15 hormones that affect the melting of adipose tissue

We wrote about how much our food we eat affects our hormone levels. So, by making sense of the impact of food on our health and overall well-being, we can influence the balance of hormones and / or restore our lost balance by choosing foods.

Hormones are substances that control all the physiological processes in the body - from regulation of metabolism, activation of the immune system to menstrual cycles, sperm production and reproduction, so it is clear that any hormone imbalance has a negative impact on the health and normal functioning of the body.

Hormones secreted by the glands with internal secretion: pituitary, thyroid and thyroid glands, breast, adrenal glands, pancreas, male sex glands (semen) and female sex glands (ovaries).

As they affect all life mechanisms, hormones also affect the loss or gain of adipose tissue. Here's an overview of the 15 hormones that have the most significant impact on fat loss:

1. Insulin - a hormone that stores fat

In the hierarchy of hormones that affect the amount of adipose tissue, insulin comes first. This hormone is most influenced by carbohydrate intake and excessive food intake, both of which have a significant effect on blood sugar levels. Any excessive intake of any macronutrient (carbohydrate, fat or protein) will raise the level of this hormone.

Chronically high levels of insulin cause the body's resistance to insulin, which means that the body stops melting fat. but also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity. Thus, with high insulin levels, the melting of adipose tissue is impeded. To keep your insulin levels low, control your carbohydrate intake, keep an eye on the glycemic index of the carbohydrates you are taking, and avoid overeating with any type of food.

2. Glucagon - A fat-soluble hormone

We can call glucagon the "insulin good twin brother." Specifically, in a healthy organism, these two hormones work together to maintain a balance between blood sugar and the body's energy needs.

Its action is the opposite of insulin: elevated glucagon levels encourage the body to dissolve fatty tissue rather than store it. If insulin levels are low, glucagon will help the body use fat cells to produce energy. Contrary to insulin, glucagon will remain high if low carbohydrate levels are maintained in the diet, choosing those with a low glycemic index and avoiding overeating with any food.

3. Ghrelin - a hunger hormone

Ghrelin is a hormone called "hunger hormone" because its levels increase in the body when you are physically hungry. (There is a significant difference between physical and emotional hunger, and just recognizing the type of hunger can help you lose weight.) If you are a little hungry, your body then uses fat to create energy. Keeping ghrelin at this level is the best way to melt fat. Exactly because of this hormone, fitness athletes pace meals and workouts to increase fat loss while preserving muscle tissue.


Also, to keep this hormone at the desired level, you should always eat so much that you are 80% satiated (the Japanese have a name for this amount of satiety - "Hara Hachi Bu"). So you're not completely fed up, so ghrelin still does its job of melting fat.

4. Thyroid hormone (thyroid hormone) - the hormone that controls metabolism

The thyroid hormone is secreted from the thyroid gland, and its function is to help the metabolic processes in the body, including the melting of adipose tissue.

This hormone is extremely sensitive to daily life habits: sleep (duration and quality), diet (type and amount of food), stress (acute or chronic) and physical activity (longer moderate-intensity training or shorter high-intensity training).

This hormone affects all systems in the body, and it is he who is responsible for slowing down metabolism in cases of restrictive diets and increased training. In order to maintain the level of this hormone at a desirable level, it is necessary to enter the diet gradually and not to diet for a long time.

5. Cortisol - a stress hormone

Cortisol is excreted in the adrenal gland, and it has two effects in the body - it is neither exclusively negative nor positive. Acute stress in the body causes a short-term increase in this hormone. A hectic lifestyle signals the adrenal gland that we are in danger of causing either extremely high or extremely low levels of cortisol, both of which cause fat to accumulate.

Cortisol secreted by growth hormone and testosterone helps to dissolve adipose tissue. In order to achieve this effect, physical activity is required: either in long duration with low intensity, or in high intensity in short duration. Also, regular sleep and rest have a positive effect on the level of cortisol which in this case helps to melt the fatty tissue.

6. Leptin - an indicator of fat

Leptin is a hormone secreted by fat cells that signals to the brain how much fat it has to burn. Also, leptin also affects thyroid hormones.


Unfortunately, in cases of overeating or starvation, the brain begins to ignore the messages this hormone sends to it, which is called leptin resistance. Therefore, leptin has positive effects in cases of normal food intake, and its positive effects are essential and slow to eat.

7. Growth hormone - a hormone that stimulates the anabolic state of the body

Human growth hormone simultaneously helps to build muscle tissue and melt fat cells. Because of this, this hormone has a reputation as a hormone that slows down aging processes. It works in conjunction with cortisol, and adrenaline to keep the body lean, strong and youthful. Lack of sleep and a sedentary lifestyle reduce the level of this hormone in the body.

In order to maintain optimal levels of growth hormone, it is necessary to sleep regularly and sufficiently, to exercise regularly but for no longer than 40 minutes. Also, sufficient dietary protein intake maintains satisfactory levels of this hormone.

8. Adrenaline - the "gas pedal" in the human body

Adrenaline is secreted from the adrenal gland during exercise and sends a message to the body to begin to melt fat. This hormone affects the levels of all other hormones, especially growth hormones, cortisol and testosterone, and alarms them on the melting of fat cells.

If cortisol levels are not sufficient, adrenaline levels can be adversely affected. Exercise is the strongest activator of secretion of adrenaline. Short-term high-intensity workouts stimulate the rapid secretion of this hormone and quickly activate other hormones that promote fat melting.

9. Testosterone - A hormone that creates the appearance of the human body

This hormone is responsible for the appearance of the human body, especially the so-called. the "triangle" that many aspire to. For women, the hormonal situation is a bit more complicated as the female lines are affected by the estrogen, progesterone and testosterone ratio.

There are testosterone receptors along the human body and they affect human mood, sexual desire, muscle mass, bone strength, energy levels, etc.


Although testosterone has a much stronger effect on a man's body than a woman's. and in women, too low or too high levels of this hormone can have negative effects. An adequate amount of training, sleep and regular sexual activity have a positive effect on maintaining the optimal level of this hormone. You can read here how to increase your testosterone levels naturally.

10. Estrogen - a hormone that affects feminization

This hormone has a much greater effect on the female than on the male body. However, men also need a certain dose of estrogen to maintain their health. Estrogen is considered as a hormone that affects both the storage and melting of fat cells. Scientists also point out that because of this hormone, women tolerate stress better than men.

Adequate sleep and a vegetable-rich diet keep levels of this hormone at optimum levels for both sexes.

11. Progesterone - partner to estrogen

Progesterone, like estrogen, is significantly more present in the female than in the male body. This hormone in women works in conjunction with estrogen and gives the woman a stereotypical feminine makeup. Also, this hormone reduces the negative effects of cortisol and thus, indirectly, helps reduce fat.

Optimal levels of this hormone, with enough sleep and a balanced diet, are also influenced by meditations and long walks, which are activities that reduce the impact of stress.

12. Incretins (GLP and GIP) - "food tasters"

Incretins are a group of hormones, the digestive system, that act to increase insulin release from the pancreatic islets beta-cells, slow the absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream by reducing gastric emptying, and reduce the release of glucagon from the pancreatic alpha-cells, in the blood.

These hormones, in a simplified way, help the body to feel the macronutrient ratios in the food intake. They "feel" the food and send a signal to the body whether the food ingested is predominantly protein, fat or carbohydrate. In the case of a meal with more fat or sugar, the intestines release more GIP, and in the case of more protein and fiber, more GLP is secreted.


Therefore, GIP can be called a "fat saver", while GLP is a "fat saver". Thus, foods rich in protein and fiber will promote the melting of adipose tissue, under the action of these hormones.

13. Neuropeptide Y - a promoter of fat cell accumulation

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a peptide neurotransmitter found in the brain and autonomic nervous system and secreted by the hypothalamus. NPY affects a number of physiological processes in the brain, such as energy balance regulation, memory and learning, and epilepsy.

Its main effect is to increase food intake and reduce physical activity. In addition to increasing food intake, it increases the amount of energy stored as fat and blocks the transmission of pain signals to the brain.

This hormone is closely related to cortisol: chronically high levels of cortisol cause an increase in NPY, as well as increased food intake and energy storage in the form of fat. Direct cortisol lowering is affected by regular sleep and meditation, which in turn also lowers NPY levels.

14. Irisin - A fat-melting exercise hormone

Irisin is a hormone that was discovered only a few years ago and is excreted from muscle tissue during exercise. It helps the body to dissolve fat cells, but also has a positive effect on the cognitive functions and general condition of the body.

By extending telomeres, this hormone also has anti-age effects. (Telomeres are analogous to our biological clock. The longer they are, the longer we will maintain our health.)

The positive effects of irisin are directly related to exercise, and the strongest secretion is achieved by contractions of large muscle groups (chest, back and legs).

15. MOTS-c - a hormone called the "battle" of a cell

MOTS-c is unique among hormones because it is encoded in the DNA of the mitochondria, the "battle" of the cell that converts food into energy. All other hormones are encoded in the nucleus of the cell.

This hormone is one of the shortest known, and its primary function is related to muscle tissue. In muscle tissue, MOTS-c restores insulin sensitivity, which is impaired under the influence of diet or age.

Animal studies have confirmed that MOTS-c has a positive effect on preventing the development of obesity and diabetes.

Regular physical activity, especially intense, helps in the production of more mitochondria and thus increases the levels of MOTS-c hormones in the body.


In conclusion, all of these hormones affect the way that fat cells are melted or collected. Their levels are significantly influenced by diet, sleep levels, training and stress management.