Which Hormones Affect Your Body Weight?  

10 minutes read.

Hormones are chemical substances that your body makes in organs called glands which are found throughout your body.

The pea-sized pituitary gland at the base of your brain is the puppet master. It’s responsible for making hormones that tell the other glands what hormones they should make.

Hormones facilitate nearly every biochemical process in your body, including metabolism, hunger, and satiety. Due to their association with human appetite, some hormones play a significant role in body weight

In this article, you will get to know those hormones that affect your weight and how you can improve it to a healthy state.

Feel free to skip ahead.

• What are hormones?
• Nine hormones affecting your body weight and how to improve them
• Conclusion

What are hormones?

Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues.

These signals tell your body what to do and when to do it. Hormones are essential for life and your health.

Other signaling molecules that behave like hormones include cytokines, growth factors, or autacoid compounds.

There are 50 different types of hormones affecting your body’s systems but only nine out of them mostly affect your body weight. (1, 2, 3)

Let’s find out about those nine hormones and how they affect your body weight.

Nine hormones affecting your body weight and how to improve them:

1. Insulin

Insulin is a hormone created by your pancreas that controls the amount of glucose in your bloodstream at any given moment. It also helps store glucose in your liver, body fat, and muscles. Very importantly it regulates your body’s metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and oil, and proteins. (4)

Your body secretes insulin in small amounts throughout the day and in larger amounts after meals. This hormone then transfers glucose from food into your cells for either energy or storage, depending on your body’s current needs.

Without proper insulin function, your body can’t store glucose in your muscles or liver, but neither can it make any fat. Instead, the fat breaks down and produces, among other things, keto acids.

If the levels of these acids grow too high, the imbalance can trigger diabetic ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal condition

Insulin resistance is a metabolic disorder that causes your cells to stop responding to insulin. This condition results in high blood sugar because insulin cannot move glucose into your cells. (5)

Your pancreas then produces even more insulin in an attempt to boost glucose absorption.

Insulin resistance has been linked to obesity, which in turn can play a role in other conditions, such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. (6)

Insulin sensitivity can be thought of as the opposite of insulin resistance. It means your cells are sensitive to insulin. Thus, it’s a good idea to focus on lifestyle habits that help improve your insulin sensitivity, such as the following:

Tips to improve insulin sensitivity

• Do mild regular Exercise

Research supports exercise, at both high and moderate intensities, as a means of improving insulin sensitivity and decreasing insulin resistance. (7, 8)

• Get more omega-3 fatty acids

Research indicates that omega-3 supplements may improve insulin sensitivity in people with metabolic conditions such as diabetes. If you aren’t a fan of supplements, try eating more fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. (9, 10 )

• Change your diet

 The Mediterranean diet which includes many veggies, as well as healthy fats from nuts and extra-virgin olive oil — may help reduce insulin resistance. Decreasing your intake of saturated and trans-fats may also help. (11, 12, 13)

• Maintain a moderate weight

 In people with overweight, healthy weight loss and weight management may improve insulin sensitivity. (14, 15)

• Focus on low glycemic carbs

 Rather than try to eliminate carbs from your diet, aim to make most of them low glycemic and high fiber. Examples include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. (16)

2. Leptin

Leptin is a satiety hormone that works by telling your hypothalamus the portion of your brain that regulates appetite that you’re full. (17)

However, people with obesity may experience leptin resistance. This means the message to stop eating doesn’t reach your brain, eventually causing you to overeat.

In turn, your body may produce even more leptin until your levels become elevated.

The actual cause of leptin resistance is unclear, but it may be due to inflammation, gene mutations, and/or excessive leptin production, which can occur with obesity. (18)

Tips to improve your leptin levels

Although no known treatment exists for leptin resistance, a few lifestyle changes may help lower leptin levels. (17)

• Maintain a healthy weight

 Because leptin resistance is associated with obesity, it’s important to maintain a healthy weight. Additionally, research suggests that a decrease in body fat may help reduce leptin levels.

• Do mild Exercise regularly

Research links regular, consistent exercise to a decrease in leptin levels. (19)

3. Ghrelin

Ghrelin is essentially the opposite of leptin. It’s the hunger hormone that sends a message to your hypothalamus indicating that your stomach is empty and needs food. Its main function is to increase appetite. (20)

Normally, ghrelin levels are highest before eating and lowest after a meal. (21)

Research indicates that individuals with obesity have low ghrelin levels but are more sensitive to its effects. This sensitivity may lead to overeating. (22, 23, 24)

Tips to manage ghrelin levels

One reason weight loss may seem difficult to attain in someone who is already obese, is that restricting calories often leads to increased ghrelin levels, leaving you hungry. In addition, metabolism tends to slow down and leptin levels decrease. (25, 26, 27, 28)

Tips for lowering ghrelin to help you reduce appetite

• Maintain a moderate body weight

Obesity may increase your sensitivity to ghrelin, ultimately increasing your appetite.

• Eat when you’re hungry (in a little amount)

It is good to eat when you’re hungry because ghrelin levels are highest before a meal, listen to your body and eat when you’re hungry

4. Cortisol

Cortisol is known as the stress hormone and is produced by your adrenal glands.

During times of stress, this hormone triggers an increase in heart-beat and energy levels. The release of cortisol alongside the hormone adrenaline will cause a fight response in the body commonly called the fight or flight response. (29)

While it’s important for your body to release cortisol in dangerous situations, chronic high levels of cortisol may lead to many health issues, including heart disease, diabetes, low energy levels, high blood pressure, sleep disturbances, and weight gain. (30 , 31, 32)

Chronic stress (from long-term anger, jealousy, economy, life challenging situation) and a high intake of high glycemic foods — may contribute to high cortisol levels. (33)

Not only does obesity raise cortisol levels, but high levels may also cause weight gain, creating a negative feedback loop.

Tips for lowering cortisol levels

Here are some lifestyle changes that may help you manage cortisol levels:

• Exercise regularly

Cortisol levels temporarily increase after high-intensity exercise, but regular exercise generally helps decrease levels by improving overall health and lowering stress levels. (34)

• Practice mindfulness (meditation)

Research suggests that regularly practicing mindfulness lowers cortisol levels, though more research is needed. Try adding meditation to your daily routine. (35, 36)

• Maintain a moderate bodyweight

Because obesity may increase cortisol levels and high cortisol levels can cause weight gain, maintaining a moderate weight may help keep levels in check.

• Eat a balanced diet

Research has shown that diets high in added sugars, refined grains, and saturated fat may lead to higher cortisol levels. Additionally, following the Mediterranean diet may help lower cortisol levels. (37, 38)

5. Estrogen

Estrogen is a sex hormone responsible for regulating the female reproductive system, as well as the immune, skeletal, and vascular systems. (39, 40, 41)

Levels of this hormone change during life stages such as pregnancy, nursing, and menopause, as well as throughout the menstrual cycle.  

High levels of estrogen, which are often seen in people with obesity, are associated with an increased risk of certain cancers and other chronic diseases. (42, 43,44)

Conversely, low levels typically seen with aging, perimenopause, and menopause may affect body weight and body fat, therefore also increasing your risk of chronic ailments. (45, 46)

Individuals with low estrogen levels often experience central obesity, which is an accumulation of weight around the trunk of the body. This can lead to other health problems, such as high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and heart disease. (47, 48)

You can lower your risk of many of these health conditions through lifestyle changes especially by maintaining healthy body weight.

Tips to maintain healthy estrogen levels

To keep estrogen levels at a healthy equilibrium, try some of these techniques:

• Manage your weight.

Weight loss or maintenance may reduce the risk of heart disease due to low estrogen levels in women ages 55 to 75. Research also supports healthy weight maintenance for reducing chronic diseases in general. (49, 50)

• Exercise regularly

Low estrogen levels may leave you feeling less capable of working out. Nonetheless, during periods of low estrogen output, such as menopause, regular exercise is still important to aid weight management. (51, 52)

• Follow a balanced diet

 Diets high in red meat, processed foods, sweets, and refined grains have been shown to increase estrogen levels, which may raise your risk of chronic disease. As such, you may wish to limit your intake of these foods. (53, 54)

6. Neuropeptide Y

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a hormone produced by cells in your brain and nervous system that stimulates appetite and decreases energy expenditure in response to fasting or stress. (55, 56)

Because it may stimulate food intake, NPY is associated with obesity and weight gain.

It’s activated in fat tissue and may increase fat storage and lead to abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome, a condition that can increase the risk of chronic diseases. (57, 58)

Research has shown that NPY’s mechanisms that lead to obesity may also cause an inflammatory response, further worsening health conditions. (58)

Tips for maintaining low NPY levels

Here are some tips for maintaining healthy levels of NPY:

• Exercise.

Studies suggest that regular exercise may help decrease NPY levels, though research is mixed. (59, 60)

• Eat a nutritious diet

Although more research is needed, high-fat, high-sugar diets may increase NPY levels so you may want to consider lowering your intake of foods high in sugar and fat. (61, 62)

7. Glucagon-like peptide-1

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a hormone produced in your gut when nutrients enter your intestines. It plays a major role in keeping blood sugar levels stable and making you feel full. (63)

Research suggests that people with obesity may have problems with GLP-1 signaling. (64)

As such, GLP-1 is added to medications particularly for people with diabetes to reduce body weight and waist circumference. (65)

Tips for keeping GLP-1 levels in check

• Eat plenty of protein

High-protein foods such as whey protein and yogurt have been shown to increase GLP-1 levels. (66, 67)

• Consider taking probiotics

Preliminary research suggests that probiotics may increase GLP-1 levels, though more human research is needed. Additionally, it’s best to chat with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplements. (68)

8. Cholecystokinin

Like GLP-1, cholecystokinin (CCK) is a satiety hormone produced by cells in your gut after a meal. It’s important for energy production, protein synthesis, digestion, and other bodily functions. It also increases the release of the fullness hormone leptin. (69,70)

An individual with obesity may have a reduced sensitivity to CCK’s effects, which may lead to chronic overeating. In turn, this may further reduce CCK sensitivity, creating a negative feedback loop. (71)

Tips for increasing CCK levels

Here are some tips for maintaining healthy levels of CCK:

• Eat plenty of protein

Some research suggests a high protein diet may help increase CCK levels, and therefore fullness. (72, 73)

• Exercise

 While research is limited, some evidence supports regular exercise for increasing CCK levels. (74)

9. Peptide YY

Peptide YY (PYY) is another gut hormone that decreases appetite PYY levels may be lower in people with obesity, and this may lead to a greater appetite and overeating. Sufficient levels are believed to play a major role in reducing food intake and decreasing the risk of obesity. (75)

Tips for raising PYY levels

Here are some ways to keep PYY at a healthy level in your body:

• Follow a well-rounded diet

 Eating plenty of protein may promote healthy PYY levels and fullness. Additionally, the paleo diet which includes ample protein, fruits, and veggies may raise PYY levels, but more research is needed. (76)

• Exercise

While research on exercise and PYY levels is mixed, staying active is generally beneficial for health. (77)

Conclusion

Hormones facilitate nearly every biochemical process in your body, including metabolism, hunger, and satiety. Due to their association with human appetite, some hormones play a significant role in body weight

Nine hormones affecting your body weight include; insulin, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, estrogen, neuropeptide, glucagon-like peptide-1, cholecystokinin, and peptide.

Research had shown that eating a well-balanced diet that’s rich in clean protein, healthy fat, and oil but low in glycemic, managing stress properly, meditation, and regular exercise can help you maintain and keep those weight hormones at a healthy state.

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