How Hormones Affect Muscle Mass and Weight Loss
Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate the functions of the different systems in the human body. Most importantly is regulation of metabolism which is an integral component in the maintenance of healthy muscle mass and body weight. Whenever there is hormonal imbalance, muscle mass and weight is adversely affected. Therefore, there is a need to maintain hormones within normal levels – especially during body building and when undertaking weight loss regimes.
Almost all hormones will have an effect on muscle mass and weight loss. The Cortisol hormone is the first one among these. This is the hormone produced in high levels during stress which is experienced by every person from time to time. What happens when cortisol levels are high is that the body responds by lowering the levels of another hormone known as dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). The hormone DHEA promotes muscle production leading to muscle mass increase. This is evidence why stress leads to fat build up instead of muscle mass.hormones_affect_muscle_mass_and_weight_loss
The second influential hormone is Insulin which regulates blood sugar levels. When an individual’s diet is high in carbohydrates, blood sugar rises; triggering a higher production of Insulin. This hormone will in turn act to lower the blood sugar to normal, and in the process, interfere with fat metabolism by initiating a number of actions. The first action is conversion of excess sugar into another form of energy, in this case fat. The second action is that of insulin acting to prevent breakdown of fat. Therefore, food types that stimulate high insulin output will be detrimental to any attempt at weight loss.
Serotonin is the third type of hormone whose effects greatly affect weight loss. It functions as a neurotransmitter in the brain. It acts on the part of the brain known as the satiety centre where it binds on nucleus cells. This binding causes a message to be relayed, implying that the body is satisfied and one has eaten enough food to meet the required nutritional needs. When serotonin levels are low in the body, the satiety centre is not well regulated and the body believes it is starving. This results in a person overeating and subsequently leads to obesity and an increased desire for fine sugars. Serotonin is made from amino acids which are the structural units of proteins. A diet that is low in proteins will therefore have lower levels of this hormone and predispose to obesity.
Thyroid hormones also do have an effect on metabolism. Low thyroid hormone levels lead to a decrease in the rate of burning body fat resulting in low energy levels and feelings of fatigue. In a bid to raise their energy levels people are more likely to end up gaining weight and may even become obese.
All these hormones may work individually or interact to produce effects that affect muscle mass and weight loss; making it easier or more difficult. Thus, maintaining hormone levels within normal range is important. For more information on naturally balancing your hormones and achieving rapid weight loss, please visit this site.