9 Key Hormones That Can Influence Your Weight Loss Journey

When it comes to the behaviors that cause or prevent weight loss, you may be less in charge than you think. Beneath your conscious awareness, countless chemical messengers are racing around your brain and body, calling all the shots. If you’ve ever had a sudden food craving or rapid mood swings, hormones were probably the culprit. That’s why understanding what they are and how they work is so important to any weight loss journey.

“Hormonal balance plays a pivotal role in regulating body weight and fat distribution,” says Kelsey Costa, RDN, a nutrition consultant for Diabetes Strong. A variety of hormones impact metabolic rate, energy storage, and fat loss or accumulation. The effects of all these fat-burning hormones are complex, collaborative, subtle, and indirect — they can’t be turned on like a light switch. But there is a lot you can do to promote hormone balance that supports reaching and maintaining a healthy weight.

Here’s what you need to know, according to dietitians, so you can better understand what’s really driving your food urges and how to balance your hormones to help balance your weight.

Which Hormones Are Responsible for Weight Loss?

It would be great if science could pinpoint a single hormone that determined the fate of your weight loss journey or tell us what hormone triggers fat burning. The truth isn’t that simple, however. Many different hormones can affect things like satiety, metabolism, and fat storage. Here are some of the major ones to be aware of.

1. Ghrelin

This is known as the hunger hormone. Ghrelin is produced in the stomach and signals your brain when you run out of food, reports the Cleveland Clinic. “It stimulates appetite and increases food intake. High levels of ghrelin have been linked to obesity, while lower levels have been associated with successful weight loss,” says Costa. “Elevated ghrelin levels are directly associated with increased hunger and calorie consumption.”

2. Leptin

Leptin, the fullness hormone, tells you when you’ve had enough food. “It is possible for folks to have lower leptin levels,” says Jordan Hill, RD, of Hill Health Nutrition. Leptin resistance — what happens when your body doesn’t get the “I’m full” message — is common, especially among people with obesity. In one clinical study, leptin levels were found to be above normal (indicating leptin resistance) in more than half of people with obesity compared to just 13 percent of people without obesity, according to data published in the journal Cureus.

“The reason why is because fat cells produce leptin. The more fat cells we have, the more leptin we produce,” says Hill. And too much leptin causes leptin resistance, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Hill adds, “When low leptin levels or leptin resistance is present, our brains don’t get the signal that we’re full, so we tend to overconsume. This can lead to weight gain.”

3. Cortisol

Cortisol is one of the body’s stress hormones. It is released by the adrenal glands and increases sugar in the bloodstream to prepare you to take action (the fight-or-flight response), according to the Mayo Clinic. Chronically elevated cortisol levels can lead to weight gain, and research has found a particular association between excess cortisol and abdominal fat, even in women who are not overweight. Over time, elevated cortisol levels can also reduce insulin sensitivity and the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar. 

4. Adrenaline

Another stress hormone that works in tandem with cortisol, adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) helps the body metabolize carbohydrates and fats and plays a role in distributing stored fat, according to the Endocrine Society. There is also some evidence that it aids in fat burning. A study published in Frontiers in Physiology found that exercise increased levels of epinephrine in the blood, which stimulates the breakdown of fats.

5. Estrogen

Estrogen does many things in the body, but one of its roles is to promote healthy fat storage to support fertility. Fat cells actually secrete estrogen, notes the Cleveland Clinic.

When estrogen levels rise too high or fall too low, it can lead to weight gain. “When estrogen levels are low, we tend to see fat gain in the midsection,” says Hill. Estrogen fluctuates through a woman’s life, and the times when this hormone tends to be lower, including adolescence, perimenopause, and menopause, have been associated with weight gain, notes one review. That’s why “meno-pot” (a midlife pot belly) is such a common complaint for women in their 50s.

6. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1)

This isn’t just the active ingredient of trendy weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. GLP-1 is a hormone-like peptide that occurs naturally in your body. “When we eat, our body releases GLP-1. It leads to a long-lasting sensation of fullness, helping to reduce the urge to eat more,” says Costa. GLP-1 does this by slowing gastric emptying, making you feel full for longer, a review published in Molecular Metabolism notes.

GLP-1 also helps regulate blood sugar levels. “It boosts insulin release when blood sugar is high, ensuring that glucose is used efficiently for energy. At the same time, it prevents the release of too much glucagon, a hormone that increases blood sugar levels,” says Costa. 

7. Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP)

This hormone, sometimes known as glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide, is another player in newer weight loss medications like Ozempic, but prior to that it was long considered a hormone that promoted obesity by promoting fat storage, research notes. Although it is still unclear exactly how it works, GIP, when used in conjunction with GLP-1, appears to promote satiety and decrease hunger, which can lead to weight loss. 

8. Growth hormone

Although less of a major player than the previous hormones, human growth hormone — which is produced by the pituitary gland throughout life to help maintain tissues and organs, according to the Mayo Clinic — may make it more difficult for the body to store fat. Research on mice indicates that growth hormone may act as a signal to the brain that the body is starving and needs to conserve resources, according to results of a study published in Nature Communications.

9. Thyroid hormones (T3 and T4)

Specific hormones produced by the thyroid glands have been shown to impact body weight and metabolism, although the exact nature of that relationship is very complex, reports the American Thyroid Association (ATA). That’s why you will often hear the advice to have your thyroid checked if you struggle with your weight. The ATA notes, however, that while thyroid hormones have been used as a weight loss tool in the past, their use is unlikely to dramatically change weight, and studies have found them to have a number of side effects, including muscle and bone loss and heart problems. Additionally, stopping the use of these hormones usually leads to weight regain, which means they are not a good solution for sustainable weight loss. 

How Can You Affect Hormone Levels?

Bad news first: The workings of your hormones are, to some extent, beyond your control. But there is good news: Many healthy habits contribute to hormone health. Here are five steps you can take to promote healthy hormone levels and set yourself up for success. 
 

1. Eat right. When choosing what to eat to support weight loss and hormonal health, go for minimally processed foods that are low in added sugar, says Costa. Overconsuming added sugar can negatively impact insulin, the hormone that helps our bodies use sugar for energy, and may lead to insulin resistance, according to Georgia State University. Costa adds, “Diets high in unhealthy fats, refined carbs, and added sugars have been linked to hormonal disturbances that promote weight gain, including leptin and insulin resistance.”
    
2. Get enough sleep. For healthy hormones, make sure you get enough shut-eye. “Sufficient sleep improves leptin and ghrelin balance, helping regulate appetite and food intake,” says Hill. One study of 44 subjects found that levels of leptin were lower and levels of ghrelin were higher after a single night of sleep deprivation. What’s more, the effects on leptin were more pronounced in women compared to men, and the impact of sleep loss on ghrelin was more significant in individuals with obesity compared to those of a healthy weight, according to the research, which was published in the journal Obesity. 
    
3. Get physical. Your exercise habits also affect hormone levels. “Daily, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity positively impacts insulin sensitivity and hormone levels related to hunger and satiety, aiding in weight management,” says Costa. Physical activity can lower your blood glucose for up to 24 hours afterward, and make your body more sensitive to the effects of insulin, reports the American Diabetes Association.
    
4. Reduce stress. If you want healthy hormone balance, managing stress is a must. “Chronic stress can lead to dysregulated cortisol levels, contributing to insulin resistance. It can impair insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, leading to a risk for insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes,” says Hill. A review published in Cureus actually found that type 2 diabetes may be initiated by psychological and physical stress due to chronically elevated blood sugar levels. 
    
5. Stay hydrated. Add hormone health to your list of reasons to drink plenty of water. Not having enough fluids in your body means your blood sugar is more concentrated, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Hill explains, “Drinking plenty of water helps with insulin function and blood sugar regulation. Plus, dehydration can trigger a release of cortisol.” A review published in Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism supports the idea that proper hydration is essential to metabolic health. 

 
Remember, even if you do all these things right, you are still only nudging your hormones in a healthy direction. “It’s crucial to acknowledge that differences in body weight among individuals and populations cannot be fully explained by hormones or lifestyle modification alone,” says Costa. Your body weight results from a staggeringly complex interplay between hormones, the gut microbiome, and other biological, psychological, and social factors, many beyond your control.

 

Editorial Resources and Fact-Checking

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• Kumar R et al. Association of Leptin With Obesity and Insulin Resistance. Cureus. December 19, 2020.
• Leptin & Leptin Resistance. Cleveland Clinic. February 23, 2022.
• Stress Management. Mayo Clinic. August 1, 2023.
• Epel ES et al. Stress and Body Shape: Stress-Induced Cortisol Secretion Is Consistently Greater Among Women With Central Fat. Psychosomatic Medicine. September 2000.
• Adrenal Hormones. Endocrine Society. January 24, 2022.
• Harris MB et al. Scientific Challenges on Theory of Fat Burning by Exercise. Frontiers in Physiology. July 6, 2021.
• Estrogen. Cleveland Clinic. February 8, 2022.
• Vigil P et al. The Importance of Estradiol for Body Weight Regulation in Women. Frontiers in Endocrinology (Lausanne). November 7, 2022. 
• Müller TD et al. Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1). Molecular Metabolism. December 2019.
• Zaffina I et al. Effect of Dual Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Peptide/Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist on Weight Loss in Subjects With Obesity. Frontiers in Endocrinology. February 21, 2023.
• Healthy Aging - Human Growth Hormone (HGH): Does It Slow Aging? Mayo Clinic. September 20, 2023.
• Furigo IC et al. Growth Hormone Regulates Neuroendocrine Responses to Weight Loss Via AgRP Neurons. Nature Communications. February 8, 2019.
• Thyroid and Weight. American Thyroid Association.
• Ways to Support Female's Hormones Through Nutrition. Georgia State University. September 28, 2023.
• van Egmond LT et al. Effects of Acute Sleep Loss on Leptin, Ghrelin, and Adiponectin in Adults With Healthy Weight and Obesity: A Laboratory Study. Obesity. November 20, 2022. 
• Blood Glucose and Exercise. American Diabetes Association.
• Sharma K et al. Stress-Induced Diabetes: A Review. Cureus. September 2022.
• 10 Surprising Things That Can Spike Your Blood Sugar. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. July 28, 2022.
• Vanhaecke T et al. A Journey Through the Early Evidence Linking Hydration to Metabolic Health. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism. March 26, 2021.