Hormones and Weight Loss: How are They Connected?

Your weight is one of the best biomarkers of your overall health. A biomarker is a characteristic whose value, when measured in a large number of individuals, correlates significantly to longevity and quality of life.

Weight is easy to measure and you should write down your weight at least once a week. Try and get into the habit of weighing yourself each day.

Muscle, to a far greater extent than most people realize, is responsible for your total vitality and well-being. At age 20 you have a ratio of lean body mass (mostly muscle): fat ration of 80/20. As you age this ratio changes so that many people by the time they reach their 60's have a ratio of 50/50.

Two things are responsible for how much muscle you have. One is how much you use them; the other is the amount of circulating anabolic hormones you have. The most potent of these are growth hormone, testosterone and thyroid. Thyroid is also very important to maintain a good RMR. As we age the level of thyroid and most of our other hormones fall. This is why you may receive additional hormones to optiminize your weight loss.

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