PUBLISHED October 4th, 2023 02:00 pm | UPDATED July 22nd, 2024 02:28 pm
The societal landscape, often dominated by men, perpetuates unrealistic beauty standards and reveres the ‘hourglass figure’ as the epitome of perfection. This idealised body shape is propagated as the holy grail of female beauty. However, the truth is that women come in all sizes and that there is no universally right or wrong body shape. Each woman’s body is uniquely beautiful in its own way. Nonetheless, Hormones play a pivotal role in the ever-evolving landscape of a woman’s body. Sometimes, a woman’s body shape is altered by these intricate chemical messengers. The power to transform one’s body shape and achieve holistic well-being can often be harnessed by the delicate balance of hormones.
A 2008 study has revealed that hormones play a huge part in determining women’s body shapes. According to the research, the hormones that help women be physically stronger, deal with stress better and adapt to demanding work environments also increase the fat around their waist. Called androgens, the hormones are related to stamina and competitiveness, raising women’s waist-to-hip ratios. If this is something you are dealing with, consider reducing your stress level.
Other than androgens, two of the most prominent hormones in women’s body -oestrogen and progesterone – can also affect body shapes. Read along as we unveil the roles of female hormones in fat storage and weight fluctuations in the article below!
The Female Hormones: Oestrogen & Progesterone
A lot of us have heard about oestrogen and progesterone, but what are they exactly?
Oestrogen
Oestrogen is defined as a steroid hormone associated with the female reproductive organs and is responsible for the development of female sexual characteristics. Besides affecting various systems of the female body such as breasts, uterus and vagina, oestrogen also influences:
- Bones: The hormone helps in developing long bones and growth plates during puberty. It also protects bones in post-menopausal women.
- Heart: Oestrogen reduces the risk of coronary artery diseases by regulating cholesterol levels.
Progesterone
Progesterone is defined as an endogenous steroid hormone commonly produced by the adrenal cortex and the gonads ( the ovaries and testes). The hormone has two main functions: maintaining the uterus during pregnancy and regulating the menstrual cycle. Research also indicates that progesterone increases thyroid hormones.
Different Body Shapes as Determined by Hormone Levels & How to Manage Them
Besides the organs and systems mentioned above, oestrogen and progesterone also play a role in determining women’s body shapes. Both hormones perform their task of developing female characteristics (larger breasts, wider hips) mostly by changing where the fat is distributed within the body. Thus, it can be said that, in theory, altering the hormone balance can also affect a woman’s fat storage and, therefore, her body shape.
Pear-Shaped Bodies
Studies have found that a pear-shaped body is related to excessive oestrogen. This condition is called oestrogen dominance.
Too much oestrogen has been linked to fat accumulation in the abdominal area, leading to more weight accumulated at the hips and, thus, forming a pear-shaped body. Moreover, oestrogen dominance is also a risk factor for obesity and endometrial cancer.
Oestrogen is a compound in many of the foods we eat, so obtaining too much of it is unfortunately quite easy. Here’s a lists some of the diet or lifestyle changes you can do to balance your oestrogen levels:
- Keep your liver healthy.
- Improve your digestive system with probiotics.
- Add fibre to your diet.
- Consume organic products with minimum exposure to hormone additives.
- Choose foods with low oestrogen levels (pomegranate, flaxseeds, pears, apples, berries, wheat germ, oats, barley).
- Limit your intake of unfermented soy products, like tofu and soy milk.
- Avoid exposure to xenoestrogens (environmental oestrogens) from plastics, cosmetics and birth control pills.
- When under a lot of stress, your body will use progesterone to produce the stress hormone, cortisol, which can leave an excess of oestrogens. Sufficient sleep can help with not only managing stress, but also increasing the melatonin hormone that combats oestrogen dominance.
Unexplained Weight Fluctuations
Since excessive oestrogen means a lack of progesterone and too much oestrogen causes obesity, there is an indication that progesterone can help women to lose weight. At the same time, this statement wouldn’t be entirely correct because the thyroid hormone can control metabolism better than progesterone.
As mentioned above, progesterone can add to the thyroid levels. People would think that hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) is related to weight loss, but the condition also increases appetite in a person. As a result, some hyperthyroid patients gain weight instead. Meanwhile, its opposite, hypothyroidism, generally associates with weight gain. According to American Thyroid Association, the weight increase originates from an accumulation of salt and water.
If you have thyroid disease-induced weight gain or loss, the best solution to this problem is to contact a doctor so you can start the treatment immediately.
The dynamic interplay of hormones provides valuable insights into the mosaic of female bodies. It is evident that by making dietary and lifestyle adjustments, we can actively influence and attain the body shape we desire. Furthermore, this newfound awareness of hormonal control not only empowers us to shape our physiques but also offers a pathway to prevent certain conditions and diseases, ultimately leading us towards holistic well-being.
This is an adaptation of an article, “Estrogen Can Determine Your Body Shape”, which first appeared on Eu Yan Sang website.