Does Birth Control Cause Weight Gain?

birth control weight gain

Can hormonal birth control cause weight gain or impair metabolic health? If so, which types are more likely to do so?

The first thing to understand is that the ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone tend to promote subcutaneous fat but reduce visceral fat, which is good because visceral fat is the bad fat tied to insulin resistance or metabolic dysfunction. The second thing is that hormonal birth control mostly switches off estradiol and progesterone.

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Food Addiction and Other Causes of Abnormally High Hunger

Do you feel hungry all the time? Abnormally hungry? If so, it’s worth trying to figure out why. Potential drivers of abnormally high hunger include insulin resistance, gut and microbiome issues, low blood sugar, and food addiction—just to name a few.

In the latest episode of my podcast and YouTube video, I explore food addiction and some of the controversy around the term. I also discuss the next best steps on your road to recovery.

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Medications That Cause Weight Gain

Why do antihistamines cause weight gain? And how does hormonal birth control affect metabolism?

In episode eleven of my podcast and Youtube video, I look at how common medications affect metabolism; why birth control that is androgenic is more likely to cause weight gain; and whether natural progesterone causes weight gain or weight loss.

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The Most Common Cause of Weight Gain

insulin resistance

There can be a strong hormonal component to abdominal weight gain. And in most people, that hormone is insulin.

In episode six of my podcast/YouTube video (released in May 2022), I discuss insulin resistance, including why you could have insulin resistance even if your blood sugar is normal, the role of mitochondria, and all the ways to lower insulin and improve metabolism.

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