Article by My Wellness by Nature
The key to losing inches & looking and feeling fit is muscle growth! If you have recently started to embark on a weight loss journey or just want to feel more fit & toned by building muscle be sure your hormones aren't going to hold you back.
Let's explore how muscle growth & hormones relate and what you can do to help build muscle after 40.
Muscle Growth & Hormones
It's easy to take your hormones for granted or not pay them much attention until they stop functioning as they should & you start noticing the negative effects. Your hormones directly affect your metabolism which is the number of calories your body burns when doing absolutely nothing. While you're working out your body releases hormones either anabolic or catabolic.
If you're looking to gain muscle you need a higher amount of anabolic hormones. Examples of these include:
Insulin
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs)
Growth hormone (GH)
Testosterone
If there are a higher amount of catabolic hormones in the body it can make it harder to gain muscle. On top of that when these hormones are imbalanced you can actually start to lose the muscle mass you have already gained.
How to spot a hormone imbalance
Now that we know how important hormones are to muscle gain you might be wondering how you can tell if you in fact may have a hormone imbalance. As we age hormones are constantly changing. Hormones act as the body's chemical messengers even tiny changes of hormones can have major effects on your body. The symptoms of an imbalance vary according to which gland is affected and the sex of the person.
Here are some symptoms to look out for, remember it's important to note just because you are experiencing one or all of these symptoms the only way to be sure of hormonal imbalance is by speaking with a medical professional & having blood work done:
Mood swings
Muscle loss
Low libido
Feeling groggy after a full night's rest
Unexplained weight loss or gain
Brittle bones or joint pain
Cystic like acne
Thinning hair
Fatigue
Tips to naturally balance hormones & increase muscle mass
While there are certainly natural ways to improve hormone imbalance the most effective treatment is bio-identical hormone optimization. This treatment will deliver a constant stream of the hormones you need for hormone balance over the course of 6 months.
In addition to Bio-identical hormone replacement therapy here are a few tips to get back on track:
Try cutting out or limiting the number of carbs you intake to increase your growth hormones.
Stop taking workout supplements as they could throw your hormones for a loop
Keep your glucose levels up by drinking beverages with a high level of electrolytes
Improve testosterone by eating protein after you workout
Rest in between sets to increase testosterone production
Try to do strength training in the late afternoon when your cortisol levels are at their peak.
Keep workouts shorter than 1 hour
Ready to find out if you may be experiencing low hormones? Find an HTCA Provider near you.