Lack of estrogen may also cause the body to use starches and blood sugar less effectively, which would increase fat storage and make it harder to lose weight.
Before, during, and after menopause, your estrogen levels begin to wane and your metabolism slows, making it more difficult for you to lose weight, particularly around your middle. And belly fat isn't just annoying — it's also unhealthy.
Overall, a combination of lifestyle changes, such as dietary modifications, exercise, stress management, and adequate sleep, is key to reducing hormonal belly fat effectively. In some cases, hormone replacement therapy or body shaping procedures may also be considered.
For women, a specific estrogen hormone called estradiol decreases at menopause helps regulate metabolism and body weight. The lower the levels of estradiol may cause weight gain. Throughout a woman's life, they may notice weight gain around their hips and thighs.
“Women also become more estrogen-dominant as we move into perimenopause and beyond. Estrogen dominance promotes insulin resistance, which causes the belly fat build-up,” she says.
However, it may offer another benefit. During menopause, you may notice that you seem to accumulate more fat in your abdominal area. Studies show that estrogen replacement therapy may help you avoid this issue.
Many women notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they don't gain weight. This is likely due to a lower level of estrogen because estrogen seems to have an effect on where fat is located in the body. Genes can contribute to an individual's chances of being overweight or obese too.
The hormone leptin is produced by fat cells and is secreted into our bloodstream. Leptin reduces a person's appetite by acting on specific centres of their brain to reduce their urge to eat. It also seems to control how the body manages its store of body fat.
Symptoms of low estrogen can include: Hot flashes, flushes, and night sweats are the most common symptoms of low estrogen. At times, blood rushes to your skin's surface. This can give you a feeling of warmth (hot flash).
Estrogen helps protect the heart from disease, potentially by maintaining higher levels of good cholesterol, called high-density lipoprotein (HDL), in your blood. Lower estrogen levels, especially during menopause, can increase your risk of developing heart disease.
Low estrogen can affect your body in various ways, depending on where you are in terms of your sexual development. Low estrogen: May delay puberty, slow or prevent sexual development. Occurs in perimenopause and menopause, often leading to painful sex, lower sexual desire and hot flashes.
Consistently high or low levels of estrogen may cause weight gain and signal a condition that may need medical attention.
Estrogen levels that are too high or too low can cause weight gain. High levels of estrogen in the body can irritate the cells that produce insulin in your body, making you insulin resistant and blood sugar levels rise, leading to weight gain. Low levels of estrogen can also cause a very stubborn type of weight gain.
For example, when estrogen levels are too high in comparison to progesterone (also known as estrogen dominance), this can trigger the body to produce more insulin. This in turn leads to insulin resistance, high blood sugar, and weight gain.
'Estrogen helps shape an hourglass silhouette to signal fertility. As estrogen levels drop around menopause so fat tends to be redistributed around the waist. ' 'Estrogen is connected with the production of insulin, which organizes your body's storage system.
If you are healthy, most experts agree that HRT is safe to use at the lowest dose that helps for the shortest time needed. If you're 59 or older, or have been on hormones for 5 years, you should talk to your doctor about quitting.
Hormones largely influence weight, which in turn, can be controlled by a special focus on eating habits. According to nutritionist Rashi Chowdhary, you need to reset three hormones — prolactin, insulin and thyroid antibodies — for optimal fat loss.
Struggling with belly fat and sudden weight gain as early as perimenopausal thru to post-menopause is really common. Data shows that post-menopausal women really struggle with obesity. You're not alone. According to science, you can actually lose hormonal belly fat!
Estrogen promotes storing energy as fat in certain parts of your body whereas progesterone supports the metabolism of stored fat so that you burn it as energy.
Ghrelin is the opposite of leptin. It tells you that you're hungry, but low ghrelin can make you feel hungrier and cause you to overeat. Cortisol, the stress hormone, also influences weight. High cortisol affects metabolism and may increase your risk of overeating or make weight loss more difficult.