The Secret to Managing Weight as You Age? Understanding the Connection Between Hormones and Weight.
Reviewed By: Amy Killen, M.D.
Remember those fitness routines and diets that worked wonders in your 20s and 30s, but just don’t deliver the same results anymore? You're not imagining things, and you're certainly not alone. The truth is, both men’s and women’s bodies change in fundamental ways that standard weight loss programs don't address. Here’s why.
The Missing Piece in Your Weight Loss Journey
When it comes to managing weight after 40, most conventional wisdom focuses on diet and exercise. The problem is that this approach overlooks a critical factor: your hormones. These powerful chemical messengers, including insulin, cortisol, testosterone, and estrogen, play a crucial role in determining how efficiently your body burns fat and builds muscle. They also influence your appetite, and tell your body how and where to store fat.
You probably know that hormone production and balance naturally shift as we age. But what’s less commonly understood is that these changes can lead to increased fat storage, decreased muscle mass, and slower recovery — regardless of how diligently you're maintaining a healthy diet or hitting the gym.
“Everyone assumes that gaining weight is an inevitable part of aging,” says Humanaut’s Chief Medical Officer, Amy Killen, M.D. “But that doesn’t have to be true. When we understand your unique body composition, including your hormone levels, we can understand what’s really driving your weight up or down.”
Hormonal Differences in Men and Women after 40
Men experience a gradual decline in testosterone beginning around age 30 to 40. Testosterone is the body's natural means of building muscle and burning fat. When it drops, the male body doesn't burn calories as efficiently. This can lead to an increase in abdominal fat, difficulty processing carbs into energy, and slower metabolism.
Around age 30, women begin to lose muscle at a rate of half a pound per year, impacting their ability to burn calories. As women begin to experience perimenopause and menopause, decreasing estrogen levels make it more difficult for the body to regulate weight and maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Research shows that when estrogen decreases, fat storage shifts from the perimeter regions of the body, including the thighs and butt, to the center of the body around the abdomen. For both men and women, changing hormones can also affect energy levels and sleep, making it that much more challenging to maintain weight effectively.
Why "Normal" Test Results Might Not Be Enough
Evaluating hormonal levels can be challenging. Many conventional blood tests don't analyze all of the hormones that can impact weight. An annual visit to the doctor may include a complete blood count (CBC), designed to measure aspects of your blood like red and white blood cells, or a complete metabolic panel (CMP), measuring fourteen chemicals like glucose and calcium levels.
While these tests are helpful at establishing a baseline, getting a deep understanding of your hormones requires specific blood or urine tests. Tests like Estradiol, Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), and DHEA-Sulfate are just a few examples that measure the body’s complex hormonal systems.
This is important because standard lab tests focus on what’s normal or common within a current population as opposed to what’s normal within healthy people. Traditionally, if a result falls within the levels seen in 95% of people, the result is labeled “normal” regardless of how you feel or what’s best for your personal health.
“If your hormone levels are within the average range, you’re considered ‘normal’, even if you don’t feel good,” explains Dr. Killen. “Given the declining health metrics across the population, someone in the normal range might actually be far from how healthy they could be.”
An Integrated Approach for Real Results
At Humanaut, we see these changes in the body not as roadblocks but as opportunities for precise intervention. Our comprehensive testing approach analyzes over 80 health markers, giving us a complete picture of your unique body composition and other hidden factors that may be affecting your weight, including hormone levels.
This precise understanding allows our medical providers to develop personalized care plans that address the root causes of your weight challenges, not just the symptoms. These may include:
- Peptide therapies like GLP-1 prescriptions
- Bioidentical hormone therapy
- Other medical prescriptions
- Personalized supplement regimens
- Wellness treatments
- Targeted lifestyle modifications
Ready to discover what's really behind your weight management challenges? Experience a weight loss approach designed specifically for you and your changing body.
Start your journey with Humanaut today.
