Hormonal Assessment in the Treatment of Obesity

Obesity is not just a lack of willpower.

Obesity is now a major health epidemic with approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population now classified as obese or significantly overweight. Although the cause of obesity is certainly multifactorial, studies are clear in stating that there are metabolic and endocrinological dysfunctions in overweight individuals that are the cause or the major contributing factors of their inability to lose weight. The problem is not simply that individuals are ingesting more calories than they are able to burn or metabolize: there is a complex dysfunction in the endocrine and metabolic systems preventing optimal physiologic functioning.

Conventional medicine continues to fail to address these underlying metabolic and endocrine dysfunctions in overweight individuals. Patients and doctors continue to believe that obesity is simply a matter of motivation, lifestyle change and will-power. Thus, it is no surprise that obesity continues to reach epidemic proportions.

What is Leptin?

Leptin is a hormone that has been identified as being a major regulator of body weight and metabolism. When there is dysfunction in the leptin signaling pathway, it becomes very difficult for an individual to lose weight. Leptin is secreted from the fat cells and the amount of leptin increases as the amount of fat accumulation increases. When enough fat is stored, leptin is produced to signal to the hypothalamus that there are adequate energy stores. This signal is meant to signal the body to burn fat rather than continue to store it.

Numerous studies are finding that overweight individuals having difficulty losing weight have leptin resistance. Essentially, what this means is that when leptin is produced, due to resistance of the receptor sites at the cellular level, the body is unable to produce its normal effects of weight loss. This then leads to a leptin deficiency in the hypothalamus which is interpreted as a state of starvation. Mechanisms to increase fat stores and decrease metabolism are activated. For example, in terms of thyroid metabolism, most overweight individuals with increased leptin resistance also have decreased TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels, decreased conversions from T4 to T3, as well as an increase in reverse T3 levels. All of these factors together indicate decreased tissue thyroid effects, as well as decreased metabolic rate. Leptin resistance has also been shown to increase insulin resistance, as well as the inhibition of fat breakdown.

Unfortunately, standard thyroid function testing misses over 75% of this type of subclinical hypothyroidism as TSH, T4 and T3 are typically still in their normal ranges. TSH level is typically used as the basis of diagnosing primary hypothyroidism. However, as mentioned earlier, since there is a decrease or suppression in TSH levels in individuals with leptin resistance, TSH levels cannot be used reliably to rule out a significant thyroid deficiency.

Our physicians can help you. By identifying underlying the hormone imbalances and correcting them, long term healthy weight loss becomes possible.

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** DISCLAIMER: ** We have provided this information for educational purposes so that those having difficulty losing weight can learn more about their condition. Medical information obtained from our website is not intended as a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you have a health issue, you should consult a healthcare provider. Sunridge Medical does not make any implied or stated claims regarding treatment outcomes. As with all medical treatments, treatment responses can vary from patient to patient, even if the diagnosis is similar.