8 Hormones for Losing Weight

If ever read my previous post about calorie shifting diet, the diet program focus in your fat burn hormone and fat storage hormone that will help you in losing weight. And in this article, you will know another 8 hormones that will also help you in losing weight.

1. Growth Hormone
Stimulates protein synthesis (muscle tone/development), and strength of bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. Decreases use of glucose and increases use of fat as a fuel during exercise. This helps to reduce body fat and to keep blood glucose at a normal level which helps you to exercise for a longer period of time.

2. Endorphins
An endogenous opioid from the pituitary gland that blocks pain, decreases appetite, creates a feeling of euphoria (the exercise high), and reduces tension and
anxiety. Blood levels of endorphins increase up to five times resting levels during longer duration (greater than 30 minutes) aerobic exercise at moderate to intense levels and also during interval training. Also, after several months of regular exercise, you develop an increased sensitivity to endorphins (a higher high from the same level of endorphins), and endorphins that are produced tend to stay in your blood for a longer period of time. This makes longer duration exercise easier (you're feeling no pain) and it causes your exercise high to last for a longer
period of time after exercise.

3. Testosterone
An important hormone in both males and females for maintaining muscle tone/volume/strength, increasing basal metabolic rate (metabolism), decreasing body fat, and feeling self-confident. It's produced by the ovaries in females and by the testes in males.

Females have only about one tenth the amount of testosterone that males do, but even at that level in females it also plays a role in libido and intensity of orgasms. Production of testosterone in females begins to decline as a woman begins to approach menopause and in males it begins to decline in his forties.

Blood levels of testosterone increase with exercise in both males and females beginning about 20 minutes into an exercise session, and blood levels may remain elevated for one to three hours after exercise.

4. Estrogen
The most biologically active estrogen, 17 beta estradiol, increases fat breakdown from body fat stores so that it can be used and fuel, increases basal metabolic rate (metabolism), elevates your mood, and increases libido. This hormone is at much higher blood levels in females, but the ovaries begin to produce less of it as a woman begins to approach menopause.

The amount of 17 beta estradiol secreted by the ovaries increases with exercise, and blood levels may remain elevated for one to four hours after exercise.

5. Thyroxine (T4)
A hormone produced by the thyroid gland, Thyroxine raises the metabolic rate ("metabolism") of almost all cells in the body. This increase in "metabolism" helps you to feel more energetic and also causes you to expend more calories, and thus is important in weight loss.

Blood levels of thyroxine increase by about 30% during exercise and remain elevated for several
hours afterward - this period of time is increased by an increase in intensity and/or duration of exercise. Regular exercise also increase thyroxine levels at rest.

6. Epinephrine
A hormone produced primarily by the adrenal medulla that increases the amount of blood the
heart pumps and directs blood flow to where it's needed.

Stimulates breakdown of glycogen (stored carbohydrate) in the active muscles and liver to use as fuel. It also stimulates the breakdown of fat (in stored fat and in active muscles) to use as fuel. The amount of epinephrine released from the adrenal medulla is proportional to the intensity and duration of exercise.

7. Insulin
An important hormone in regulating (decreasing) blood levels of glucose ("blood sugar") and in
directing glucose, fatty acids, and amino acids into the cells. Insulin secretion by the
pancreas is increased in response to a rise in blood sugar as is often the case after a meal.

Typically, the larger the meal, or the greater the quantity of simple sugars consumed, the larger
the insulin response. This is another reason that it's good to eat small frequent meals and
to limit consumption of sugar and of processed bread, pasta and rice. The whole grain (non-
processed) versions of those products are a much healthier choice.

Blood levels of insulin begin to decrease about 10 minutes into an aerobic exercise session and
continue to decrease through about 70 minutes of exercise. Regular exercise also increases a cell's sensitivity to insulin at rest, so that less is needed.

8. Glucagon
A hormone that is also secreted by the pancreas, but it's job is to raise blood levels of glucose
("blood sugar"). When blood sugar levels get too low, glucagon is secreted and causes stored
carbohydrate (glycogen) in the liver to be released into the blood stream to raise blood sugar to a
normal level. It also causes the breakdown of fat so that it can be used as fuel.

Glucagon typically begins to be secreted beyond 30 minutes of exercise when blood glucose levels may begin to decrease. So, next time you're exercising, think about all the wonderful things that are happening to your hormones. It might even make you want to do more exercise!

Article Resource: http://www.greglandryfitness.com