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Hormonal Belly: Signs Hormones Are Making Your Belly Bulge

Hormonal Belly: Signs Hormones Are Making Your Belly Bulge

Deficiency in certain hormones can make you pack pounds around the belly region. Here are some signs you may be dealing with hormonal belly.

Written by Editorial Team |Updated : September 17, 2021 12:07 PM IST

Tried lifestyle modifications such as diet and exercise but still finding it difficult to lose fat from your abdominal area? Then, it can be a hormonal belly that may require medical attention. We spoke to Dr. Sushruta Mokadam, Senior Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Motherhood Hospital, Kharadi, Pune to understand the causes of hormonal belly and the signs associated with it. Here's an excerpt from the conversation:

What is hormonal belly?

Everyone wants to lose weight and become slim. After all, it enhances your appearance and keeps you away from various serious health problems. To fulfill the dream of weight loss, many people go to any length. They try every possible means to battle the bulge. But sometimes many people still find it difficult to lose fat, especially from the belly region. Then it is likely that your hormones could be standing in the way of your weight loss efforts.

It is a no-brainer that hormones regulate various functions in the body along with metabolism, stress, hunger, and sex drive. Due to fluctuation in the hormonal levels, there could be a deficiency in certain hormones, and that's why your belly bulge is becoming more prominent than before, and it can be called a hormonal belly.

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There are several hormone-associated conditions that can make you pack pounds around the belly region like underactive thyroid, Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and menopause. Other hormonal imbalances occur because of obesity, stress, or medications.

What are the vital signs that we need to watch out for?

Not feeling satisfied even after having a meal: If this is happening frequently then that means the sex hormones are indirectly impacting those hormones that help regulate your metabolism, that is estrogen and testosterone. Low estrogen levels make you feel hungry even after having a meal owing to the impact of estrogen on leptin. High leptin levels are problematic.

Being stressed all the time: Every time you're stressed, your adrenal glands release cortisol to help your body respond promptly. In case you are stressed all the time, your adrenal gland will not even realize that it's producing more cortisol than your body even needs. Furthermore, high levels of cortisol raise heart rate, blood pressure, and even blood sugar. Not only this, too much cortisol tends to increase abdominal fat.

Weight gain in the abdominal area: That's because the level of hormones in your body goes down. Low estrogen levels can be seen owing to excessive exercise, not eating properly, or pituitary glands problems. When estrogen levels dramatically go down then one may gain more weight around the belly.

If you think you're dealing with hormonal belly, speak to an expert who will guide you regarding this. Also, don't forget to follow the vital instructions given by him/her.