How do hormones affect the shape of my body?

Different hormones have different effects on the shape of the body. Testosterone increases muscle mass and reduces body fat leading to the sharp muscle definition that we associate with the male physique. Estrogen causes breast enlargement and the accumulation of subcutaneous fat, especially around the hips and thighs, giving rise to feminine curves. Too much cortisol, and adrenal hormone, leads to fat accumulation in the face and trunk and thinning of the muscles of the extremities. Hormones made by fat cells in and around the liver in a person with diabetes or insulin resistance cause a vicious cycle with the accumulation of even more abdominal fat.