Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAppearanceCausesLinked MedicationsManagementImproving Body ImageComplications and Risk FactorsHormone Testing
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Appearance
Causes
Linked Medications
Management
Improving Body Image
Complications and Risk Factors
Hormone Testing
Hormonal belly is a term for abdominal weight gain due to a hormonal imbalance. It can be a symptom of conditions that affect people of any sex.
Sometimes, it has to do with sex hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone, but other hormones, such as cortisol, leptin, and insulin, can also play a role.
If you have hormonal belly, you’ll notice that fat is accumulating around your midsection. You may feel heavy, bloated, and uncomfortable. Hormone belly appears unrelated to changes in diet or exercise. Depending on the cause, accompanying symptoms may include:
Cortisol, a glucocorticoid hormone, is also known as the stress hormone. It affects your metabolism and just about every organ and tissue in your body. Too much cortisol can cause a redistribution of body fat to the abdominal area, as well as increase your appetite for energy-dense “comfort” foods.
Cushing’s syndromeis a rare condition in which you make far too much cortisol. The body can make too much cortisol on its own, but Cushing’s syndrome usually results from taking steroids for a long time. Symptoms include increased fat on the chest and belly but slim arms and legs.
Thyroid hormones, particularlyfree triiodothyronine (FT3), play a role in abdominal fat distribution.An imbalance in thyroid hormones can lead to hormonal belly or weight gain in general.
Excess weight around the belly can also be a sign ofinsulin resistance. That’s when cells in muscles, fat, and the liver don’t respond to insulin as they should. This forces the pancreas to make extra insulin. Insulin resistance is sometimes a precursor toprediabetesandtype 2 diabetes.
A Note on Gender and Sex TerminologyVerywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
A Note on Gender and Sex Terminology
Verywell Health acknowledges thatsex and genderare related concepts, but they are not the same. To accurately reflect our sources, this article uses terms like “female,” “male,” “woman,” and “man” as the sources use them.
In Women
Some causes of hormonal belly in females are:
In Men
Testosteroneis the main androgen hormone. Androgens are typically higher in people with testes than people with ovaries. Research suggests a strong relationship between testosterone and abdominal fat and muscle mass.
Gaining weight in the middle is sometimes an indicator oflow testosterone (low T)in males. Obesity can lead to low testosterone, and low testosterone can lead to obesity.
Medications Linked to Hormonal Belly Weight
Medications associated with hormonal weight gain in some people may include:
Other medicines that may contribute to weight gain include certain antipsychotics, antidepressants, and medicines to treat epilepsy, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
How to Manage Hormonal Belly Changes
Even if you have hormonal belly, there may be other factors contributing to abdominal or overall weight gain. Managing it depends on the causes, but here are some things you can do:
Some research suggests that hormone therapy may lessen the effects of menopause on abdominal weight gain.A healthcare provider can help you weigh the potentialbenefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy.
How to Improve Your Body Image
Body image is a complex concept that has to do with perceptions, thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes about body and appearance.You may not be happy about hormonal belly, but you can still have a healthy body image. But if you’re struggling with negative feelings, here are some tips to start improving your body image:
Body Dysmorphia
Body dysmorphia is associated with body image and low self-esteem.There’s also a link between body image andeating disorders, as well as quality of life.If you’re having trouble with body image, consider speaking with a mental health provider.
Belly fat can contribute to chronic inflammation and may increase the risk of conditions such as:
Hormone Testing for Abdomen Symptoms
Blood testscan help determine levels of many hormones, including:
Your provider may choose tests based on your symptoms, health history, and physical exam. If you have a hormonal imbalance, your primary care provider may refer you to anendocrinologist(hormone specialist).
When to See a Provider
If you’re experiencing unexplained weight gain around the middle, it’s best to see a healthcare provider for diagnosis, especially if you also have other symptoms, such as:
Summary
If you’re getting heavier around the middle, it could be due to lifestyle factors such as diet and exercise. But it can also happen due to changes in hormone levels. Hormonal belly is associated with menopause, low testosterone, and thyroid problems.
The only way to know for sure is to see a healthcare provider. If symptoms suggest a hormone imbalance, blood tests can confirm it or rule it out. Sometimes, treating the underlying condition can help. Certain factors, such as age and genetics, are outside of your control. But adjustments to diet, exercise, and sleep routines can help.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: Are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep.2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-yNational Health Service.Cushing’s syndrome.Obradovic M, Sudar-Milovanovic E, Soskic S, et al.Leptin and obesity: role and clinical implication.Front Endocrinol.2021;12:585887. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.585887Wittekind DA, Kratzsch J, Mergl R, et al.Leptin, but not ghrelin, is associated with food addiction scores in a population-based subject sample.Front Psychiatry.2023;14:1200021. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200021Nie X, Xu Y, Ma X, et al.Association between abdominal fat distribution and free triiodothyronine in a euthyroid population.Obesity Facts. 2020;13(3):358-366. doi:10.1159/000507709National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin resistance & prediabetes.The University of Chicago Medicine.Why am I gaining weight so fast during menopause? And will hormone therapy help?Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B.Adverse changes in body composition during the menopausal transition and relation to cardiovascular risk: a contemporary review.Womens Health Rep(New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):573-581. doi:10.1089/whr.2021.0119Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—a narrative review.J Clin Med.2023;12(22):7176. doi:10.3390/jcm12227176Han S, Jeon YJ, Lee TY, et al.Testosterone is associated with abdominal body composition derived from computed tomography: a large cross sectional study.Sci Rep.2022;12(1):22528. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27182-yLiu D, Li Y, Ji N, et al.Association between weight-adjusted waist index and testosterone deficiency in adult American men: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2013–2016.BMC Public Health.2024;24(1):1683. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-19202-5MD Anderson Cancer Center.Drop belly fat, drop cancer risks.Harvard Health Publishing.Taking aim at belly fat.Papadakis GE, Hans D, Rodriguez EG, et al.Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with reduced total and visceral adiposity: the OsteoLaus cohort.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):1948-1957. doi:10.1210/jc.2017-02449Burychka D, Miragall M, Baños RM.Towards a comprehensive understanding of body image: integrating positive body image, embodiment and self-compassion.Psychol Belg.2021;61(1):248-261. doi:10.5334/pb.1057Swami V, Barron D, Todd J, et al.Nature exposure and positive body image: (re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness.Body Image. 2020;34:201-208. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004Kuck N, Cafitz L, Bürkner PC, et al.Body dysmorphic disorder and self-esteem: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21(1):310. doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03185-3Mallaram GK, Sharma P, Kattula D, et al.Body image perception, eating disorder behavior, self-esteem and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among female medical students.J Eat Disord. 2023;11(1):225. doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00945-2
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: Are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep.2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-yNational Health Service.Cushing’s syndrome.Obradovic M, Sudar-Milovanovic E, Soskic S, et al.Leptin and obesity: role and clinical implication.Front Endocrinol.2021;12:585887. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.585887Wittekind DA, Kratzsch J, Mergl R, et al.Leptin, but not ghrelin, is associated with food addiction scores in a population-based subject sample.Front Psychiatry.2023;14:1200021. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200021Nie X, Xu Y, Ma X, et al.Association between abdominal fat distribution and free triiodothyronine in a euthyroid population.Obesity Facts. 2020;13(3):358-366. doi:10.1159/000507709National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin resistance & prediabetes.The University of Chicago Medicine.Why am I gaining weight so fast during menopause? And will hormone therapy help?Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B.Adverse changes in body composition during the menopausal transition and relation to cardiovascular risk: a contemporary review.Womens Health Rep(New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):573-581. doi:10.1089/whr.2021.0119Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—a narrative review.J Clin Med.2023;12(22):7176. doi:10.3390/jcm12227176Han S, Jeon YJ, Lee TY, et al.Testosterone is associated with abdominal body composition derived from computed tomography: a large cross sectional study.Sci Rep.2022;12(1):22528. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27182-yLiu D, Li Y, Ji N, et al.Association between weight-adjusted waist index and testosterone deficiency in adult American men: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2013–2016.BMC Public Health.2024;24(1):1683. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-19202-5MD Anderson Cancer Center.Drop belly fat, drop cancer risks.Harvard Health Publishing.Taking aim at belly fat.Papadakis GE, Hans D, Rodriguez EG, et al.Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with reduced total and visceral adiposity: the OsteoLaus cohort.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):1948-1957. doi:10.1210/jc.2017-02449Burychka D, Miragall M, Baños RM.Towards a comprehensive understanding of body image: integrating positive body image, embodiment and self-compassion.Psychol Belg.2021;61(1):248-261. doi:10.5334/pb.1057Swami V, Barron D, Todd J, et al.Nature exposure and positive body image: (re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness.Body Image. 2020;34:201-208. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004Kuck N, Cafitz L, Bürkner PC, et al.Body dysmorphic disorder and self-esteem: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21(1):310. doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03185-3Mallaram GK, Sharma P, Kattula D, et al.Body image perception, eating disorder behavior, self-esteem and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among female medical students.J Eat Disord. 2023;11(1):225. doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00945-2
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: Are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep.2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-yNational Health Service.Cushing’s syndrome.Obradovic M, Sudar-Milovanovic E, Soskic S, et al.Leptin and obesity: role and clinical implication.Front Endocrinol.2021;12:585887. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.585887Wittekind DA, Kratzsch J, Mergl R, et al.Leptin, but not ghrelin, is associated with food addiction scores in a population-based subject sample.Front Psychiatry.2023;14:1200021. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200021Nie X, Xu Y, Ma X, et al.Association between abdominal fat distribution and free triiodothyronine in a euthyroid population.Obesity Facts. 2020;13(3):358-366. doi:10.1159/000507709National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin resistance & prediabetes.The University of Chicago Medicine.Why am I gaining weight so fast during menopause? And will hormone therapy help?Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B.Adverse changes in body composition during the menopausal transition and relation to cardiovascular risk: a contemporary review.Womens Health Rep(New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):573-581. doi:10.1089/whr.2021.0119Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—a narrative review.J Clin Med.2023;12(22):7176. doi:10.3390/jcm12227176Han S, Jeon YJ, Lee TY, et al.Testosterone is associated with abdominal body composition derived from computed tomography: a large cross sectional study.Sci Rep.2022;12(1):22528. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27182-yLiu D, Li Y, Ji N, et al.Association between weight-adjusted waist index and testosterone deficiency in adult American men: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2013–2016.BMC Public Health.2024;24(1):1683. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-19202-5MD Anderson Cancer Center.Drop belly fat, drop cancer risks.Harvard Health Publishing.Taking aim at belly fat.Papadakis GE, Hans D, Rodriguez EG, et al.Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with reduced total and visceral adiposity: the OsteoLaus cohort.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):1948-1957. doi:10.1210/jc.2017-02449Burychka D, Miragall M, Baños RM.Towards a comprehensive understanding of body image: integrating positive body image, embodiment and self-compassion.Psychol Belg.2021;61(1):248-261. doi:10.5334/pb.1057Swami V, Barron D, Todd J, et al.Nature exposure and positive body image: (re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness.Body Image. 2020;34:201-208. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004Kuck N, Cafitz L, Bürkner PC, et al.Body dysmorphic disorder and self-esteem: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21(1):310. doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03185-3Mallaram GK, Sharma P, Kattula D, et al.Body image perception, eating disorder behavior, self-esteem and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among female medical students.J Eat Disord. 2023;11(1):225. doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00945-2
van der Valk ES, Savas M, van Rossum EFC.Stress and obesity: Are there more susceptible individuals?Curr Obes Rep.2018;7(2):193-203. doi:10.1007/s13679-018-0306-y
National Health Service.Cushing’s syndrome.
Obradovic M, Sudar-Milovanovic E, Soskic S, et al.Leptin and obesity: role and clinical implication.Front Endocrinol.2021;12:585887. doi:10.3389/fendo.2021.585887
Wittekind DA, Kratzsch J, Mergl R, et al.Leptin, but not ghrelin, is associated with food addiction scores in a population-based subject sample.Front Psychiatry.2023;14:1200021. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200021
Nie X, Xu Y, Ma X, et al.Association between abdominal fat distribution and free triiodothyronine in a euthyroid population.Obesity Facts. 2020;13(3):358-366. doi:10.1159/000507709
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Insulin resistance & prediabetes.
The University of Chicago Medicine.Why am I gaining weight so fast during menopause? And will hormone therapy help?
Kodoth V, Scaccia S, Aggarwal B.Adverse changes in body composition during the menopausal transition and relation to cardiovascular risk: a contemporary review.Womens Health Rep(New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):573-581. doi:10.1089/whr.2021.0119
Johns Hopkins Medicine.What is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?
Velho RV, Werner F, Mechsner S.Endo belly: What is it and why does it happen?—a narrative review.J Clin Med.2023;12(22):7176. doi:10.3390/jcm12227176
Han S, Jeon YJ, Lee TY, et al.Testosterone is associated with abdominal body composition derived from computed tomography: a large cross sectional study.Sci Rep.2022;12(1):22528. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27182-y
Liu D, Li Y, Ji N, et al.Association between weight-adjusted waist index and testosterone deficiency in adult American men: findings from the national health and nutrition examination survey 2013–2016.BMC Public Health.2024;24(1):1683. doi:10.1186/s12889-024-19202-5
MD Anderson Cancer Center.Drop belly fat, drop cancer risks.
Harvard Health Publishing.Taking aim at belly fat.
Papadakis GE, Hans D, Rodriguez EG, et al.Menopausal hormone therapy is associated with reduced total and visceral adiposity: the OsteoLaus cohort.The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2018;103(5):1948-1957. doi:10.1210/jc.2017-02449
Burychka D, Miragall M, Baños RM.Towards a comprehensive understanding of body image: integrating positive body image, embodiment and self-compassion.Psychol Belg.2021;61(1):248-261. doi:10.5334/pb.1057
Swami V, Barron D, Todd J, et al.Nature exposure and positive body image: (re-)examining the mediating roles of connectedness to nature and trait mindfulness.Body Image. 2020;34:201-208. doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.06.004
Kuck N, Cafitz L, Bürkner PC, et al.Body dysmorphic disorder and self-esteem: a meta-analysis.BMC Psychiatry. 2021;21(1):310. doi:10.1186/s12888-021-03185-3
Mallaram GK, Sharma P, Kattula D, et al.Body image perception, eating disorder behavior, self-esteem and quality of life: a cross-sectional study among female medical students.J Eat Disord. 2023;11(1):225. doi:10.1186/s40337-023-00945-2
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