of raised cortisol. It reduces the appetite for fatty foods and reduces body-fat storage, particularly in the hips and thighs. DHEA levels can be tested in the saliva and blood. Supplements should only be taken when a deficiency has been diagnosed by a medical doctor.
Growth Hormone
Growth hormone is released from the anterior pituitary gland during sleep and exercise. Levels of this hormone decrease as we age, which is part of the reason why we see the typical symptoms of ageing. This hormone is essential for tissue repair, muscle building, bone density and a healthy body composition. Low levels are associated with a general decrease in muscle mass and abdominal obesity in both men and women.
There are natural, and effective ways of boosting growth hormone. These include sleep and exercise. So set up an environment conducive to a peaceful night's sleep. Add short, intense strength-training sessions to your weekly exercise regimen. The build up of lactic acid has been shown to trigger more release of growth hormone. Information on this can be found in the “Metabolic Conditioning” article in this issue.
Thyroid Hormone
The best way to describe the thyroid, and its hormones, is that that it needs to be functioning properly in order for the entire body to run efficiently and smoothly. Thyroid hormone levels determine a myriad factors including a metabolism on hyperdrive or on a go-slow strike. The point here is that only medical professionals are equipped to diagnose these conditions. And once you have been tested and diagnosed, there is no reason not to reasonably expect the doctor to help your body return to a more normal state by administering treatment.
There are reportedly natural ways to enhance thyroid function. These include exercising daily, eating more natural iodine and eating fewer goitrogens (eating them less regularly). Natural iodine sources include low-fat cheese, cow's milk, saltwater fish, shellfish, soy sauce and eggs. Sources of goitrogens include the broccoli family, pears, turnips, Brussels sprouts, mustard seeds, cabbage, kale, canola oil, peanuts and spinach.
Can I have that in a doggy bag, please?
The overriding message of this article is that the hormonal environment can not be ignored if weight-loss efforts yield little to no long-lasting results, especially if all the other factors such as diet and training have been carefully planned.
But, on the other hand, check everything else is on track before assuming your hormones are holding you back, because, often, blaming hormones or the thyroid could be an easy way out of making the lifestyle changes that matter. Don't excuse poor habits, change them. At the end of the day no leptin injection will help you if your diet consists of high-sugar, high-glycaemic and feel-good foods.
But if your diet is spot on, you are exercising the way you should be, and you are still seeing no results, then understanding your hormones, and being diagnosed if necessary, will finally end the decades of yo-yo dieting and bring you the wellness and happiness you deserve.
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