Hormones and Weight Loss in Women: Why It’s So Hard and Something Affordable You Can Do About It.

By Dr. Cynthia Hall, ND

6 MINUTE READ

Signs Your Weight Gain May Be Hormonal

• Weight gain and difficulty losing weight despite calorie control and deficit

• Fatigue and low stamina

• Low libido

• Irregular cycles

• Cravings or blood sugar swings (does ‘hangry’ sound familiar?)

• Difficulty sleeping

• Fat tissue accumulating primarily around the tummy, thighs and upper arms

How to Support Hormone Balance and Weight Loss At the Same Time

The MIC Injection: How Methionine, Inositol and Choline (MIC) Injections can support your hormones and weight loss.

MIC Injections are an intramuscular injection consisting of Methionine, Inositol and Choline. Many times, these shots include Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), creating the “MICC” injection. The injection is normally administered into the deltoid or glute muscle.

Due to the involvement of these nutrients in lipid (fat) metabolism and metabolic processes and hormone balancing, this combination has become an affordable option for assisting weight loss efforts.

If you feel like you are doing everything right, but still not seeing the results you want, you are not alone.

How Often Are MIC Injections Recommended

For weight loss in women, common practice is to have 2-3 sessions weekly for a month, tapering down to weekly for another month. Now, without adequate and sustainable changes to diet, exercise, sleep, stress and appropriate hormone balancing, sustainable weight loss will be significantly more challenging.

For hormone balancing in women, I normally recommend weekly to biweekly injections for 6-8 weeks.

Every patient is different, and I recommend a full discussion at one of your appointments to discuss your options and what frequency is best for you.

How are the Ingredients of a MIC Injection Different from a GLP-1 Agonist Injection?

GLP-1 agonists (including tirzepatides and semaglutides) work on a few different pathways to support weight loss and blood sugar: hunger suppression, insulin release and speed of digestion.

The MIC(C) Injection works by supporting your natural metabolic processes through key nutrients.

1. Methionine is an essential amino acid, and used to make a handful of important molecules. It plays a role in:

   1. Regulating metabolic processes

   2. Supporting the immune system

   3. Activating antioxidant enzymes.

   Adequate levels of methionine are needed to combat oxidative stress and decrease DNA damage. If left unchecked, both can increase inflammation, risk of cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances & fertility issues, and difficulty losing weight.

2. Inositol is a molecule that pops up in multiple metabolic pathways and hormonal pathways throughout the menstrual cycle. It plays a role in:

   1. Supporting successful ovulation through various enzymes and molecules (namely, phophatidyl-inositol-3 kinase and inositol triphosphate)

   2. Insulin regulation. Myo-inositol (a form of inositol) reduces insulin to improve ovarian maturation, support ovulation and support reducing gestational diabetes risk.

   3. Support the liver and cholesterol & triglyceride levels

3. Choline is an interesting nutrient because it is very multifaceted. It plays a role in:

   1. Supporting pregnancy and lactation

   2. Cell membrane integrity, nervous system functioning, liver metabolism and antioxidant formation.

   3. Placental function, fetal neurodevelopment and epigenetic programming (to improve children’s stress reactivity and reduce chronic disease risk).

   4. Supporting the liver to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides.  

   5. Fat metabolism and satiety (feeling full)

   6. Energy

4. Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12) is the extra and optional ingredient to the MIC injection. It plays a role in:

   1. Multiple metabolic pathways related to blood sugar levels, adipose (fat) tissue, cholesterol levels and insulin regulation.

   2. Fatigue and Energy

   3. DNA synthesis

   4. Detoxification (Namely regulating homocysteine levels that are implicated in increased risk of cardiovascular disease and decreased lean body mass)

   5. Red blood cell health

   6. Numbness and tingling

   7. Feelings of light-headedness

   8. Poor concentration

Cases of B12 deficiencies are linked to vegetarianism and veganism because B12 is most commonly found in animal products. If you don’t consume animal products, there is value in having your B12 levels checked to ensure they are properly supported and you feel your best.

Check out my other blog to learn more about common nutrient deficiencies seen with long term birth control pill use.

How to know if the MIC Injections are right for you?

Many women I work with are doing everything “right” — eating well, eating less and exercising — and still are not seeing the results they want.

The goal of the MIC injection is to help build a strong foundation of nutrients that can ultimately be supported by food.

MIC injections are indicated for many, but not for everyone. For example, I do not recommend them for couples actively trying to conceive, are pregnant or breastfeeding.

I may also recommend them for my perimenopause and menopause patients who have experienced long periods of high stress, high cholesterol and high lipids.

How is Working With Dr. Hall, ND Different?

Rebalancing hormones is not something that can be done overnight. When I first meet my patients, we discuss that a more realistic timeline is between 3-6 months. Part of that time is spent correcting any nutrient deficiencies to build a strong foundation. And, part of that time is spent supporting all hormone systems and related organs. The ultimate goal is to guide the body towards its own ability to regulate hormones and provide support only where needed.

FAQ

1. Why can’t I lose weight even with proper diet and exercise?

   • Hormonal imbalances and changes with age, long term stress, thyroid function, blood sugar/insulin regulation and metabolism can all impact weight loss.

2. What hormones affect weight loss in women?

   • Estrogen, progesterone, insulin, glucose, cortisol, thyroid hormones all play a role.

3. Can hormone imbalance cause weight gain?

   • Yes — imbalances can affect metabolism, fat storage and appetite.

4. Can MIC Injections Replace GLP-1 Agonist Injections?

   • No, because MIC Injections are a supportive therapy, they are administered as part of a full treatment plan and should not be used alone for weight loss or hormone balancing.

Learn more about the services available to you through Dr Hall by clicking the link below!

Comprehensive support for Women’s Health and Weight Loss is available via telehealth across California and New Hampshire.

Join Dr Hall’s appointment wait list to be the first to know when she is accepting new patients September 2026.

References:

PMID: 28929442, 31043227, 26658589, 33457340, 35131170, 12611557, 26806445, 16556671, 31876071, 29982321, 29905829, 19499845, 17952759, 34070701, 23327487, 31394787, 7751073, 25031675, 32610503, 23853483, 28819546