What hormones are responsible for love handles?

Author: Skyla Parisian  |  Last update: Thursday, April 3, 2025

There are two hormones involved when love handles are around: insulin and cortisol. Carrying weight around your gut (aka "love handles") is worse than fat around your hips or thighs and this is in part due to insulin resistance. It is also indicative of an imbalance in cortisol levels.

What are love handles caused by?

Love handles result from fat accumulation in the liver that spills off in and around the organs in your mid-section. The primary cause of love handles is a diet that's high in sugar and refined carbs. Sugar and refined carbs cause high insulin, which causes stored fat.

Does love handles mean low testosterone?

Physical symptoms of Low T may include:

Fat deposition and accumulation may start to occur in the love handles and spare tire area in men. In women, fat accumulation may occur in the hips and buttocks. Trouble losing weight. Testosterone helps regulate your metabolism which helps break down fat.

What is the best fat burning hormone?

Two hormones called “notum” and “lipocalin-5” that speed up the body's ability to burn fat.

How to activate the fat burning hormone?

Turning on your fat burning hormones
  1. Calorie intake and nutritional habits – be mindful of what you're eating; check out our article on the Wellness Solution Plate.
  2. Dietary patterns – meal quality and regular timings matter.
  3. Sleep/wake schedule and sleep duration – sleeping well is key!

The 2 Causes Of Love Handles | Dr. Stephen Cabral

Why am I so skinny but have love handles?

A diet high in processed foods can also cause belly fat, even in skinny people. Even if your metabolism is able to adjust to the food you eat so you don't gain weight overall, many processed fats tend to get stored in the belly of those who consume them, regardless of their overall size.

What are the signs of high testosterone?

Men with very high testosterone levels may experience:
  • acne.
  • aggressive or risk-taking behaviors.
  • excessive body hair.
  • headaches.
  • heart or liver problems.
  • high blood pressure (hypertension)
  • high sex drive (libido)
  • increased appetite.

What hormone causes fat deposits in the hips?

Estrogens, like testosterone in men, have the peculiarity of redistributing the accumulation of fat mass within the body in certain places (5). In women of childbearing age, the accumulation of fat mass is mainly subcutaneous in the buttocks, legs, and hips (6).

Why won't my love handles go away?

The main cause of love handles is excess body fat distribution. It is a common place where the human body, and especially males store body fat. In order to get rid of love handles you'll need to adopt a healthy nutrition plan to lose excess body fat.

Is love handle genetics?

Although genetics can play a role in your susceptibility to develop love handles, it isn't the main cause. Most love handles are not genetic, instead they are linked to weight gain or hormonal changes.

What does a cortisol belly look like?

Cortisol belly simply looks like abdominal fat, and there is no way to identify it by appearance. More important than its appearance is what cortisol belly can do to your health. Visceral fat is considered particularly dangerous because of its location near vital organs and its metabolic activity.

How can I flatten my hormonal belly?

Try these tips:
  1. Eat a healthy diet. A healthy diet involves:
  2. Choose portion sizes wisely. Even when you're making healthy choices, calories add up. ...
  3. Replace sugary drinks. Drink water or other beverages without sugar instead.
  4. Get active.

What are the symptoms of low estrogen?

Changes in estrogen levels
  • Hot flashes, flushes, and night sweats are the most common symptoms of low estrogen. At times, blood rushes to your skin's surface. ...
  • Mood swings are another effect of low estrogen. You may feel sad, anxious, or frustrated. ...
  • Thinning tissues may cause discomfort. Skin may appear more wrinkled.

How does a woman know if she has high testosterone?

High Testosterone Levels in Women

You may also have more body and facial hair than the average woman. Some women with high testosterone levels develop frontal balding. Other possible effects include acne, an enlarged clitoris, increased muscle mass, and deepening of your voice.

Does edging increase testosterone?

While abstinence from ejaculation for several days has been linked to a temporary rise in testosterone – peaking around the seventh day – there is no scientific evidence suggesting that edging (prolonged sexual stimulation without ejaculation) significantly increases or maintains higher testosterone levels beyond this ...

Why have I suddenly get love handles?

Blame a lack of workouts, empty calories, lots of stress, and/or poor sleep, which can up cortisol and adrenaline levels, encouraging fat storage, says Willardson. And remember: “Some people, due to age or genetic predisposition, will always have a little more fat in that area regardless," Willardson says.

Does walking reduce love handles?

Yes, walking can help reduce love handles. It's a low-impact exercise that helps burn calories effectively and improves overall body composition.

What vitamin helps with leptin?

Vitamin A was positively associated with leptin (p < 0.05). When stratifying by BMI, % body fat and waist circumference, high leptin concentrations were associated with lower zinc and lower vitamin C concentrations in women with obesity (p < 0.05) and higher vitamin A concentrations in women without obesity (p < 0.01).

What is the strongest weight loss prescription pill?

An analysis of 143 studies revealed that phentermine-topiramate and GLP-1 receptor agonists (like liraglutide and semaglutide) are among the most effective medications for reducing weight in people with obesity. The typical body weight reduction with these medications is 6% to 11%.

What hormone helps you lose weight?

Leptin is produced in body fat. It is a hormone that tells our brain how much body fat we have and helps keep our weight steady and in normal range. When we gain weight, our leptin level goes up. This reduces our appetite and promotes energy expenditure to cause weight loss bringing us to our previous weight.

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