How many times have you asked yourself, "Why can't I lose weight?" Maybe more times than you'd like (or hope).
Diet, exercise, lifestyle… there are many factors that influence ideal weight. But one factor that should be added to the list is cortisol, the stress hormone. Of course, it is not unknown that stress is harmful. But beyond affecting our mood, cortisol can also be responsible for potential weight gain.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is the primary stress hormone, according to the Mayo Clinic. It raises blood sugar, increases the brain's use of glucose, and makes more tissue repair substances available, while inhibiting functions that would be impaired in a fight-or-flight situation.
"This allows your body to quickly use up energy in stressful situations, leading to an increased desire to eat more food, precisely because of the stress," says doctor Charlotte Hodges.
Commonly known as the stress hormone, cortisol plays a vital role in regulating a wide range of bodily functions, influencing your metabolism, immune system and even the inflammatory response.
This hormone, produced and secreted according to the body's circadian rhythm, is released about 50-60% in the morning and then decreases during the rest of the day. Regardless of the time, when the body perceives stress, the adrenal glands release cortisol into the bloodstream, preparing the body to deal with the "dangerous situation".
The production of cortisol leads to a constant flow of sugars in the blood. This means that, as long as sugars are available, our body will not draw energy from adipose tissue, but instead, it will convert this excess sugar into an additional fat reserve.
How does cortisol affect ideal weight?
The production of this hormone is a normal response to a stressful situation. But when cortisol is secreted and remains in the circulation in chronically high amounts, that's when the problems begin. This hormone can directly affect the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the body, leading to increased fat deposition, especially in the abdominal area. These findings add to the already established link between long-term stress and unhealthy weight gain.
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