Watch Out for 9 Hormones If You Can’t Lose Fat Despite Your Efforts

Optimize these hormones to burn visceral fat and maintain lean muscles for a healthier and defined body with a happier mind

Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate many functions in our bodies, like metabolism, appetite, mood, energy, and more. When our hormones are in balance, we feel good and perform well. When they are out of balance, we feel bad and perform poorly.

Destructive effects of hormonal imbalance are visceral fat accumulation and muscle loss. Visceral fat surrounds our organs, like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. It is different from subcutaneous fat lying under the skin.

Visceral fat accumulation is riskier than subcutaneous fat because it can cause inflammation, insulin resistance, and other metabolic problems.

Muscle loss is the decrease in muscle mass and strength that occurs as we age or due to inactivity, illness, or injury. Muscle loss harms our health because it can lead to weakness, frailty, falls, and other complications.

If we want to lose visceral fat and gain muscle effectively and sustainably, we need to balance and optimize our hormones first. Our hormones determine how our body uses and stores energy from food. They also affect how our body builds and maintains muscle tissue.

In this post, I discuss optimizing nine hormones to prevent visceral fat accumulation and muscle loss. This is a topic that I’m passionate about because I’ve experienced the side effects of hormonal imbalance and the benefits of hormonal balance.

As many more biochemicals affect our metabolism, I documented details of hormones and neurotransmitters in previous articles. As the topic is comprehensive and to keep this piece in a reasonable size, I will link relevant articles in each section reflecting my research and experience.

I documented scientific perspectives on healthy weight management by highlighting critical issues in an article titled 5 Major Weight Loss Concerns Scientists Can Only Shed Light.

1 — Insulin

Insulin is a master hormone that regulates the glucose levels circulating in our bloodstream and provides energy for our cells. Insulin works like a key that unlocks our cells and allows glucose to enter them.

When we eat food, especially carbohydrates, our blood glucose levels rise. This signals the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. Insulin binds to the receptors on cells and opens the doors for glucose to enter.

However, sometimes cells can become resistant to insulin. They don’t respond well to insulin signals anymore. This can happen for various reasons, like overeating sugar, being overweight, being inactive, and being overstressed.

When our cells become insulin resistant, they don’t let glucose in, even when there is enough insulin in the bloodstream.

This can cause blood glucose levels to remain high and the pancreas to produce more insulin to try to lower them. This creates a vicious cycle of high blood glucose and high insulin levels.

This cycle is terrible for two reasons: first, high blood glucose levels can damage our organs and tissues over time. Second, high insulin levels can prevent the body from burning fat and promote fat storage instead.

One of the places where the body stores fat is around our organs, like the liver, pancreas, and intestines. This type of fat is called visceral fat, which differs from the fat that lies under the skin. Another problem that high insulin levels can cause is muscle loss.

Unfortunately, if we have high insulin levels, the body cannot access fat stores for energy because insulin blocks the release of fatty acids from fat cells. Therefore, the body has to rely on muscle tissue for energy instead.

Thus, one of the best ways to lose visceral fat and gain muscle is to optimize our insulin levels. Our goal should be to make the body insulin sensitive and fat-adapted.

How do we optimize insulin levels? There are several ways to do it. I explained them in an article titled Three Tips to Eliminate Insulin Resistance and Shrink Waistline.

The key points are exercise, restorative sleep, and time-restricted eating, preferably with a diet of low-carb and moderate proteins with healthy fats.

2 — Glucagon

Glucagon works together with insulin to regulate blood glucose levels. While insulin lowers blood glucose levels by helping our cells absorb glucose from the blood, glucagon raises it by helping the liver release glucose into the blood.

There are a few critical triggers that stimulate the production of glucagon. These triggers are sudden drops in blood glucose, like skipping a meal, exercising, fasting, and ingesting protein with no (or negligible) carbs or fats.

When insulin is low or absent, glucagon takes over the metabolic show and helps the body create its own glucose by signaling the liver to break down glycogen, which is the stored form of glucose in the liver and muscle cells. Glucagon also helps the body tap into fat stores and burn them for energy.

Glucagon is helpful for appetite management by inducing satiety (fullness and satisfaction). Glucagon treatment works well for some conditions like type one diabetes. However, it may not work well for obese people, where the body resists insulin and glucagon.

Therefore, one of the best ways to optimize glucagon levels is to balance them with insulin levels. Our goal should be to make the body sensitive to both insulin and glucagon signals and use them efficiently and effectively.

If you want to learn how to optimize glucagon levels, the ways we use optimizing insulin also apply to glucagon. I explained the details in an article titled Why Understanding the Role of Glucagon Is Vital for Type II Diabetes.

3 — Leptin

Leptin is produced by fat cells. It has vital effects on our appetite and energy balance. Leptin works like a thermostat that regulates the body temperature.

When we eat food, fat cells grow and produce more leptin. Leptin then travels to the brain and tells it we have enough energy and can stop eating. This is called satiety, the feeling of fullness and satisfaction after eating.

However, sometimes the brain can resist leptin. It no longer listens to leptin signals. This can happen for various reasons, like overeating sugar, being overweight, inactive, and overstressed.

When the brain becomes leptin resistant, it doesn’t know when to stop eating, even when there is enough leptin in our blood. This causes us to always feel hungry and eat more than we need. This situation can create a vicious cycle of overeating and weight gain.

One of the best ways to lose visceral fat and gain muscle is to optimize our leptin levels. Our goal should be to make the brain sensitive to leptin signals and use them efficiently and effectively.

If you want to learn how to optimize leptin levels, you may check the details in my story titled How I Made My Body Leptin Sensitive and Stopped Food Cravings in 3 Steps.

4 — Ghrelin

Ghrelin is like a switch that controls our hunger signals, turning them on and off. When hunger strikes, the stomach increases its production of ghrelin, which then travels to the brain.

Within the brain, ghrelin binds to receptors in the hypothalamus, the region responsible for regulating hunger and fullness. This binding of ghrelin sets off a chain reaction, creating a sensation of hunger and intensifying our desire for food.

Additionally, ghrelin can accelerate the movement of our stomach and intestines, aiding digestion. It can lower energy expenditure, which affects the calories we burn at rest.

Ghrelin levels can sometimes become imbalanced, either too high or too low. Factors like fasting, dieting, stress, sleep deprivation, and medication side effects can influence fluctuations.

An imbalance in ghrelin levels can cause excessive eating, visceral fat gain, muscle loss, disrupted insulin function, blood sugar dysregulation, inflammation, compromised immune function, feelings of anxiety, and depression.

To address these concerns, optimizing ghrelin levels is crucial. The goal is to balance ghrelin levels by effectively managing hunger and satiety signals, much like I discussed with leptin.

5 — Adiponectin

Adiponectin regulates blood glucose levels, fatty acids, cell response to insulin, and inflammatory activities. It has insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory effects on the body. These effects can help us lower the risks of cardiometabolic conditions.

Adiponectin levels can vary depending on body fat percentage. Unlike leptin, which increases with body fat percentage, adiponectin decreases with body fat percentage. This means that obese people tend to have lower adiponectin levels and higher leptin levels.

Low adiponectin levels indicate metabolic disorders like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, obesity, fatty liver, and type II diabetes. These disorders can impair the ability to lose visceral fat and gain muscle.

Therefore, we need to optimize adiponectin levels by reducing the body fat percentage and improving our lifestyle habits. Our goal should be to make the body more sensitive to adiponectin signals and use them efficiently and effectively.

If you want to learn how to optimize adiponectin levels, you may check my previous article titled, “ Why Adiponectin Matters for Fat Loss and Inflammatory Health Conditions.

6 — Cortisol

Cortisol works like a fire alarm that alerts the body to danger for survival. When we face a stressful situation, the brain activates the HPA axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal), which is a system of glands, hormones, and feedback loops that regulates the stress response.

The HPA axis then stimulates adrenal glands to release cortisol into the bloodstream. Cortisol then prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing blood sugar levels, suppressing the immune system, and increasing heart rate and blood pressure.

Sometimes cortisol levels can become too high or too low or stay elevated for too long. This can happen for various reasons, like chronic stress, traumas, illnesses, injuries, and side effects of some medications.

When cortisol levels are imbalanced, they can affect metabolism and health in negative ways. They can cause insulin resistance, blood sugar dysregulation, inflammation, immune system dysfunction, fatigue, sleep disturbances, anxiety, depression, cognitive impairment, visceral fat accumulation, and muscle loss.

High cortisol levels can cause visceral fat accumulation and muscle loss by preventing the body from burning fat and promoting fat storage instead. Excessive and prolonged cortisol can cause muscle loss by breaking down muscle tissue.

Therefore, one of the best ways to lose visceral fat and gain muscle is to optimize cortisol levels. Our goal should be to balance cortisol levels by managing stress and improving lifestyle habits.

If you want to learn how to optimize cortisol levels, I documented the details in an article titled Optimize Cortisol to Melt Belly Fat and Keep Lean Muscles with Three Tips.

7 — Human Growth Hormone

Growth hormone works like a builder that constructs and maintains tissues and organs. When we are a child, growth hormone helps us grow taller and more muscular. As adults, growth hormone helps us build muscles, reduce fat, and make bones denser.

Growth hormone helps the body repair tissues and organs after an injury or an intense workout. It stimulates the production of collagen, the main protein that forms the structure of the skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.

Sometimes growth hormone levels can become too low, too high, or fluctuate throughout the day. This can happen for various reasons, like aging, illness, injury, medication side effects, and overstress.

When growth hormone levels are imbalanced, like getting too low, they can affect metabolism and health negatively. They can cause visceral fat accumulation, muscle loss, osteoporosis, fractures, reduced libido, sexual function, anxiety, depression, and cognitive impairment.

Therefore, optimizing growth hormone levels is one of the viable ways to lose visceral fat and gain muscle. Our goal should be naturally increasing growth hormone levels by improving our lifestyle habits.

If you want to learn how to optimize growth hormone levels, I documented my experience in a recent story titled How I Naturally Increased My Growth Hormone to Enhance My Metabolic Health.

8— Thyroid Hormones

Thyroid hormones are produced by your thyroid gland located at the front of the neck. They have crucial effects on metabolism and overall health. Thyroid hormones work like a gas pedal that controls the speed of our metabolism.

When we have enough thyroid hormones, our metabolism runs smoothly and efficiently. When we have too little or too much thyroid hormone, the metabolism slows down or speeds up, respectively.

There are four types of thyroid hormones: triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH).

Thyroid hormones regulate the metabolism of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates for energy utilization and tissue growth in various body parts. They also affect breathing, nervous system, heart function, brain development, body temperature, skin moisture, and menstruation in women.

Sometimes our thyroid hormone levels can become too low or too high. This can happen for various reasons, like iodine deficiency, autoimmune diseases, chronic inflammation, infections, medication side effects, or overstress.

When thyroid hormone levels are imbalanced, they can cause visceral fat accumulation, muscle loss, weight gain, weight loss, fatigue, nervousness, depression, anxiety, hair loss, dry skin, constipation, diarrhea, cold or heat intolerance, menstrual irregularities, or infertility.

Low thyroid hormones lead to a condition known as hypothyroidism, and elevated thyroid hormones cause hyperthyroidism. Untreated hypothyroidism can contribute to hypertension, dyslipidemia, infertility, cognitive impairment, and neuromuscular dysfunction.

Low thyroid hormone levels can cause visceral fat accumulation and muscle loss by preventing the body from burning fat and promoting fat storage. They can also cause muscle loss by reducing the synthesis of muscle proteins and increasing the breakdown of muscle tissue.

Therefore, optimizing thyroid hormone levels is an excellent way to lose visceral fat and gain muscle. Our goal should be to balance your thyroid hormone levels by ensuring adequate iodine intake and improving lifestyle habits.

If you want to learn how to optimize thyroid hormone levels, I documented my research and experience in an article titled How Thyroid Hormones Can Affect Our Health and Well-Being.

9 — Sex Hormones

Sex hormones are produced by gonads, which are ovaries in women and testes in men. They have significant effects on sexual development, function, and behavior. They impact fat metabolism and muscle function.

There are several sex hormones, but the two main ones are testosterone and estrogen. Testosterone is the male sex hormone that gives men masculine characteristics. Estrogen is the female sex hormone that gives women feminine features.

Testosterone and estrogen regulate how the body builds and maintains muscle mass and how it stores and distributes fat. Low testosterone levels in men and low estrogen levels in women can lead to increased belly fat storage, muscle loss, and weakening bones.

Many factors can affect sex hormone levels, like age, health conditions, medication side effects, or overstress. Some health conditions can lower sex hormone levels, like hypogonadism, polycystic ovary syndrome, or thyroid disorders.

One of the best ways to lose visceral fat and gain muscle is to optimize sex hormone levels. Our goal should be to balance sex hormone levels by ensuring adequate production and function of testosterone and estrogen.

We can optimize testosterone and estrogen levels through moderate resistance training, adequate sleep, proper stress management, and good nutrition, including proteins, healthy fats, essential minerals, and vitamins.

Older men might need testosterone replacement therapy, and older women might need estrogen replacement therapy prescribed by hormone specialists (endocrinologists).

Takeaways for Overall Hormonal Balance and Optimization

1— Get your hormones checked regularly and treated timely.

2 — Move the body regularly and personalize your workouts for your needs.

3 — Get restorative sleep nightly, recover, rest, and have fun.

4 — Manage stress and lower chronic inflammation.

5 — Consume adequate calories and get essential nutrients from whole foods. Eat some healthy fats. Customize your diet based on your needs.

6 — If you have no underlying health conditioins, you may consider skipping a meal, time-restricted eating, or occasional fasting.

You need to consult qualified healthcare professionals as fasting might have side effects for some people and interfere with medication.

7— Adress emotional issues and increase your adversity quotient

8 — Improve your relationships and enhance your social connections.

9— Act mindfully, work in a flow state, and meditate daily.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

You may find more optimistic and empowering stories like these on EUPHORIA, where I share my insights and life lessons. My focus is on cellular, mitochondrial, metabolic, and mental health + JOY. Here is my collection of Insightful Life Lessons from Personal Stories.

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