Metabolism & Weight

What can affect my metabolism?

Metabolism is actually much more complicated than the “calories in versus calories out” you might have been taught years ago.

What are the main factors to consider?
There are some that are unfortunately out of your control:
Genetics - Influence both your body’s ability to use energy and to build muscle
Sex - In general, men tend to have more muscle mass than women and therefore a faster metabolism
Age - Metabolism naturally declines with age

Here are the factors that you can control:
Body composition - Muscle tissue requires more energy to maintain than fat tissue. Therefore, those with a higher muscle to fat ratio will have a faster metabolism. Body composition is determined by both genetics and lifestyle.
Diet - This is more nuanced that you might think. While fewer calories may promote weight loss, restricting calories too much may actually cause the body’s metabolism to slow down in order to conserve energy.
Exercise - Building muscle increases your metabolism. Physical activity burns calories, but again, overdoing it can increase stress hormones and inflammation and have an adverse effect on your metabolism.
Hydration - Even mild dehydration can slow your metabolism.
Chronic stress - Raises your cortisol (stress hormone) levels and slows your metabolism
Lack of sleep - Alters your body’s ability to utilize energy efficiently

Medications that can slow metabolism:
Beta blockers
Atypical antipsychotics (clozapine, olanzapine)
Glucocorticoids
Gabapentin, pregabalin
Some antidepressants
Injectable progestins

Medical conditions that can slow metabolism:
Hypothyroidism
Cushings syndrome
Diabetes type 2/ insulin resistance
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
Growth hormone deficiency

In addition, gut dysbiosis can cause altered metabolilic function.

How do Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and other GLP1 medications work?

The category of GLP1 medications include semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), tirzepatide (Zepbound, Mounjaro), dulaglutide (Trulicity), liraglutide (Saxenda, Victoza), and orforglipron (Foundayo). They stimulate insulin secretion to lower blood sugar, delay gastric emptying and, cause the brain to have a sensation of fullness. They can be used for both type 2 diabetes and for weight loss.

These medications can be beneficial to metabolic and cardiovascular health, but they have risks too. It is very important that treatment with GLP1s be started only after a full evaluation of the patient’s specific risk vs. benefit ratio and be monitored closely by a trained and experienced medical professional.

Need help achieving or maintaining ideal body weight?

Do you feel like you have been doing all the right things - eating a healthy diet, watching calories, exercising, and you are still unable to lose weight or maintain a healthy weight? You are definitely not alone! What else might you be missing? Dr. Jennifer Tang is ready to do a comprehensive evaluation and create a personalized plan to help you achieve your goals.