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Cortisol, Stress And Body Fat
Straight Answers To The Top 20 Questions About "The Stress Hormone"
www.burnthefat.com
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:
- Stress makes you fat
- Cortisol is what makes you fat
- Cortisol reducing supplements control stress
- Cortisol reducing supplements reduce belly fat
- Cortisol reducing supplements get rid of “stress fat”
- Cortisol reducing supplements balance hormone levels that cause stress
- Cortisol reducing supplements increase muscle growth
- Cortisol supplements suppress appetite
- Cortisol supplements speed up metabolism
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.
- Avoid very low calorie diets,
especially for prolonged periods of time. Low calorie dieting is a
major stress to the body. Low calorie diets increase cortisol while
decreasing testosterone.
- Use stress reduction techniques (stress, anger, anxiety, and fear can raise cortisol)
- Avoid continuous stress. Stress is an important part of
growth. It’s when you remain under constant stress without periods of
recovery that you begin breaking down.
- Avoid overtraining by keeping workouts intense, but brief (cortisol rises sharply after 45-60 min of strength training)
- Avoid overtraining by matching your intensity, volume and
duration to your recovery ability. Decrease your training frequency,
and or take a layoff if necessary.
- Suppress cortisol and maximize recovery after workouts with
proper nutrition: Consume a carb-protein meal or drink immediately
after your workout.
- Get plenty of quality sleep (sleep deprivation, as a stressor, can raise cortisol).
- Avoid or minimize use of stimulants; caffeine, ephedrine, synephrine, etc.
- Limit alcohol (large doses of alcohol elevate cortisol).
- Stay well hydrated (at least one study has suggested that dehydration may raise cortisol).
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
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Tom
Venuto is a lifetime natural bodybuilder, an NSCA-certified personal
trainer, certified strength & conditioning specialist (CSCS), and
author of the #1 best selling diet e-book, Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle.
Tom teaches you how to lose fat without drugs or supplements using the
little-known secrets of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness
models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and turbo-charge your
metabolism by visiting www.BurnTheFat.com, home of Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle and www.BurnTheFatInnerCircle.Com, the Internet's premiere members-only fat loss support community. .
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