If you’re over a certain age, it might be the case that your recent weight gain isn’t caused by a poor diet or a lax exercise routine. For some of us, weight gain is inexorably linked to hormonal imbalance, which begs the question: how do I balance my hormones to lose weight? Well, it’s easier than you might think. At Pellecome, we believe that science holds the key to restoring the natural hormonal balance of your body.
How Do I Balance My Hormones to Lose Weight?
When someone sets out to balance their natural hormone production, one of the first recommendations is hormone therapy, such as BHRT. However, if you aren’t ready for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, you may have another option to resolve hormone-caused weight gain, and that path is through dietary supplements that help support and restore internal metabolic processes linked to weight management.
Of course, even if you are undergoing hormone therapy, you may find that taking dietary supplements will help your BHRT be more effective, particularly for sustaining weight loss. Supporting your hormone therapy with dietary supplements gives your body all of the building blocks it needs to lose weight and reach your body composition goals.
D3 and K2 Supplements
D2 and K2 are a powerful duo when taken as a supplement. Each of these vitamins is involved with balancing hormones, particularly those associated with weight management, and are viewed as safe vitamin supplements for people to take to support metabolic processes. Additionally, taking a combined supplement of D3 and K2 may support cell growth, bone mineralization, and weight management.
D3 Helps Balance Hormones
Vitamin D3, which the body can generate from absorbing sunlight, has a long history of being associated with overall good immune health, but D3 is also involved in keeping your hormone levels steady. Studies have found that D3 efficiencies are linked to obesity and that internal levels of D3 conversion increase after weight loss, particularly in women. What this means for your weight loss goal is that using D3 supplements may help increase overall weight loss.
K2 Supports Weight Loss
K2 is not a vitamin commonly found in most diets or even in many supplements, but there are significant benefits for including this vitamin in your daily intake. As a vitamin, K2 plays critical roles in bone and dental health, liver health, and yes, even reducing body weight and visceral fat. Because K2 is hard to find in food and because the conversion from K1 to K2 is inefficient, it’s generally easier to get an ideal amount of daily K2 intake when taken directly.
How to Use D3 and K2 Supplements
While the ideal dose for your health will be determined by your physician, one of the best ways to absorb this particular supplement combination is through liquid drops. Pellecome recommends using one dropper-full daily, mixed into food or beverages.
DHEA Tablets
DHEA is one of the hallmarks of dietary supplements for the purpose of maintaining ideal body composition. While DHEA is sometimes used by athletes or those with very active lifestyles, those who have hormonal imbalances may benefit from the regulatory factors associated with DHEA supplemental tablets.
DHEA Decreases Total Body Fat
One particular study has found that DHEA supplements prevent the accumulation of visceral fat in the abdomen, which may help prevent obesity. Other studies indicate that, when taken as a supplement and used in conjunction with adequate exercise, DHEA may also help decrease total body fat and reduce body weight, particularly in men in andropause.
How to Use DHEA Tablets
DHEA tablets are premeasured in ideal supplemental dosages for adults, so usually taking one or two tablets a day is effective enough to aid in regulating weight and weight loss. Your physician will be able to tell you the ideal time of day and how many tablets you should take to have optimal results.
DIM/IC3 Supplements
Both DIM and IC3 are interesting compounds that have been linked to newly-emerging studies for the efficacy of these supplements aiding in weight loss, particularly for adults who are experiencing hormone fluctuations associated with the natural aging process. DIM/IC3 supplements are derived from cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and brussel sprouts, and may have additional benefits for overall health.
DIM Stimulates Fat Breakdown
DIM is associated directly with estrogen metabolism, which is essential in regulating body weight. Studies show that estrogen imbalances correspond with weight gain for both men and women, particularly during menopause and andropause when estrogen levels are the most inconsistent. DIM supplements are also related to the stimulation of fat breakdown, meaning the DIM may be effective for preventing the formation of new fat cells, as well as aiding the body in reducing existing fat cells.
IC3 May Prevent Obesity
Similarly, IC3 is thought to be partially responsible for the prevention of obesity caused by poor diets due to the way IC3 interacts with estrogen production and metabolism. Interestingly, IC3 is also associated with reducing the risk of estrogen-caused cancers, a risk that is significantly higher for postmenopausal women. This means that IC3 may be doubly as effective for women, as it serves the purpose of regulating estrogen production and managing body weight at the same time.
How to Use DIM/IC3 Supplements
While some people may certainly eat diets high in cruciferous vegetables and be able to benefit from the DIM/IC3 in their diet, some people may find it easier to use a supplement, particularly if they have restrictive diets for any reason. DIM/IC3 supplements should be taken one to two times a day for a total of two to four tablets.
Pregnenolone Supplements
Pregnenolone is a cholesterol hormone that is associated with many essential functions in the body, including cognitive function, mood balance, sleep health, and even weight loss. Because pregnenolone is a hormone that is vital to the many regulatory functions of the body to help maintain homeostasis and overall health, using a pregnenolone supplement is beneficial for several reasons, even if your goal is not to aid in weight loss.
Pregnenolone Aids Weight Loss
Pregnenolone is the mother of all hormones, meaning that all adrenal hormones in the body (such as estrogen and testosterone) are first found in the form of pregnenolone. For this reason, studies indicate people have greater chances of losing weight when precursor hormones such as pregnenolone are regulated. Additionally, because cortisol is closely related to gaining visceral abdominal fat, using pregnenolone supplements may also prevent weight gain due to the fact that pregnenolone inhibits cortisol overproduction.
How to Use Pregnenolone Supplements
Pregnenolone should also be taken as a daily supplement, usually at one to two tablet doses once or twice a day, depending on your particular health needs. Your physician will be able to direct you to the dosage that is an ideal match for your hormonal needs and your weight loss goals.
Can You Combine These Supplements?
While you will want to speak to your physician about combining these supplements, as a general rule of thumb, you may be able to combine one or more of these supplements into your daily intake. For example, because pregnenolone supports DHEA, you may be able to take both of these supplements at the same time.
Should You Speak With a Doctor Before Using These Supplements?
Yes. You should absolutely speak with your primary care physician before starting any dietary supplement, particularly if you are undergoing BHRT or you are trying to lose weight for the sake of your health. Depending on your biology, your gender, and medications you may be taking, the efficacy of supplements to aid weight loss are all different. Balancing your hormones to lose weight means being cautious about the supplements you are using.
How Do Hormones Cause Weight Gain?
Your hormonal balance is directly linked to weight gain, particularly visceral fat in the abdomen that can threaten overall health and life expectancy. Hormones in the gut and produced by the adrenal system are tied to weight gain, meaning that overproduction or deficiency of these hormones makes it easier to gain weight. This is particularly true for women and men who are experiencing hormonal imbalances caused by the natural aging process.
What Are the Stages of Hormonal Change for Women?
Women begin to experience the hormonal changes associated with the cessation of ovulation about eight to 10 years before menopause truly sets in, which means that menopause is a slow process.
Premenopause and Perimenopause
For many women, the first stage of menopause (also called premenopause) happens between ages 30 and 40, with the primary symptoms being cycles that become less regular and hot flashes during the night. Perimenopause is a more substantial stage where the symptoms of hormonal changes become more pronounced. In particular, perimenopause includes faster depletion of estrogen levels – however, women are still capable of becoming pregnant during perimenopause, although fertility rates are likely lower.
Menopause and Postmenopause
Menopause is the full suspension of the ovulation cycle, meaning women no longer have any periods because their bodies do not produce enough estrogen to ovulate. Menopause is marked by hot flashes, mood swings, sleep disturbance, sexual dysfunction, and more. Many women are surprised to learn that postmenopause, which can occur for over 10 years after the onset of menopause, features a continuation of these symptoms.
Which Stage Features the Most Potential Weight Gain?
Many women find that the most significant portion of potential weight gain occurs during the 12-month period of the onset of menopause. This is because estrogen levels are the lowest here, meaning that regular metabolic processes are imbalanced while the body transitions to the lower estrogen level.
What Are the Stages of Hormonal Change for Men?
For men, andropause is a slow decline of normal testosterone levels, which begin to lower by about 1% every year around the age of 40. Because the decrease in testosterone production is slow slow, many men do not exhibit any obvious symptoms of andropause for nearly a decade after onset. Andropause is traditionally marked by “low T”, which features symptoms such as low libido, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, mood swings, and more.
How Common Is It for Men to Gain Weight During Andropause?
On average, middle-aged men gain about 19 pounds during the onset of andropause, which can be a significant cause of concern for overall health. Weight gain is one of the more common symptoms of andropause and most men will experience some about of weight gain during late adulthood.
Balance My Hormones: A Potential Weight Loss Key
How do I balance my hormones to lose weight? At Pellecome, we believe one key to weight loss can be found in supplements that help your body find a natural balance to aid in breaking down fat, increasing metabolism, and preventing dietary obesity. For more information about the selection of supplements that can help you balance your hormones and improve your health, please contact Pellecome in Gladstone, NJ today!
