What Is the Connection Between Estrogen & Weight Loss?

The female sex hormone estrogen, present in women and to a lesser extent in men, is connected to weight loss. Through actions on a cellular level, estrogen can influence metabolism and appetite in addition to promoting the storage of fat.

Definition

• Estrogen influences the growth and rhythms of the body. In women, the ovaries primarily secrete estrogen; in men, it is present in small amounts throughout the body, including the testicles and the brain.

Primary Action

• Estrogen regulates body fat specifically to help ensure fertility. High levels of estrogen circulating in the blood signal the body to hold on to fat under the skin around the breasts, hips and thighs.

Secondary Action

• Estrogen also influences appetite and metabolism. High levels circulating in the blood decrease appetite and increase metabolism, while lower levels do the opposite.

Considerations

• The complex interaction of many different types of chemical messengers in your body can throw off the normal patterns of estrogen's effects on the regulation of body weight. Body fat also influences estrogen's effects.

Fat and Estrogen

• Fat secretes leptin, a chemical messenger that is a close cousin of estrogen and strongly influences appetite. Too much fat sends your body into a state where the signals can't get though, and eventually more hormones are pumped out with less of an effect. This can lead to weight gain.

Weight Loss

• Losing body fat through diet and exercise can bring your hormones back into balance. As the weight begins to come off, the body becomes more sensitive to some hormonal signals, and if circulating levels of estrogen are high enough, hunger may taper off and metabolism can increase.