Weight Loss

Weight loss and hormones are important to understand how people can lose unwanted extra pounds. Hormones help keep body weight within the desired levels.

Hormone Rebalancing Improves Quality of Life

If you’ve ever struggled with losing weight, you’ve probably heard the basic mantra “calories in versus calories out”. Traditional weight loss programs focus on either dieting to limit calorie intake or exercise to burn a greater number of calories. While this basic formula works well in many cases, recent research suggests that it misses an important part of the equation – hormones. Hormones play a crucial role in weight loss and weight gain. In some cases, someone might lose a significant amount of weight only to regain the bulk not long afterward. 

Diet and exercise are key ingredients to a healthy lifestyle but some people might require a little assistance to nudge their bodies in the right direction. By understanding the role hormones play in how our bodies manage weight, we can take a more measured and informed approach to weight loss. We ensure the pounds you want to lose stay off and don’t return when you least desire.

Christopher Asandra, MD specializes in understanding the role hormones play in a variety of situations including weight loss and weight gain. With his focus on anti-aging and vitality, he can apply his mastery of hormone therapy to assist patients that seek a comprehensive weight-loss strategy. By using bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), Dr. Asandra can bring your hormone levels back into balance and give you that boost you need to reach and maintain your ideal body weight.

If you’re curious about how hormone treatments can supply you with the missing key to successful weight loss, then schedule an appointment with Dr. Asandra today. You can reach his Beverly Hills office by calling (424) 542-8881.

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About Weight Loss and Hormones in Beverly Hills

Weight loss can feel difficult or even impossible to achieve. You’ve tried the diets and exercise on your own and for whatever reason, they didn’t stick. Oftentimes, the missing ingredient to go along with diet and exercise is understanding hormones.

Hormones play an integral role in homeostasis, the equilibrium achieved by our body’s vital systems. If you’re looking to lose weight, hormones should be taken into account. Hormone therapy isn’t a magical way to lose weight. It doesn’t replace a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and getting a good night’s sleep. Hormone therapy supplements a healthy lifestyle by ensuring the body remains in a harmonic state conducive to balanced eating and regular exercise. Out of balance hormones can undermine even the best diets and exercise. For some, hormones are the main reason why maintaining their ideal body weight feels so difficult. Understanding the role hormones play in weight loss can be the key to keeping that unwanted weight off.

Cortisol

Cortisol is the body’s main stress hormone. When the brain enters the well-known “flight or fight” condition, the body starts pumping out cortisol along with adrenaline. Cortisol’s connection to weight gain/loss comes from the repeated conditions that characterize chronic stress. When the body is under chronic stress, cortisol encourages behavior that seeks out energy-dense, high-calorie foods and slows the metabolism.^[1] This can form a negative feedback loop since a strict diet can also cause stress. Stress then makes the diet harder to maintain and can lead to increased appetite, even after the original stressor is removed from the equation. Hormone therapy can help control the levels of cortisol and promote a more balanced lifestyle that will naturally lower stress levels.

Thyroid

The thyroid gland manages the metabolism and regulates how fast or slow the body burns calories. The thyroid controls the release of many hormones. According to the American Thyroid Association, over 12% of Americans have either hyper- or hypothyroid conditions.^[2] Thyroid imbalances can also go undiagnosed in a great many cases. Dr. Asandra can assess your thyroid condition and, if needed, design a hormone replacement strategy that can resolve thyroid imbalances.

Estrogen and Testosterone

When sex hormones out of balance, it can lead to weight gain. Out of balance sex hormones can affect the motivation required to exercise regularly and put in the effort that is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Low testosterone in both men and women can affect the energy levels and the impetus to maintain a healthy exercise schedule. With hormone replacement therapy, you can help balance your hormones. We can help correct that lackluster motivation which prevents you from getting the activity you need to maintain a successful weight loss program.

Insulin

Insulin manages the body’s levels of blood sugar. It also controls the uptake of nutrients and glucose into the body’s cells from the bloodstream. Growing overweight and obese throws our insulin out of balance. The more overweight you grow, the body stops responding to insulin as an appetite regulator. This negative feedback loop can lead to Type 2 diabetes. It’s important to live a lifestyle that regulates insulin so that your body burns fat instead of storing it.

Leptin

The name leptin comes from the word for “thin” in Greek. That’s fitting because leptin serves as a natural appetite suppressant; when levels of leptin rise, the body burns more body fat. Leptin serves as an information gatherer for the body. Sometimes, leptin can malfunction and not signal the body to suppress the appetite. Leptin abnormality, while rare, can lead to excessive caloric intake. 

Benefits of Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy 

Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) can restore a healthy, natural homeostasis to the body. Balanced bodies respond much better to traditional weight-loss strategies than a body with a hormonal imbalance. BHRT can help restore the motivation to exercise and supply you with the energy to follow through with exercise.

Benefits of BHRT for Weight Loss

Suitable Candidates

Any man or woman struggling to lose weight makes a suitable candidate for bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Whether you lack the motivation to go to the gym or you are frustrated because going to the gym isn’t resulting in the weight loss you want, a consultation with hormone expert Dr. Asandra can benefit you. Candidates for BHRT for weight loss should be committed to living a healthy lifestyle. BHRT isn’t a magic serum that instantly makes you lose weight. You still have to put in the effort to live a healthy lifestyle. BHRT removes the roadblocks that impede you on your drive to lose weight.

Results

Hormone replacement therapy offers a number of benefits when assisting weight-loss programs by supporting the foundation required for a successful diet and exercise regimen. If you’d like a preview of the type of results Dr. Asandra achieves for his patients, read the reviews from his successful patients. 

“Dr. Asandra has unbelievable care for helping both men and women feel their best. His passion for his work shines through his soul. Dr. Asandra is the best doctor I’ve ever had and I highly recommend him to both men and women. Thank you, Dr. Asandra” 

Kim Kanner, Former Diva for WCW @World Championship Wrestling

FAQ

References

1. Chao, A.M., et al. (2017). Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight. Obesity (Silver Spring), 25 (4), 713–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/oby.21790
2. American Thyroid Association. (2019). General Information/Press Room. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.thyroid.org/media-main/press-room/
3. Lund J, Lund C, Morville T, Clemmensen C. (2020) The unidentified hormonal defense against weight gain. Public Library of Science Biology. 18(2): e3000629. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3000629