How Working Out Can Help Balance Your Hormones

Hormones are chemical messengers that are secreted directly to our blood, which carries them to the organs and tissue of our body to exert their functions. They direct biochemical messages that regulate everything from our mood, sleep, metabolism, and fertility. They influence all the essential functions of our body and our behavior.

Given the amount of information they’re responsible for transporting, it’s not difficult to see how mixed signals can affect the way we feel and how we function. Hormonal imbalance is any person’s enemy. No need to be stressed though, because there are natural methods that you can follow to maintain balanced hormones such as working out.

Getting physically fit doesn’t just make you look good, it also makes you feel good. If you’re feeling a little out of energy lately or having trouble losing weight, your body might need to engage in more physical activities. This article will discuss how working out can help balance your hormones.

Hormones affected by exercise and working out

• Irisin

Irisin is literally referred to as the exercise hormone. This hormone is practically every person’s biological workout buddy. The primary job of irisin is fighting fat. It does so in two fronts: first, by activating the genes that turn bad white fat into good brown fat and by regulating undifferentiated stem cells to become bone-building cells instead of becoming fat storage. In addition, it also protects brain cells from aging.

Sweat stimulates the body’s production of irisin. Different studies have shown that sessions of moderate-intensity exercise and single sessions of intense endurance exercises and strength training increases irisin.

• Estrogen

Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone mainly responsible for the regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics such as their menstrual cycle and breast development.

Although it is essential, too much estrogen is not good and in fact, has been found as a major risk factor for breast cancer. Working out reduces excess estrogen which lowers mortality after breast cancer diagnosis and also among its survivors. Partnered with hormone replacement therapy, it also decreases the risk of uterine cancer.

• Cortisol

Cortisol is what they call the “stress hormone.” It helps control fear response, mood, and motivation. Those feeling the pressures of modern life have excess cortisol which can increase abdominal fat.

Chronic overproduction of cortisol can negatively affect your diet and mood to function. Exercising helps regulate cortisol levels, particularly steady-state training.

• Insulin

Working out can prevent insulin resistance which in turn strengthens your liver function. A strong liver limits fatty deposits and can jumpstart your metabolism.

• Testosterone

Testosterone is responsible for muscle growth and maintenance and increasing metabolism. Both sexes have this hormone, but women have a lesser amount than men. Although that is the case, it’s equally important for both. Over time, a regular workout routine may increase overall testosterone levels.

• Dopamine

Exercise increases dopamine levels in the brain. Dopamine is a chemical that causes the famous “runners-high” because it enhances the transmitters of good feelings. Dopamine battles stress and lessen the feeling of depression.

Wrapping up

You can reap many benefits for your body and your mental state by working out. Take care of your hormones by staying fit. Balanced hormones equate to good overall health.