Your Eight Hormones and Weight Loss

If you find this article helpful, please

forward it to friends and relatives.

There are many physical, mental, and physiological

benefits to regular exercise. One category of

benefits is the impact that exercise has on many

of your body's hormones. Hormones are chemical

messengers within your body that affect almost

all aspects of human function:

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.

Release of growth hormone from the pituitary gland

in the brain is increased with increasing aerobic

exercise time, especially more intense exercise such as

interval training. To receive an article on interval

training, send email to: Intervals@Landry.com

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 org*sms. 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

riases 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!

copyright 2004 by Greg Landry, M.S

Author and exercise physiologist, Greg Landry,

offers free weight loss and fitness success stories

and targeted, highly affective weight loss programs

for women, men, type 2 diabetics, and people with

slow metabolisms and hypothyroidism..

http://www.Landry.com

---

Weight Loss and Exercising Staying Power ? Three Magic Words!

My name is Greg Ryan. I am a best selling... Read More

Get Started Exercising Now, But Take It Easy!

So you're overweight, "fat"--to be honest--and you want to start... Read More

I Can, I Cant

One common question I receive is, "What do you do... Read More

Successful Weight-loss Pointers

Well we're at it again, trying to honor our promise... Read More

No Thanks, Sweety: Im Losing Weight

Dealing with your sweet-tooth can be one of the greatest... Read More

Weight Loss: N Y Millionaire Weight Loss ?Secret? Revealed

It is a fact that about 70% Americans are overweight.... Read More

When Losing Weight Seems Hopeless

Sometimes it's good to just let the feelings flow. Take... Read More

The Lost Road of a Failed Gastric Bypass Surgery

In 1994, I had a RNY surgery. At 350 lbs... Read More

If We Are Eating 99% Fat Free, Why Are We 99% Fat?!

Unfortunately, obesity is reaching epidemic proportions, with over 60% of... Read More

Myth: Gastric Bypass Patients Can Never Be Nutritionally Healthy

A common claim from gastric bypass detractors is that after... Read More

Were Cave Dwellers Ever Fat?

In our mind's eye, we see our ancient ancestors as... Read More

Weight Control: One Day At A Time

Most of us are aware of the AA axiom of... Read More

Obesity and Weight Loss Surgery

Let's face facts; obesity is ripe today in America and... Read More

The R Factors - Your Answer For Getting To The Perfect Body For Fitness And Health

Building a Perfect Body for Body Perfect Fitness and Health... Read More

Weight Loss: Why Do We Gain Weight?

There are many factors that cause us to increase body... Read More

Making Healthy Lifestyle Changes that Last - A New Look at New Years Resolutions

Would you run out of fingers, and maybe even toes,... Read More

The Importance of Vitamins when Dieting

In our quest to get that "perfect" body, we actually... Read More

Eating On The Run For Weight Loss

"I'm too busy!" "I'm always on the run." "I... Read More

Why Are There Different Diet Types?

Diet is a dreadful word for most of us because... Read More

The Low Carb Diet F.A.Q.

When most people think of low carb diets they automatically... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery ? Get Your Vitamins!

Gastric bypass patients face a great task in the following... Read More

The Health Effects of Being Overweight

Both men and women around the world are becoming fatter... Read More

Weight Loss and Dieting Secrets ? What You DONT Want to Know!

Some of you will not like what I have to... Read More

A Clean Diet For Permanent Weight Loss

Getting Started on The Clean DietIf you want to lose... Read More

Weight Loss from Exercise

Weight loss from exercise can be achieved by walking, running,... Read More

Are You Ready To Lose Weight?

I know, I know. What a crazy question!Considering that we've... Read More

Close Kept Secrets to Weight Loss Lesson #14

You know what is so amazing? We get to keep... Read More

How to Lose Weight While Gardening

Have you ever dreaded the idea of pulling weeds, planting... Read More

Learning How to Become a Good Loser

The Quest to Reach Your Ideal WeightIt was late in... Read More

Gastric Bypass Surgery - Just The Facts

Gastric Bypass surgery is becoming increasingly more popular for the... Read More

The Atkins Diet

IntroductionThe history of The Atkins Diet goes back to the... Read More

Obesity - How it Affects Your Health

1. Carrying around excess body fat will decrease your energy... Read More

Acupuncture Weight Loss -- Does it Work?

Acupuncture for weight loss is a modern application of this... Read More