In women, too much testosterone can promote insulin resistance and visceral fat.
That’s why androgen excess is the primary driver of weight gain with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), some types of birth control, and perimenopause.
weight
A healthy metabolism or ability to lose weight or fat depends on metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity.
Does Birth Control Cause 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.
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
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.