Manage Stress Hormones Through Diet

In stressful situations, cortisol ensures the body has enough energy by increasing glucose production (gluconeogenesis), breaking down fats (lipolysis), and further, affecting protein metabolism.

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health, and even mood. This is especially important for athletes during endurance training or competitions that require prolonged effort.

However, chronically elevated cortisol, caused by persistent stress from lifestyle, personal issues, or excessive training, can disrupt the body's balance. It can contribute to conditions like insulin resistance, hypertension, obesity, impaired bone regeneration, poor skin healing, and altered mood or appetite. It also works in dynamic opposition to anabolic hormones like testosterone, making recovery and muscle maintenance more difficult. Stress increases appetite for calorie-dense comfort foods because of their reward effect in the brain. Interestingly, eating itself can cause a temporary rise in cortisol; this effect tends to be more pronounced in men.