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What Tests Should You Take if You Can’t Lose Weight?

Have you tried a bunch of diets, do fitness to the point of exhaustion, and your weight stands still? The reason for the extra pounds may not lie in your diet or lifestyle. It’s important to find out why you aren’t losing weight, and medical tests can help you identify the cause.

Dr. Oxana

Endocrinologist

Hormonal disruption, metabolic disorders, heredity, and even taking certain medications can be to blame for extra pounds. It is difficult to figure it out on your own without consulting a specialist but to understand who and why to go to, you should be tested. To find out more about deviations and optimal values, you could upload the test results to Ornament.

Complete blood count with leukocyte count: This test alone will not indicate the causes of excess weight, but it will identify acute conditions and processes that are not compatible with the diet. General urine analysis: This will show the state of the genitourinary system and kidneys. Blood test: To lose weight, it is important to understand if the liver, kidneys, and pancreas are working properly. Weight has more than a hundred parameters, but the following indicators can directly or indirectly affect weight: total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, HDL, atherogenic index, AST, and ALT. Thyroid hormones: Changes in hormone levels affect our weight because they regulate metabolic processes in the body. Check TSH, which is a pituitary hormone that stimulates the secretion of thyroid hormones, free T3 and free T4. Blood sugar: If your hormones are okay, make sure your blood glucose is not high. With high sugar, you should visit an endocrinologist and take tests for glycated hemoglobin, insulin levels, and glucose tolerance.

Analysis for sex hormones

Estradiol: this is the main female sex hormone, which causes the accelerated deposition of fat in the abdomen and thighs. High levels of estradiol can be the cause of excess weight, especially in men, which is what needs to be corrected. Testosterone: this is the main male sex hormone. Increased testosterone in women can cause metabolic failure, excess weight, and several serious disorders. In men, low testosterone levels can lead to metabolic disorders. Cortisol: this is the adrenal hormone responsible for the body's response to stress. If you have more fat deposition in the upper half of the body, on the face, chest, and abdomen, or if you have so-called "stretch marks," it is necessary to examine the level of cortisol. LH and FSH hormones: these are responsible for the work of the ovaries. With an imbalance of FSH and LH in the blood, excess weight gain occurs simultaneously with menstrual irregularities. Prolactin: this hormone is produced more intensively in pregnant women or when breastfeeding. With increased prolactin, the metabolism is tuned to the supply of nutrients, which results in excess weight. Prolactin should be taken on the 3–5th day of the menstrual cycle, strictly on an empty stomach, preferably before 10 am. For 2 days it is necessary to avoid sports, sex, alcohol, hot water procedures—all of which will Enzymatic analysis of the pancreas: this studies the number of secreted enzymes and shows the effectiveness of the digestion of food in the body.

26 April 2021

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Becky
• 3 y.

Good article! Very informative!