Are hormone imbalances affecting your ability to lose weight?

Did you know that hormonal imbalances can cause us to gain weight?  Most people know that if their thyroid gland isn’t making hormones correctly they can start to pile on the kilos, but some other lesser known hormones can do this as well such as our stress hormone cortisol.  Another interesting aspect of hormonal problems causing weight gain is that they often target specific areas of our body.

If you’re trying to lose weight but finding yourself struggling despite doing all the right things, it might be time to investigate if your hormones are sabotaging your efforts.   Below I will cover some of the key hormones that can be involved, how to identify if they’re out of balance and what to do about it.

In the next newsletter I will cover some of the other issues that can affect your abililty to lose weight that aren’t because of hormones.

Stress

When we are stressed our adrenal glands produce more of the hormone cortisol.  This was originally designed as a reaction to help us run away from the hungry tiger, but now when the cortisol is being produced from our work, family and financial stress it’s so as helpful.  Excess levels of cortisol can cause fluid retention, bloating and weight gain around the neck, trunk and abdomen.  Women with higher levels of this hormone have been shown to have larger waists than those women with normal cortisol levels.

If stress is severe or prolonged, it can cause chronic elevation of the hormones cortisol and adrenaline and this can result in weight gain, most likely due to our body thinking we need to stock up on nutrients to deal with famine or heal potential injuries.  Some people may get certain food cravings in times of stress, and this can impede weight loss, especially if you are cravings sugary or fatty foods.

Stress can be assessed not only by how you feel and the stressful events that you have been through, but also by testing the function of your adrenal hormones by a saliva test.  Our cortisol levels should rise moderately in the morning, then gradually reduce throughout the day.  I often find that cortisol is too low in the morning (which causes fatigue), then too high in the afternoon (causing cravings) and still high at night (causing sleep problems).

If you are experiencing high levels of stress then a treatment program combining herbal medicine and high quality nutritional supplements designed to balance the adrenal glands and help improve your ability to cope with stress will help to balance the cortisol levels and also reduce food cravings, therefore improving weight loss.  This works best when combined when targeted to the results of a cortisol test, as the herbs can be given at the times we know you need to be balanced.

Thyroid Disorders

Thyroid imbalance can strongly affect metabolism and make it difficult to lose weight.  Approximately 6-10% of women have hypothyroidism.  However, the prevalence increases with age and up to 25% of women aged 65 years or older may be affected.  Men are also affected, but less frequently.   People with an underactive thyroid may experience weight gain, fluid retention, bloating.  An overactive thyroid usually causes weight loss, oily skin and an increase in irritability.  In some cases the symptoms can be the opposite.  The different symptoms are covered in the table below.

Thyroid imbalance is very common in post-menopausal women and often goes unnoticed.  A blood test by your doctor can assess your thyroid levels, but the range of what is considered normal thyroid hormone levels is very broad and so all too often people are told their thyroid is normal, yet they are showing signs of a struggling thyroid and metabolism.  Research has shown that even a small increase in TSH, the main thyroid hormone tested in blood tests, can lead to weight gain.   By combining information from your blood test results with your symptoms, a basal body temperature chart and/or an iodine test we can help to put the picture together of whether your thyroid is working as it should.

If you have an imbalance in your thyroid function, consult a naturopath for a treatment plan to correct its functioning and bring your metabolism back on track.

Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance, also known as Syndrome X is a metabolic disorder which affects insulin and blood sugar level metabolism.  In individuals with insulin resistance your body cells’ insulin receptors have become resistant, which leads to high levels of circulating insulin.  If left unmanaged, this syndrome can develop into diabetes.

People with insulin resistance tend to carry weight around the abdomen (visceral fat).

Insulin is tested via blood.  You have to ask your doctor for this test, as it isn’t performed in routine check ups.  If your insulin level is 10 or greater this is suggestive of insulin resistance.

Insulin resistance makes it very difficult for you to lose weight successfully.  The best way to tackle insulin resistance is a combination of exercise, diet modification and nutritional supplementation.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS)

PCOS is a very common condition in women and presents with several symptoms such as excess hair growth (hirsuitism), acne, irregular periods, and difficulty losing weight.  This condition is usually caused by a combination of insulin resistance, excess androgens and low levels of progesterone.

Naturopathic treatment can help to treat PCOS by regulating hormone levels and treating insulin resistance.  Once the insulin resistance and hormonal levels are improved, weight loss can occur more easily.

Oestrogen Dominance

High levels of the hormone oestrogen can cause several health complaints such as endometriosis, breast tenderness, pre-menstrual syndrome and period pain, however it can also affect your weight.  Too much oestrogen encourages fat and cellulite to build up around the highs, thighs and buttocks.

In women with oestrogen dominance, herbs and nutrients that boost progesterone and support liver function can help fat loss to occur more effectively from areas that you want, instead of the face and breast area (which women usually don’t want to lose).

Hormones can be tested via blood or saliva.  Saliva hormone testing is able to identify imbalances more easily than blood, however is more expensive than blood tests which can sometimes be covered by Medicare when ordered by a doctor.  Hormone testing can help identify PCOS, Oestrogen dominance and testosterone deficiency in males.

If you feel like you have one or more of the above issues that is affecting your ability to lose weight, make an appointment to see how we can help you.  We will go through your case history and can suggest which factors may be relevant for you, and can discuss your testing options with you.  Once we have identified what is happening we can create a treatment plan to naturally and safely balance your hormones.

The post Internal Barriers to Weight Loss – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.

This article discusses the thyroid gland and the differences between and over and underactive thyroid.

Thyroid Health

The Butterfly-Shaped Gland

 The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland, situated in the front part of your neck, which produces hormones needed for normal metabolism. Essentially, you can think of your thyroid hormones as the drums in an orchestra or band; thyroid hormones set the rhythm and the pace for most of our body functions – they regulate our metabolic rate and how fast or slow our organs and tissues function. Disordered thyroid function, therefore, upsets the whole rhythm of the body.

The Highs and Lows of Thyroid Function

Dysfunction of the thyroid can cause a number of different symptoms. Thyroid problems can affect weight, energy levels, appetite and mood; but the effects will be different depending on whether the thyroid gland is over functioning or under functioning.

Hyperthyroidism is a state of over-activity of the thyroid gland with excessive production of thyroid hormones and an increased metabolic rate – it’s as if the drums that set the rhythm for our bodies have sped up too much and are making everything function too fast. Symptoms of hyperthyroidism can include:

• Feeling hot and intolerant of hot weather
• Weight loss
• Anxiety, restlessness and insomnia
• Excessive sweating
• Increased heart rate
• Fine tremors of the fingers
• High blood pressure

Hypothyroidism, on the other hand, is a state of under-activity of the thyroid gland with an underproduction of thyroid hormone – it’s as if the drums have slowed down and the beat that is running how our body functions is too slow. When your body does not produce enough of the thyroid hormone, the body’s metabolism slows so much that you can experience symptoms such as:

• Tiredness and fatigue
• Depression
• Irritability
• Weight gain
• Intolerance to cold weather
• Brittle hair
• Slow heart rate
• A croaky, hoarse voice

Herbs to Calm The Thyroid

An overactive thyroid can make you feel anxious and restless and can also be a contributing factor to insomnia. A combination of traditional calming herbs may help to manage these symptoms and slow that beating drum that is increasing your metabolism too much. Lemon balm, Rehmannia, Bugleweed and Phyllanthus emblica are traditional herbs with anti-anxiety actions which can help to calm an overactive thyroid. They also provide anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant protection, reducing the negative effects of oxidative stress and inflammation on the thyroid. Lemon balm is easy to grow and makes a delicious tea. (It’s also great for a nervous tummy!)

Eat more of these foods to calm your thyroid:

Photo by Disiana Caballero on Unsplash

Cabbage, brussel spouts, cauliflower, broccoli (all raw)
Radish
Apples
Almonds and walnuts
Soy milk, tofu and soy fibre

Herbs to Balance The Thyroid

On the other hand an under-active thyroid can make you feel tired, cold and depressed. To increase the rhythm of the drum and improve the activity of the thyroid gland, you can use a combination of herbs traditionally used to energise and warm the body. Ginger, goji berry and rosemary are energising herbs which improve circulation, warm the body and are a great source of antioxidants. Ginger and rosemary are easily included in meals as spices, and goji berries are a great snack. Other herbs that help to balance the thyroid which care available with prescription are Withania, Bladderwack and Bacopa.

As well as these herbs to stimulate thyroid activity, there are some vital nutrients required for an under-active thyroid, including:

• Iodine – Iodine is an essential element for the production of thyroid hormones. Iodine deficiency is common in many areas of the world, leading to depletion of iodine stores and reduced production of thyroid hormones.
• Selenium – This trace element has many important roles in the body, including crucial roles as a cofactor in enzymes essential for production of thyroid hormones.
• Zinc – Low zinc levels are associated with poor thyroid hormone production and reduced basal metabolic rate.

These foods can assist in balancing underactive thyroid function

• Apricots, dates, egg yolks, parsley, molasses, potatoes, prunes, raw seeds, and whole grains.
• Make sure all foods from the brassica family (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussel sprouts are well cooked).
• Iodine rich foods such as seaweed.

Testing for thyroid problems

Blood tests

These are the most commonly performed and well known forms of testing done, and you can get these tests done by your GP.

The thyroid has a few different hormones and common practice is to first test TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone), and if that is out of balance they will then go on to test the main hormones T3 and T4. If these are out of balance, they will then go on to test for thyroid antibodies, which are an indicator of an issue where the immune system attacks the thyroid, being responsible for the imbalance. Another less frequently tested hormone is rT3 (reverse T3).

 Below is a brief guide to thyroid tests:

• TSH: High in hypothyroidism | Low in hyperthyroidism
• T4: Low in hypothyroidism (may appear normal) | High in hyperthyroidism
• T3 (tested less frequently): Low in hypothyroidism | High in hyperthyroidism
• rT3: Higher levels may lead to hypothyroidism symptoms.

 Symptoms

 Symptoms are a good indicator to a practitioner to investigate further. As well as the symptoms listed above, a sign of thyroid imbalance can be a combination of the following:

• Dull facial expression (drooping eyelids)
• Cold intolerance (with cold extremities)
• Poor circulation
• Dry skin, elbow keratosis, brittle nails
• Prolonged Achilles tendon reflex time
• Diffuse hair loss and lateral 1/3 eyebrow
• Slow speech, movement, heart rate
• Puffy face, swollen eyelids
• Fluid retention (body, legs, feet, hands, belly)
• Low body temperature
• Acne
• Fibrocystic breast disease

Basal body temperature

Basal temperature is controlled by the thyroid and can be a good indicator of how much T3 is active inside cells.

1.  Shake down a thermometer to below 35°C and place it by the bed before going to sleep.

2.  Upon waking, place the thermometer under the armpit for a full 10 minutes.

3.  Remain as still as possible, resting with the eyes closed.

4.  Record the temperature for at least 3 consecutive mornings, preferably at the same time of day. Menstruating women must check basal body temperature on the second, third and fourth days of menstruation. Men and menopausal women can check on any 3 consecutive days.

 Ideal basal temperature: 36.5°C- 36.8°C

 Scanning

The thyroid gland itself can be scanned with a radioactive isotope or radioactive iodine scan. This will show whether the gland is enlarged, whether there is a goitre on one or more nodules, and whether particular areas are ‘hot’ (that is, are active and take up the isotope or iodine). An ultrasound can also show up a goitre or nodule and whether it is solid or not. In some cases a needle biopsy of a goitre or nodule may be needed and tissue sent to a pathologist for examination to determine whether it is benign or malignant.

The post Thyroid Health – Part 1 appeared first on Alison Mitchell Naturopath.