An endocrinologist spoke about the impact of hormones on weight gain

Hormones play a key role in various processes of the body and can be associated with weight gain. Victoria Prilepskaya, endocrinologist and nutritionist at the IQplastique clinic of plastic surgery, cosmetology and rehabilitation, told Izvestia on November 29.

According to her, hypothyroidism, that is, a decrease in thyroid function, slows metabolism, leads to fluid retention and edema, which, in turn, causes weight gain and complicates the process of weight loss.

Prilepskaya also talked about leptin, a hormone produced by fat cells that reduces appetite through the brain.

"The more fat stores, the higher the level of leptin. However, despite higher levels of this hormone, the sensitivity to its action is reduced and, as a result, the feeling of satiety during and after meals is reduced," explained the doctor.

In addition, insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, also contributes to weight gain. This hormone helps glucose from the bloodstream travel to tissues such as muscles, liver and fat cells where it is used as a source of energy.

"Similar to the leptin story, cells become insensitive to the action of insulin. This may be due to a primary disruption of receptors or against the background that the altered (obese) cells do not perceive insulin and prevent it from penetrating along with glucose into the cell," said the endocrinologist.

This is how insulin resistance develops, which leads to fat accumulation and can contribute to metabolic syndrome with its associated problems, Prilepskaya said.

The specialist recommended seeing an endocrinologist to determine the causes of weight gain and identify possible metabolic changes before starting a weight loss program.

November 26, nutritionist, candidate of medical sciences Elena Solomatina said that to fight obesity each person needs his individual diet, but first it is recommended to start with the classic instruction of healthy eating - lifestyle.

Before that, on February 15, it became known that American families are beginning to increasingly give their children weight loss drugs. In the country record rates of childhood obesity are recorded. So, for the first 10 months of 2023, 1268 children aged 12 to 17 years with a diagnosis of "obesity" began taking Wegovy. In 2022, only 25 children were prescribed the drug. According to authorities, nearly 20% of children in the US, or about 14.7 million people, are obese. It is specified that data on the long-term risks and benefits of the drug are limited, and its use is expensive.