Why Biological Factors Could Be Impacting Your Health & How Medical Weight Care Could Be the Answer
Taking care of one’s health is a top priority, and maintaining a healthy weight is an important goal for many.
People have tried different approaches to diet, like intermittent fasting, keto diet, or veganism. Others try exercise programs catering to varying health goals such as weight loss, muscle building, strengthening and conditioning. Some people have extended their commitment to health by moving to places with cleaner environments, having fitness equipment at home, tending their own vegetable garden, or using personal health apps and gadgets.
For the most part, these changes can be effective in maintaining a healthy weight and well-being. However, a look at determinants of health shows that most of these are under the environment and behavior or lifestyle categories. It’s important to bear in mind though that there is another determinant that must be considered, which is the biological factor. Simply put, biology plays an important role in determining many things in our health including lifespan, reaction to stimuli, likelihood of developing illnesses, and response to treatment.
These biological factors can impact someone’s ability to lose weight despite changes in social and environmental factors. In some of these cases, additional help and support are needed such as taking a prescription weight loss medication.
Here are some biological factors which may be helped by medical weight care:
Appetite and Satiety
Genes are involved in making hormones in the brain or body that signal fullness or satiety when eating, therefore controlling how much we eat. One key hormone in this process is GLP-1, which signals fullness to the brain and slows down how fast the stomach empties.
There is a type of medication for weight loss called GLP-1 agonists, that are gaining more interest and use. These medications act like the natural hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 or GLP-1 and work on receptors in the brain to help control fullness and appetite.
Fat storage
There are genes that can affect how the body stores fat. Excessive fat can lead to being overweight or obese. Fat distribution is also highly influenced by genetics and is important in determining risk for diseases. Visceral or abdominal fat raises the risk for diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Cholesterol medications such as statins can be utilized to help lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease in people with obesity or diabetes. However, statin users have sometimes been found to increase their fat and calorie intake. Taking weight loss medications can help reduce excess body fat and increase lean body mass, along with the effect of decreasing overeating to help with lowering fat stores.
Age and Sex
Hormones, sex chromosomes, reproductive anatomy are some of the factors that depend on sex and have profound impact on health. There are certain medical issues that are increased in risk depending on sex, including obesity. The same concept can be said for age-specific diseases, and conditions such as obesity are at a higher risk in specific age ranges. Prescription weight loss medications may be helpful to lower the risk of health complications, in predisposed individuals.
Mental Health
There are biological factors and aspects when it comes to mental health. Mental function and wellness can be affected by genetics, brain defects, or hormone or neurotransmitter imbalances. Excess weight can also affect mental well-being and perception of self. Mental health conditions, on the other hand, can affect the ability to make healthy lifestyle changes and to lose weight such as in the case of depression and anxiety.
Some recent research on GLP-1 agonists have found promising results for many mental health issues such as depression, anxiety and stress, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.
