How To Get Rid Of Hormonal Belly?

How To Get Rid Of Hormonal Belly

Hormonal belly fat is a common issue, and you can help reduce it by being aware of its signs and causes. Excess abdominal fat can occasionally be caused by hormones. Our hormone levels might shift as we age or undergo lifestyle changes for a variety of reasons, including menopause or elevated stress levels, which can lead to a hormonal belly.

Fortunately, there are numerous strategies and therapeutic options available to help you manage your hormones and reduce hormonal body fat, enabling you to achieve your optimal weight.

Abdominal weight gain is one of the physical signs that can result from certain hormone abnormalities. This is frequently called a “hormonal belly.”

It’s normal to have some fat around the belly. On the other hand, a hormonal disorder may be the cause of an individual gaining fat in this area for no obvious reason.

What is a Hormonal Belly?

Weight increase around the abdomen caused by a hormonal imbalance is referred to as “hormonal belly.” It is a possible sign of something else rather than a separate medical disease.

A person’s body weight and form can be influenced by a variety of things. This covers genetics, sleep, exercise, and food. However, there can be a hormonal reason if there are no other explanations for the weight growth in the abdomen.

Causes of a hormonal belly

The following are a few possible reasons for a hormonal belly:

• underactive thyroid,
• High cortisol,
• leptin resistance
• Menopause,
• Fluid retention
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) in females;
• Males with low or high testosterone or estrogen levels

Underactive thyroid

The thyroid is a gland located in the neck that secretes hormones that regulate metabolism, the body’s process of using energy. These hormones, therefore, have an impact on weight growth and loss.

A condition known as hypothyroidism, or an underactive thyroid, is caused by insufficient thyroid hormone production by the thyroid gland. Numerous bodily processes slow down when this occurs.

Gaining weight, usually in the midsection, is a typical sign of an underactive thyroid. But according to the American Thyroid Association, salt and water buildup may be more likely to cause weight gain than fat formation.

Treatment

Levothyroxine can be prescribed by a physician to treat hypothyroidism. This drug imitates the effects of natural thyroid hormones. Since salt and water account for the majority of weight gain, a patient should anticipate losing less than 10% of their body weight after therapy.

A person’s capacity to gain and lose weight is equal to that of those without hypothyroidism once their thyroid levels are within the normal range.

High Cortisol

The body’s “fight, flight, or freeze” response to perceived danger is largely dependent on the stress hormone cortisol.

The adrenal glands release more cortisol when a person feels threatened. Stress is harmless in brief spurts. However, it can have a number of negative consequences, including increased fat accumulation, if done often or over an extended period of time. Prolonged stress may also:

increase the likelihood of heart disease
impair the immunological system and interfere with pregnancy and menstruation

Cushing’s syndrome is a potentially dangerous disorder that may be indicated if the body generates extremely high quantities of cortisol for an extended length of time. Among the symptoms are the following:

• a person’s chubby hump between their shoulders
• slender arms and legs, and an increase of fat at the base of the neck
• simple bruises
• muscular weakness
• Purple stretch marks on the breasts, hips, underarms, and belly
• Cushing’s syndrome is a side effect of several medications, particularly glucocorticoids. This illness can also result from pituitary tumors.

Treatment

The cause determines how to treat it. Treatment for Cushing’s syndrome may involve medication adjustments or tumor removal surgery.

Reducing stress and promoting relaxation may be beneficial if stress causes cortisol levels to rise.

Leptin resistance

Leptin is a hormone released by fat cells. This hormone, which produces a feeling of fullness, is crucial for controlling weight. A person stops eating as a result.

People are able to determine whether they have had enough food when the transmission between the brain and leptin functions properly.

However, obese individuals have higher amounts of leptin because they have more fat cells. Theoretically, this should result in frequent feelings of fullness; nevertheless, leptin resistance may develop if signaling malfunctions. This indicates that the brain does not react to the hormone in the proper way.

Although the exact origin of leptin resistance is unknown, inflammation, altered brain chemistry, and heredity may be involved.

Treatment

As of yet, there are no particular drugs for leptin resistance. Leptin, however, may be decreased if the body’s fat cells are reduced. According to a 2019 study, lowering leptin levels could make the brain more sensitive to it, although further research is required to prove this.

Hormonal belly in males

Low testosterone levels

The most prevalent sex hormone in men is testosterone, which is also produced by women. Typical masculine traits, such as body and facial hair, are influenced by this hormone. Muscle development is also encouraged by testosterone.

As men age, their levels of testosterone decline. A deficit can cause weight gain and stop muscular growth.

Some medical diseases, such as Noonan syndrome, can cause testosterone insufficiency. It may also result from the testicles being removed or damaged. Pituitary gland illness, autoimmune diseases, chemotherapy, and infections are additional reasons.

A physician could advise lifestyle modifications like more exercise and a lower-calorie diet, or he might prescribe testosterone supplements.

Low or high estrogen

Estrogen is crucial for men, even though it is more prevalent in women. Males with low estrogen levels may have decreased libido and extra belly fat.

But the opposite is also true. A 2018 report claims that guys under 60 may gain weight due to elevated estrogen levels.

To treat low or excessive estrogen, a doctor could prescribe drugs.

Hormonal belly in females

PCOS

The Office of Women’s Health (OWH) estimates that 1 in 10 women of reproductive age have PCOS.

Male sex hormone and insulin levels are greater in PCOS sufferers. The hormone insulin has an impact on how the body uses food as fuel. People with PCOS may therefore gain weight, especially in the belly.

PCOS symptoms may be alleviated by drugs that raise estrogen and decrease testosterone. Insulin resistance may be lessened by other medications like metformin. Exercise and dietary adjustments could also be beneficial.

Menopause

Estrogen and other female sex hormones begin to decline when a person enters menopause. Visceral fat around the abdomen may rise concurrently.

Hormone replacement treatment may help lessen this, according to a 2018 study. A balanced diet and frequent exercise are also possible.

Period-related fluid retention

During their period, some people’s bodies hold on to extra fluid. Bloating, particularly around the stomach, may result from this and appear to be weight gain.

Participants in a 2023 research of 42 white women in Greece gained about 0.5 kg while they were menstruating. This was mostly caused by the body holding onto more water. When fluid retention goes down after a while, a person could lose this weight once more.

Further research is required to validate the findings because it is unknown why this occurs.

Hormonal Belly Fat Symptoms

Belly fat may be caused by a number of variables, such as age, gender, food habits, level of physical activity, and hormone imbalances. So how can you determine whether your weight increase in the abdomen is due to hormones? It’s crucial to go to a doctor about any concerns you have in order to determine the underlying problem, even though you can watch out for some symptoms. It can differ from person to person and isn’t always evident.

To assist in determining the reason for your belly fat, keep an eye out for the following warning signs and symptoms:

You’re constantly stressed or anxious:

Your body may be creating more cortisol if you work in a stressful setting or are going through a difficult time in your life. It will eventually utilize cortisol to control stress, which may tell your body to store extra fat and result in weight increase around the abdomen.

You’re losing hair:

Your hormones may be the cause of your increased rate of hair loss and increasing abdominal fat. Hair loss can be caused by a variety of hormones, including underactive thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism and energy. Weight gain, exhaustion, constipation, and hair loss are other symptoms of low thyroid hormone levels. The cause of both weight gain and hair loss may be an underactive thyroid.

You’re experiencing new cravings:

Your significant weight gain may be caused by hormones if you have new desires, particularly for sweet foods. A persistent sweet taste may indicate that your body is experiencing insulin resistance, which leads to increased fat storage. Increased levels of the hormone leptin, which makes you feel full after eating, can also be caused by elevated insulin levels. These elevated hormones, when combined with insulin resistance, may lead you to consume more sugary meals, which, over time, may result in less weight accumulation in your belly.

How to Get Rid of Hormonal Belly Fat

Hormone imbalances are more widespread in today’s contemporary lifestyle due to stress and other causes. Fortunately, you may eliminate hormonal belly fat and get your hormones back on track by making certain lifestyle changes to your daily routine. Here are some of the best ways to fight hormonal misfiring and lose abdominal fat.

For many people, losing weight is a difficult process. Please gather as many materials as you can and collaborate carefully with your healthcare physician if you’re seeking to modify your form. By doing this, you may nurture your physical, mental, and emotional well-being and achieve success.

Nutritious Diet

Numerous hormones that regulate hunger and food intake are influenced by protein. You may prevent overeating by making sure your diet includes meals high in protein. Additional wholesome meals for hormonal abdominal fat consist of:

• whole grains.
• fresh produce.
• vegetables.
• lean meats.
• fish that is fatty.

Avoiding fructose-containing sugary meals may be crucial to putting your hormones in balance since they raise insulin levels and encourage insulin resistance. To eliminate your hormonal belly, you must also abstain from processed fatty meals and excessive coffee.

Examine Your Eating Habits

You could start dieting because you want to lose weight. Sadly, a lot of fad diets just don’t provide long-lasting effects. The Mediterranean diet is one exception.

The Mediterranean diet is less of a traditional “diet” and more of a way of eating. Fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, healthy fats, and whole grains are prioritised; meat, dairy, refined grains, processed foods, and sweets are taken in far lesser amounts. The Mediterranean diet can help people retain muscle mass and decrease weight after menopause, according to research.

Regular Exercise

For optimum bodily function, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise each week in addition to two days of muscle-building exercise. You can keep your hormones under control by exercising. Exercise is a great way to burn calories and belly fat if you’re looking for advice on how to lose hormonal fat.

Get moving.

According to research, a combination of aerobics, strength training, and balancing activities like yoga is the best fitness program for managing weight after menopause. Other menopausal symptoms may be prevented by this combination of workouts. Strength exercise, for example, can help maintain your bone health and muscle mass, both of which tend to deteriorate after menopause. In a similar vein, aerobic activity helps shield your heart from the decline in health that occasionally occurs after menopause.

Do you think you don’t have the time or stamina to exercise? Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that the majority of the fitness benefits of extended exercise may be obtained through vigorous micro-workouts. It could just be necessary to engage in strenuous exercise for 30 to 60 seconds several times a day. (Consider running up a couple of flights of stairs or performing ten burpees.)

Give Your Sleep Priority

Sleep is essential for overall health, and during menopause, when your body is adjusting to significant hormonal changes, it can be more crucial than ever. According to research, sleep disturbances during menopause may reduce your body’s ability to burn fat, which might lead to weight gain.

Good sleep hygiene is the greatest approach to increase sleep during menopause. This entails keeping your bedroom dark and quiet, shutting off electronics a few hours before bed, adhering to a regular bedtime routine, abstaining from coffee after 2:00 pm, and just utilizing your bed for sleep (no TV or phones).

Reduce Your Stress

Menopause may be a difficult time due to the hormonal changes that accompany it. Studies have shown that this stress clearly affects weight. According to a 2022 study, stress has a “decisive role” in the onset and development of obesity and overweight.

Mindfulness-based stress reduction might be one way. According to a 2022 study on menopause and stress, mindfulness practices can lower stress and enhance the quality of sleep. Additionally, studies have demonstrated that including a stress management program in weight reduction regimens increases their effectiveness. Online resources for mindfulness abound. Apps for meditation, such as Headspace and Calm, make it simple to begin and maintain the practice.

Modify Your Hormone Profile

Estrogen medicine is used in menopausal hormone treatment (MHT) to maintain your declining natural hormone levels. It is the most effective treatment for a variety of menopausal symptoms, including depression and sleeplessness, as well as hot flashes and night sweats.

The only therapy that may be able to address estrogen insufficiency, the primary cause of menopausal body changes, is MHT. It may help reverse the visceral weight gain associated with menopause by increasing your estrogen levels. See if menopausal hormone therapy is a suitable fit for you by speaking with your Evernow provider.

FAQs

References:

• Villines, Z. (2024, February 28). What causes a hormonal belly? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/hormonal-belly#underactive-thyroid
• Trobisch, J., & Trobisch, J. (2023, November 30). Hormonal belly fat: What is it and how to get rid of it. Synergy Wellness. https://synergywellnesscenter.com/blog/hormonal-belly-fat/
• Menopause Weight Gain: Causes & Solutions | EverNow. (n.d.). https://www.evernow.com/symptoms/weight-gain?srsltid=AfmBOoqVGRwtA4eJbFYZKXZvOKk8KPLUyQ2f0416yRTri7WcWNw4B7r_