Weight gain is another concern shared by many women as they age. The weight itself is only part of the problem, I am often told. Women complain to me about the change in the shape of their bodies, particularly the fact that fat seems to accumulate around their stomach, buttocks and thighs rather than being evenly distributed over their entire body. Once again, progesterone can effectively address some of the biochemical reasons for this weight gain. Estrogen dominance causes an increase in thyroid binding globulin. When this occurs, the thyroid hormones are bound in such a way that the thyroid gland becomes dysfunctional. The degree of dysfunction is proportional to the degree of estrogen dominance. As we know from Chapter 1 of From Hormone Hell to Hormone Well, the thyroid gland is best known for its metabolic function affecting weight. If the body does not have enough progesterone, a woman can diet and exercise with a vengeance and still not lose the weight they want. Progesterone is needed to equalize estrogen dominance and eliminate a hypothyroid condition so that, with a healthy diet and exercise, the body’s metabolism will respond and weight loss can occur.

In addition, too much estrogen causes tissues around the abdominal area to retain water, or bloat. In younger women, this bloating is most noticeable around their menstrual cycle when their progesterone levels naturally drop to precipitate menstruation. As women age and their progesterone levels do not cycle back up during the month, then the resulting estrogen dominance causes the bloating to be a constant issue. This uncomfortable feeling is eliminated when progesterone balances the estrogen. Progesterone then acts as a natural diuretic, thereby reducing the bloating.

Changes in blood sugar levels that can occur with age and as a result of hormone imbalance are also linked to weight gain. As the body’s production of progesterone decreases and the circulating estrogen becomes dominant, insulin is released more rapidly and more often. When fluctuating hormones unnaturally stimulate insulin release, the body craves sugar. Food cravings can sometimes be uncontrollable. Many women report that they find themselves consuming many more sweets, even when they are not truly hungry. As a result, they ingest more calories than their bodies require. When progesterone is in balance with estrogen, it serves to temper insulin release, thereby normalizing the blood sugar levels and reducing food cravings.

I recommend that my patients who are overweight commit to eating a balanced diet while also limiting their caloric intake. I suggest that my patients avoid consuming excess animal fats while I emphasize the curative value of increasing their intake of vegetables and fruits that have been shown to have a natural healing properties. For instance, cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower have been shown to remove carcinogens from the body by boosting enzyme activity. Just as exciting is the fact that these same vegetables have been provide to help a precursor of estrogen break up into a benign, rather than cancer causing form.

Finally, I recommend bio-identical progesterone cream for any patient who is overweight and at risk for being estrogen dominant. I also recommend Calcium D-glucarate as this particular vitamin helps the body to excrete excess estrogen through the bowel. Once the body’s hormones are in balance again, weight loss efforts associated with diet and exercise are less likely to be sabotaged. Maybe you are not just “stuck”; maybe you just need to balance your hormones to lose that last 10-15 stubborn pounds around your middle.

I wish you WELL!

Until next time... stay smart, stay informed, and continue to be a voice for your health.

Dr. Randolph

As a woman enters her mid-thirties and until she is in her late forties, she can be said to be pre-menopausal. A woman in this lifecycle is in her middle reproductive years. It is during these years that the balance of hormones produced by the endocrine system first begins to shift. Progesterone, the "feel good" hormone, is the first hormone to decline and drops 120 times more rapidly than estrogen.

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