Lara Briden - The Period Revolutionary
Leading the change to better periods and hormones
A healthy metabolism or ability to lose weight or fat depends on metabolic flexibility and insulin sensitivity.
Hormonal birth control can negatively affect metabolic health and contribute to weight gain. Some types are more likely to do so than others, depending on the type of progestin.
But before we get to the question of “which progestin,” I’ll just point out that the biggest problem with hormonal birth control is that it (usually) switches off hormones.
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.
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.
🔵
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.