Hormonal Changes

Hormones are the secret rulers of our body and psyche. They work in very small doses and have a decisive influence on whether we feel healthy or sick, happy or sad, and also whether we stay slim or gain weight.

Hormone production decreases continuously from the age of 30 on, but at the latest with menopause in women and midlife crisis in men. The effects are obvious: A man develops a gut and a woman also gains weight or experiences more difficulty in staying slim, although diet for neither has changed.

What happened? Hormones, especially the sex hormones such as testosterone in men and estrogen in women, as well as thyroid hormones, normally keep our metabolism on its toes. In older age, the production of hormones decreases and thus metabolic activity decreases, meaning fewer calories are burned: We gain weight!