Читать книгу The GI Walking Diet: Lose 10lbs and Look 10 Years Younger in 6 Weeks - Joanna Hall - Страница 35

Another factor in the weight-loss battle of the sexes relates to the female sex hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen has an impact on fat storage in a number of ways:

It encourages epinephrine production, which helps the breakdown of fat

It prevents the fat-storing LPL from working as effectively

It encourages the production of growth hormone, which increases the release of fatty acids from the fat cells

It is also thought to inhibit the production of insulin, encouraging the body to use fat rather than glucose as a source of energy

During menopause, however, the amount of oestrogen decreases, so its ability to help break down fat is diminished. This causes weight gain in the midriff to become more prevalent in women than in men.

It’s not all doom and gloom, however, as oestrogen also increases the production of nitric oxide, which encourages the blood vessels to relax. High nitric oxide concentrations are associated with migraine, and it is often reported that migraine sufferers experience less frequent and severe migraines after menopause.