Weight and Hormones

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimated that more than half of adult population in the United States is overweight (defined as a body mass index [BMI] of 25 to 30). Moreover, many of those people are considered to be obese (defined as a BMI greater than 30). The obesity epidemic is beginning to affect children, whose obesity rates have doubled in the past two decades (NIH 2005). Overall, obesity rates are rising along with the frequency of conditions that are closely associated with obesity, such as type ‘2’ Diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Usual recommendation from health care professionals regarding loosing weight is exercises and a balanced diet. However, while we are aging, the way of processing nutrients in our body alters due to biological and hormonal changes, which may expedite weight gain. No doubt that in addition to balanced diet and exercises a reasonable way to successfully lose weight is to address the underlying problems, including depression and hormone imbalance. You can deal with it by adding some dietary supplements that are scientifically proven to encourage weight loss.

At the age of 30-35 most men (and some women) begin to gain weight around the middle. This sort of fat accumulation is called “abdominal obesity” and it greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases. As men age, levels of free testosterone in their bodies decline, and levels of estrogen and insulin increase. Partly it can be explained by conversion of abdominal fat cells’ testosterone into estradiol - a form of estrogen. The remaining testosterone gets bound to protein and becomes biologically inactive. Studies show that men with low free testosterone level have higher rates of coronary artery disease, mental depression, and dementia (Dr. Tan, 2004).

Numerous scientific studies proved that testosterone replacement therapy can be very benefiting. For example,

·         The study of 86 men aged from 50 to 70 showed that their waist-to-hip ratio and blood pressure markedly decreased after 60 days of testosterone therapy (Dr. Li, 2002).

·         Another testosterone-replacement study in middle-aged obese men showed improved waist-to-hip ratio along with decrease in plasma insulin and increase in glucose disposal, suggesting the improvement of insulin sensitivity (Dr. Marin, 1992).

·         In one of the clinical trials abdominally obese middle-aged men showed improved glucose control, decreased abdominal body fat and improved sexual functioning after testosterone therapy (Dr. Boyanov, 2003).

In women the relationship between excess body fat, testosterone, estrogens, and progesterone is more complicated. It is known that estrogen reduces lipid oxidation in childbearing age to facilitate efficient fat storage preparing women’s bodies for fertility and lactation. During menopause estrogen level drops and this may lead to increase in the waist-to-hip ratio and fat tissue mass.

The increase of weight can be also associated with low level of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a steroid hormone. Most of people over age 35 experience a significant reduction in DHEA. Numerous studies suggest that 6 month of supplementing with about 50 mg/day of DHEA can reverse fat mass and improve insulin sensitivity.

7-keto DHEA - a metabolite of DHEA - also dramatically declines with age. Some studies have demonstrated that supplementing a group of patients with 100mg of 7-keto DHEA led to significant increase in percentage of body fat loss in comparison with a placebo group.

Deficiency of thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism) along with hair and skin dryness, fatigue, and sluggishness is connected to weight gain, too. Overweight people may want to check their thyroid hormone level to make sure it isn’t low. If it is, a physician may prescribe thyroid hormones to correct the condition.

Nutrition science demonstrated the crucial role of insulin in weight gain. The job of insulin is to transport glucose into the cells, and with aging cells become resistant to that process, which may cause obesity, particularly abdominal. It’s very important to control insulin level as we age, since our health, longevity and weight management is closely correlated to it. There are some non-prescription drugs and low cost supplements available on the market that can help balance insulin.

Conclusion:

·         although overeating and lacking of exercises are critical causes of weight gain, there are also hormonal changes that affect both sexes

·         in aging men abdominal obesity=deficiency of testosterone and overproduction of estrogen

·         in aging women hormone imbalance, involving progesterone-estrogen imbalances, causes unwanted visceral adiposity- central body fat accumulation

·         men and women universally experience DHEA hormone deficiency after age 35

·         insulin resistance, which occurs as we age, is connected with obesity