There are many hormones influenced by exercise, but I want to highlight how the four hormones that benefit from strength training.
The first three hormones listed are anabolic, meaning they take smaller particles and make larger molecules. In other words, they are part of the building process of our metabolism. To have more muscle or more bone, we need these doing their jobs.
The good thing is they’re all boosted when we lift!
Now let’s talk a bit about what each one does and how these four hormones benefit from strength training..
1. Insulin like growth factor.
IGF-1 promotes cell growth that is responsible for skeletal muscle protein synthesis and can help prevent bone loss. This supports maintenance of normal blood sugar levels and a healthy metabolism. It also can help prevent cognitive decline.
2. Growth hormone.
Women rely on growth hormone to increase muscle and bone strength. Growth hormone also plays a role in fighting tissue breakdown, staving off stress fractures and improving metabolic function. It’s quite responsive to moderate to heavy lifting!
3. Testosterone.
Testosterone is essential to a woman’s well-being by boosting libido and supporting reproductive health. It is also necessary for the development of new blood cells. Without enough testosterone, women may experience fatigue, muscle weakness, and mood changes.
The final one isn’t considered one of the anabolic hormones but it is influenced by training and can help us build muscle..
4. Insulin.
Insulin regulates our blood sugar. This is important for brain function, our heart, nerves, and many things including fat loss, of course. So many studies have shown that resistance training increases our sensitivity to insulin which means it’s going to function at its highest!
Exercise (both strength and conditioning) play a role in every aspect of our body, including our hormones, and our hormones play a role in our training.
Everything is connected. Fitness should be approached holistically.
If you want to work with someone who recognizes this and trains clients from this perspective, let’s work together.
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Your Coach,
Kyra