The Top 20 Questions About The Stress Hormone

 

It seems that every time science uncovers some type
of association between body fat and anything, opportunistic
entrepreneurs are waiting in the shadows to create a product and a
marketing campaign around it. They ride the wave into the multi
millions, until the buzz dies down or until the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) sues and slaps a padlock on their warehouse doors.
Then, it’s on to the “next big thing in weight loss,” because they know
there will always be a gullible crowd eagerly waiting for the next
quick fix. The most recent example is when researchers discovered a
correlation between cortisol and abdominal body fat. Cortisol was then
blamed as the latest culprit in the obesity problem, and
cortisol-suppressing pills were touted as the “miracle solution.”

Big Claims, Little Proof

After a web search on the subject of cortisol, here are some of the claims you may find:

The advertising claims include just enough
scientific fact to make even the savviest consumers say, “That makes
sense, I think I’ll try that.” They also hit home emotionally by
focusing on common hot buttons such as stress (who isn’t at least a
little stressed in this day and age?) Brilliant marketing. Convincing.
Unfortunately, most of the claims being made are completely false, with
only a tiny thread of truth woven in.

Cortisol is a very important hormone that you
must understand if you want to get maximum results from your training
and nutrition programs, but if you don’t educate yourself, you may
become one of the millions of victims to fall for this latest fad. The
answers to the frequently asked questions in this article will arm you
with the science-based facts, while helping you steer clear of the
hype-based scams.

What is cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal
glands. It falls into a category of hormones known as
“glucocorticoids”, referring to their ability to increase blood glucose
levels. Cortisol is the primary glucocorticoid.

Why does your body produce cortisol?

Cortisol is a stress hormone. Your body produces
cortisol in response to stress, physical, mental or emotional. This can
include extremely low calorie diets, intense training, high volume
training, lack of quality sleep as well as common daily stresses such
as job pressures, fights with your spouse or being caught in a traffic
jam. Trauma, injury and surgery are also major stressors to the body
(Note: much of the research done on cortisol and stress has been done
on recovering patients, and such findings may not carry over to
healthy, athletic populations).

What does cortisol do?

Cortisol is part of the fight or flight response.
Faced with a “life or death” situation, cortisol increases the flow of
glucose (as well as protein and fat) out of your tissues and into the
bloodstream in order to increase energy and physical readiness to
handle the stressful situation or threat.

How do you know whether your cortisol levels are high?

You can get your cortisol levels tested if you
choose to. The most common method of testing is a blood test (blood
cortisol levels). Saliva and 24 hour urine tests are also available.

What is a normal level of cortisol?

Cortisol levels are higher in adults than children
and levels fluctuate throughout each 24 hour period, so tests must
account for the time of day. Cortisol concentrations are highest in the
early morning around 6 – 8 a.m. and they are also elevated after
exercise (a normal part of your body’s response to exercise). The
lowest levels are usually around midnight. According to the Medline
Encyclopedia, normal levels of cortisol in the bloodstream at 8:00 a.m.
are 6-23 mcg/dl.

Should you get your cortisol levels tested?

For serious competitive athletes, it may be worth
the time, expense and inconvenience to have cortisol tests done on a
regular basis. Some strength and conditioning coaches insist on it. For
the average trainee, as long as you are aware of the factors that
produce excessive cortisol and take steps to keep it in the normal,
healthy range, then testing is probably not necessary.

Is cortisol related to abdominal obesity?

Yes. There is a link between high cortisol levels
and storage of body fat, particularly “visceral” abdominal body fat
(also known as intra-abdominal fat). Visceral fat is stored deeper in
the abdominal cavity and around the internal organs, whereas “regular”
fat is stored below the skin (known as subcutaneous fat). Visceral fat
is particularly unhealthy because it is a risk factor for heart disease
and diabetes.

Does Cortisol Make you fat?

No, cortisol is not “the thing” that makes you fat.
In fact, one of the effects of cortisol is to increase the breakdown of
stored adipose tissue into glycerol and fatty acids where it can enter
the bloodstream and then be used as energy. High levels of cortisol are
merely one contributing factor to storage of abdominal fat, not the
primary cause. An excess of calories from too much food and not enough
exercise is what makes you fat.

If cortisol is related to abdominal obesity, then will taking a cortisol suppressing pill get rid of abdominal (belly) fat?

No. Just because there is an association between
high cortisol levels and abdominal body fat doesn’t mean that a taking
a cortisol-suppressing pill will remove abdominal body fat. The studies
which showed a relationship between cortisol and body fat did not test
whether suppressing cortisol removes fat that is already deposited on
your body.

Does stress make you fat?

No. If it did, then everyone who is stressed would
be gaining fat. Many people lose weight while under stress. In some
studies, test subjects with the highest cortisol (and stress) levels
lost the most weight. Stress, by itself, does not increase body fat.
However, if stress stimulates appetite and leads to overeating, then
the excess calories from “stress eating” can make you fatter.

Is cortisol is bad for you?

Cortisol is not “bad for you,” it is a hormone that
is essential for life as part of our natural stress response. There are
many hormones in our bodies, which in the proper amounts, maintain good
health, but in excess or in deficiency, have negative effects or even
contribute to health problems or diseases. Cortisol is no different.
For example, Cushing’s syndrome is a disease of high cortisol levels,
while Addison’s is a disease of low cortisol levels. You want to
maintain a healthy, normal level of cortisol, not suppress your
cortisol to nothing or allow it to remain elevated.

Chronically elevated cortisol levels may have a
variety of negative effects. Cortisol is catabolic and elevated
cortisol levels can cause the loss of muscle tissue by facilitating the
process of converting lean tissue into glucose. An excess of cortisol
can also lead to a decrease in insulin sensitivity, increased insulin
resistance, reduced kidney function, hypertension, suppressed immune
function, reduced growth hormone levels, and reduced connective tissue
strength. Chronically elevated levels of cortisol can also decrease
strength and performance in athletes.

Can suppressing cortisol improve your muscle growth and strength?

High cortisol levels can increase muscle protein
breakdown and inhibit protein synthesis (building up muscle proteins),
so a chronically elevated cortisol level is clearly counterproductive
to building muscle. Bringing elevated cortisol levels back to normal
may improve recovery, strength, hypertrophy and performance. However,
there is no scientific evidence that reducing your cortisol levels
below normal will have any effect on increasing strength or muscle
growth.

Should you take a cortisol-suppressing supplement to help you lose weight?

In my opinion, no, absolutely not. Cortisol
suppressing supplements are not a valid solution for losing weight. The
FTC has filed lawsuits against the makers of Cortislim and Cortistress,
charging them with making false and unsubstantiated claims that their
products can cause weight loss. Lydia Parnes, acting director of the
FTC’s bureau of consumer protection says, “The defendant’s claims fly
in the face of reality. No pill can replace a healthy program of diet
and exercise.” Reducing excessively high cortisol levels through
supplement use may prove beneficial in some ways for hard training
athletes. However, pills do not make you lose fat. Body fat is lost by
creating a caloric deficit through exercise and nutrition.

Should you take a cortisol-suppressing supplement to help control your stress levels?

There are quite a few supplements, mostly herbs,
which are reputed to have “calming,” “relaxing,” “tranquilizing,”
“stress-relieving” or “anti-anxiety” effects. These include Magnolia
bark, kava kava, valerian, L-theanine and too many others to mention.
However, very few studies exist which have directly tested the effects
of these herbs on cortisol levels. Although some people may find value
in these types of products, the ideal solution is to reduce the stress
or change your perception of the stress to lessen its physical effects.
Treating symptoms does not remove causes. It can be dangerous to
“band-aid” the effects of stress while the stress remains in place.

What should you do if you have a lot of stress in your life?

It makes sense to take steps to reduce stress in
your life and lessen the impact of stressors that cannot be avoided.
Trying to avoid stress completely is not possible, nor is it desirable.
Stress is an important part of life because you can’t achieve positive
adaptations and growth without stress to trigger them. It’s continuous
stress that you want to avoid. It’s okay to expose yourself to stress,
provided there is a sufficient period of rest afterwards so you can
fully recover.

One of the best ways to keep cortisol in the normal
range is to reduce stress and allow time for recovery and renewal.
There are effective and natural means of reducing stress that don’t
cost a penny, including getting out in nature, deep breathing,
enhancing sleep quality, relaxation exercises, meditation and
visualization-guided imagery. It's important to develop a calm mind and
sense of tranquility.

What’s in those cortisol pills anyway?

The ingredients can vary in type and quantity from
one brand to the next. Some ingredients are included in the
formulations to have a relaxing or stress reducing effect, some are
included to reduce cortisol levels, while others are aimed at insulin
and blood sugar stabilization. Cortislim, for example, contains
Magnolia bark, beta sitosoterol, theanine, green tea extract, bitter
orange peel extract (source of synephrine), banaba leaf extract,
vanadium, vitamin C, calcium and Chromium.

Other ingredients that are often used in the various
product formulations include Epidemium, phytosterols, tyrosine,
Branched chain amino acids, ginseng, ashwaganda, astragalus, kava kava,
St. John’s wort, Melatonin, SAM-e, Valerian, Gingko Biloba,
Phosphatidyl Serine (PS), Acetyl L-carnitine and Glutamine. Reviewing
all of these is beyond the scope of this article.

If you decide to take a cortisol suppressing supplement what should you look for?

Before you even think about supplements (or drugs),
keep in mind that unnatural suppression of cortisol may not be wise or
necessary, especially if you haven’t used all the natural cortisol and
stress management strategies at your disposal first. Once your
nutrition, training and recovery bases are covered, there is some solid
research showing that certain supplements may be beneficial, especially
for athletes engaged in extremely hard training.

Carbohydrate consumed with lean protein immediately
after training has a cortisol suppressing effect. High glycemic index
(GI) carbs in particular, cause an insulin spike, which not only helps
restore muscle glycogen, stimulates protein synthesis and kick starts
the recovery process, it also helps lower the exercise-induced rise in
cortisol. The research supporting this practice is substantial. (This
should serve as a warning to people on low carb diets that are so
strict that they don’t even allow small amounts of carbs after
workouts). Rather than solid food, many athletes prefer a liquid “meal”
using a commercial post workout drink containing whey protein and
maltodextrin plus dextrose or glucose (fast acting protein and high GI
carbs) because the rapid absorption time may speed recovery.

Vitamin C, known mainly for cold or flu protection
and antioxidant properties, may decrease cortisol levels. A study by
Marsit, et al showed a reduction in cortisol levels in elite
weightlifters taking 1000 mg. of vitamin C per day. Other studies have
reported similar findings.

Phosphatidyl serine (PS) is a phospholipid, which
appears to have cortisol suppressing properties. Studies by Fahey and
Monteleone have shown that daily doses of 800 mg can reduce cortisol.
These studies did not conclude that PS would help you lose weight or
gain more muscle.

Glutamine is an amino acid, which in some studies,
has been shown to decrease cortisol and prevent a decrease in protein
synthesis. Many strength athletes swear by glutamine for improved
recovery, but the research is still not conclusive about efficacy or
dosages for athletes or bodybuilders. Much of the research on Glutamine
was performed on patients recovering from surgery, burns or traumas
(severe stresses to the body).

Acetyl-L Carnitine (ALC) has been studied in
Alzheimers patients as a method of improving cognitive function. One
study showed that long term use of Acetyl L Carnitine lowered cortisol
in the Alzheimers patients. Research on rats and mice has shown that
ALC increases luteinizing hormone, which may in turn elevate
testosterone. Whether these findings carry over to healthy athletes has
yet to be proven, but some coaches and athletes believe that ALC lowers
cortisol and elevates testosterone.

It’s important to note that the research on some of
these substances is often conflicting and inconclusive. It's also
important to note that many of the cortisol suppressing supplements
which are marketed to athletes or to people seeking weight loss do not
contain doses anywhere near the amounts that were used in the research.
(Yet another way that supplement companies deceive consumers).

How can you lower your cortisol levels naturally?

You can lower cortisol naturally. In fact, if you
are overtrained, unnatural cortisol suppression may be nothing more
than a “band aid,” and continued overtraining can lead to adrenal
exhaustion, which could take months to remedy. Sometimes the best thing
you can do is take a rest or decrease your training volume and
intensity rather than artificially attempt to suppress cortisol.
Symptoms of overtraining include elevated resting pulse, sleep
disturbances, fatigue, decreased strength and decreased performance.

How do you spot a weight loss pill scam?

The cortisol pill is just one in a long string of
bogus weight loss products, and it won’t be the last! Why? Because
weight loss supplements are big business! Eight or nine figure fortunes
have been made from the sales of a single product, which was later
proven to be a total farce.

How do you protect yourself? Do your homework! Don’t
take anything unless you know exactly what’s in the product, why it’s
in the product and how much is in the product. Review the scientific
research. Don’t buy a weight loss product just because a radio
personality says it works! Don’t jump on the phone with your credit
card in hand after watching a thirty-minute infomercial! In this day
and age, you have to be smarter than that!

Conclusions

Excessive cortisol is not good. But cortisol is not
inherently bad; it’s a vitally important hormone and part of your
body’s natural stress response. Cortisol does not make you fat. Stress
does not make you fat. Stress may lead to increased appetite… Increased
appetite may lead to eating too much… Eating too much makes you gain
fat. Make sense?

Cortisol suppressing agents may have some practical
uses. But rather than thinking of cortisol supplements as a weight loss
miracle (which they most surely are not), get yourself on a solid
exercise and nutrition program and seek natural ways to enhance
recovery and reduce stress. By doing this first, you may be pleasantly
surprised to find that you’re losing fat and gaining muscle and there
isn’t a need to take supplements at all.

For more information on how to lose body
fat safely, permanently and naturally without supplements or pills,
check out the e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle at www.BurnTheFat.com

Your friend and coach,

Tom Venuto

www.BurnTheFat.com

 

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About the Author:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tom Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified
personal trainer (CPT), certified strength & conditioning
specialist (CSCS), and author of the #1 best-selling e-book, "Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle"
Tom has written more than 200 articles and has been featured in print
magazines such as IRONMAN, Australian IRONMAN, Natural Bodybuilding,
Muscular Development, Exercise for Men and Men’s Exercise, as well as
on hundreds of websites worldwide.

For information on Tom's Fat Loss
program, visit: www.BurnTheFat.com