The Impact of Hormonal Imbalances On Weight Gain
Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
11 February, 2025
All of us tend to think of weight gain as a very singular process- and attribute it to overeating or not exercising enough. But, no bodily process is ever this straight forward. Weight gain especially is caused by a number of factors- like overeating, menopause, hormonal issues, leading a sedentary lifestyle, having metabolic syndromes etc. Hormones play a huge role in regulating a number of processes in the body- almost all of them in fact.
How Hormonal Imbalance Causes Weight Gain In Women-
Multiple hormones work together seamlessly, to help us live life normally. Even if one of them gets messed up, you may have to face issues. Some of the most common hormonal issues that can affect women include- PCOS, estrogen dominance, androgen imbalance, any metabolic syndrome, thyroid issues like hypothyroidism, excessive cortisol, leptin resistance, pituitary issues and an excess of prolactin, among other conditions. Older women who have undergone menopause have low levels of estradiol- which is a key hormone that helps regulate metabolism and body weight. This is why the same issue is noticed when someone gets a hysterectomy because the ovaries are the prime site for estradiol synthesis.
Symptoms Of Hormonal Weight Gain And How To Fix It-
The following symptoms are normally observed when someone gains weight due to a hormonal issue-
- Severe acne breakouts
- Thyroid goiter – swollen neck
- Hirsutism- excessive hair growth in women
- Not having regular periods or more commonly- absence of menstrual cycle.
- Increase in visceral fat around the abdomen
- Feeling very tired even with low levels of activity
Hormonal Imbalance And Belly Fat – What’s The Connection?
There is an intricate connection between belly fat deposition and hormonal imbalance- especially when the following hormones are involved-
- Cortisol– If it is found in high concentrations for extended periods of time, then it may result in Cushing’s syndrome- where there is weight gain, weak muscles, hump of fatty tissue between the shoulders, or these symptoms may be seen when someone has tumours of the pituitary gland.
- Thyroid Hormone– low levels can cause weight gain- but it may not be just belly fat and is more on the lines of excessive salt and water retention.
- Leptin resistance– Leptin is the hormone that gives us cues that our stomach is full and we need to stop eating. If this issue is present, then the brain does not receive any signal about feeling full, leading to binge eating episodes. We are not sure why or how this happens and there is no cure for this.
- Some women deal with bloating when they are on their period- due to excessive fluid retention. This mostly goes away in a few days, once your period is done. But, the exact reason as to why this happens is still unknown.
- Ghrelin– this is the hormone that signals hunger, so that you can eat a meal. If you are constantly hungry or calorie restriction is too much, then high levels of ghrelin will not help you in a good way, as this means a bigger appetite and the urge to binge eat.
- Oestrogen– which is a sex hormone in females helps regulate the menstrual cycle and indifferent stages of reproductive life- like pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and menopause. Low levels of oestrogen and its derivatives can mean greater tendency to accumulate fat in the abdomen.
- Neuropeptide Y– produced by the brain, this protein hormone is made when you are stressed or fasting. High levels of this hormone have been linked to fat storage and altered metabolic pathways.
- Menopause is a condition where estrogen synthesis begins to systematically decline – meaning more visceral fat deposition may occur due to estradiol decrease.
How Stress Hormones Contribute To Weight Gain And How To Control Them-
Higher levels of cortisol can trigger visceral fat deposition, due to its pronounced action on fat cells and storage of lipids. Cortisol is also not great for your immunity, menstrual cycle or the heart in general. Plus, people tend to overeat when they are stressed, so that can cause weight gain too, as it slows down metabolism. Greater visceral fat deposition can cause insulin resistance to build up over a period of time, apart from mood swings and poor sleep.
Treatment involves the use of a combination of antibiotics or drugs which can help kill the pathogen- but it takes time. Let us look at some treatment regimens commonly followed in India-
- If it is the first time you have been diagnosed, then you will need to take drugs, everyday for about 2 months or 8 weeks. The drug combination used is – Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol. After the first 8 weeks, you will be asked to take rifampicin+isoniazid+ethambutol or rifampicin+isoniazid alone for 16 weeks afterwards. This is called the continuation phase of treatment.
- If you have already had TB before and have symptoms again, then treatment is for 12 weeks, with the same drug combination – Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol. The continuation phase is for 20 weeks and the drugs are the same, except for Pyrazinamide.
- For drug resistant forms of TB, treatment can take many months or even years – like 24-27 months. The drugs that are recommended for use are levofloxacin, kanamycin, cycloserine, ethionamide, pyrazinamide and ethambutol respectively.
All of the dosages are decided based on the weight of the individual. It is super important to NEVER miss a dose and to eat the tablets at the same time everyday. If not, you risk developing drug resistant TB- which means longer and more grueling treatment regimens. If you repeatedly miss doses, then it may become problematic, but once or twice is not going to affect you very badly. Talk to your doctor if you have missed any dose, to be on the safer side. If nodules have been found in the brain or spinal cord or other organs, then you may be asked to take a few additional drugs too.
Side Effects Of Tuberculosis Medication And Treatment-
Continuous ingestion of antibiotics can cause long term issues like an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, insomnia, hypothyroidism, heart issues, jaundice, skin issues etc. You may also have these symptoms for a while after you have finished your drug regimen.
