Sudden weight gain, low mood and trouble sleeping are symptoms that can affect everyone from time to time. They can be a consequence of everyday stress, but they can also be symptoms of serious illness. If you have noticed a sudden weight gain despite your usual diet, if you have a bad mood for no reason or have problems with sleep, check what tests are worth doing.
Weight gain, low mood and sleep problemsmay be the result of fatigue or excessive stress. However, if these symptoms persist longer, it is worth performing the necessary tests that will help to exclude or diagnose various types of disease. These symptoms may indicate problems with hormones, thyroid, liver or insulin resistance, so they should not be taken lightly.
7 tests worth doing:
Thyroid hormones
The test that we should perform first with weight gain, low mood and insomnia is the level of hormones produced by the thyroid gland:
- free triiodothyronine (fT3),
- free thyroxine (fT4)
- and the hormone that controls their secretion - thyrotropin (TSH).
The tests will help identify hypothyroidism, which may be one of the causes of weight gain, even when we do not have an increased appetite.
This is because the thyroid gland controls our metabolism. When the thyroid gland produces too little hormones, our metabolism slows down. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include low mood and sleep problems.
In addition, in the case of abnormal test results indicating hypothyroidism, it is also worth performing an ultrasound of the thyroid gland and testing for anti-TPO and anti-TG antibodies. This will allow you to find out whether Hashimoto's disease is responsible for the thyroid hormone deficiency.
Female Sex Hormones
Abnormal levels of female sex hormones can manifest by a variety of symptoms, including weight gain, trouble sleeping, and a drop in mood.
This is especially true for women in their fifties, who may experience menopause.
However, in younger women under 40these symptoms may indicate premature menopause. Hormones worth testing are:
- estradiol,
- progesterone,
- follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),
- luteinizing hormone (LH).
Androgens
Androgens, or androgen hormones, are sex hormones that perform a number of functions in both women and men.
In women, excess androgens can cause a drop in mood and sleep problems, which in turn can translate into an increase in appetite and weight gain.
Increased levels of androgens in women often accompany polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
Androgens worth testing are:
- testosterone,
- androstendion,
- dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
Cortisol
During stressful situations, various hormones are released that can lead to weight gain and even obesity.
One of these hormones is cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal glands. Not only does cortisol build up body fat (especially around the abdomen), it also increases your appetite for food and triggers cravings for high-calorie foods such as bars and crisps.
Its too high level in blood or saliva may indicate chronic stress in the body. In addition, cortisol will negatively affect the nervous system, causing sleep problems and depression.
But be careful here, as elevated cortisol levels along with weight gain, low mood, and sleep problems can also be caused by Cushing's syndrome.
Insulin, glucose and insulin resistance
Insulin resistance is a condition in which tissues are less sensitive to insulin. It is often associated with various diseases, e.g. polycystic ovary syndrome, type 2 diabetes. One of the symptoms of insulin resistance may be weight gain.
In order to assess whether we have insulin resistance, we should perform a fasting glucose and insulin test. Then, based on the results of both tests, the HOMA index can be calculated.
CRP protein - a marker of chronic inflammation
Chronic inflammation is a pathology resulting from over-activation of the immune system and can affect our entire body.
Inflammation may be responsible for:
- development of insulin resistance and accumulation of adipose tissue (weight gain),
- secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands (weight gain and depressed mood)
- and has a negative effect on the central nervous system (sleep problems).
CRP proteinis one of the most widely used tests to assess the severity of inflammation.
Liver enzymes
The liver is the metabolic center of our body. It corresponds, inter alia, to for the metabolism of glucose, fats and hormones, neutralizing toxins.
Abnormalities in the functioning of the liver will result in the accumulation of toxic substances in the blood, adipose tissue, increased levels of glucose and fats, and increased inflammation.
The following blood tests are recommended to assess liver function:
- alanine aminotransferase (ALT),
- aspartate aminotransferase (AST),
- bilirubin.
In addition, in the case of abnormal test results indicating liver diseases, it is also worth having an ultrasound of this organ.
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