Diet and hormones in men – what is important to know?
What you eat affects your risk of developing diabetes and obesity. As men age, their hormones also change, which can lead to weight gain and fatigue.
Men’s food choices play an important role in men’s health. Food, along with hormones, can affect the risk of developing diabetes, obesity and heart disease, as well as other chronic conditions.
If you suspect you have a hormonal imbalance, an endocrinologist and urologist can diagnose the problem. Some of the symptoms can be:
- weight gain or loss;
- tiredness;
- change in sleeping habits;
- decreased libido;
- change in body hair and muscle mass;
- changes in mood;
- change in body temperature.
What are the main hormones that affect men?
Insulin– this hormone tells the body how to use the energy from the food you eat. When we eat, blood sugar rises, this is the energy for the cells, and insulin helps the sugar from the blood reach the cells and they use it as an energy source.
Leptin and ghrelin – the hunger hormones. They play an important role in appetite control. When leptin increases, it decreases appetite, when ghrelin increases, appetite increases. Obese and overweight people usually have leptin resistance (insensitivity). Low leptin levels lead to overeating.
Thyroid hormones – they control metabolism. When they are very low, we feel tired, let down, there is weight gain, reduced muscle mass. After consultation with an endocrinologist, replacement treatment with synthetic thyroid hormone can be prescribed. When thyroid hormones are very high, we feel nervous, emotional, short-tempered, we may have weight loss, sweating, feeling hot.
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. It regulates a number of processes in the body such as sperm production, muscle mass, blood cell synthesis. It is normal for its levels to drop with age. In view of increased life expectancy, many people have low testosterone as they age. If a doctor detects low testosterone, hormone replacement therapy can be prescribed, and the prostate gland must first be checked. Talk to your doctor for more information.
