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Cortisol is a glucocorticoid steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands in reaction to stress and diminished blood sugar levels. It is a component of the body's hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, and it plays a crucial role in regulating metabolism by encouraging gluconeogenesis and lipid degradation. It manages inflammation and the immune reaction. Clearly, it is vital for controlling the stress response and enhancing factors such as vigilance and blood pressure. Additionally, it is essential for sustaining the circadian rhythm.
(hypothalamus → CRH → pituitary → ACTH → adrenal)
(hypothalamus → CRH → pituitary → ACTH → adrenal)
Cortisol peaks in the morning, and it declines throughout the day. So, you shouldn't think of cortisol as an inherently bad thing. It has its role to play. But chronically elevated cortisol from poor sleep or overtraining or chronic stress can lead to things like muscle loss, fat gain, especially visceral fat around your organs, lower testosterone, poor recovery, and worse immunity
| Cortisol and testosterone levels in the blood: the impact of physical activity In men, there was a negative correlation between testosterone during recovery and cortisol levels, both during rest and following intense exercise. implies that a sharp increase in cortisol (from stress or exercise) is followed by a decrease in testosterone: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24431964/ |
As you can see, while excessive or inadequately recovered training can result in chronically elevated cortisol, exercise reduces baseline cortisol and increases stress resilience when properly managed (with recovery, nutrition, and sleep).
Why reduce it?
- Suppresses testosterone, growth hormone, and thyroid hormones
- Promotes fat storage
- Suppresses immunity, delays wound healing
- Disrupts circadian rhythm and melatonin release
- Raises blood pressure and inflammation
- Damages hippocampal neurons → memory loss, anxiety, depression
How to reduce cortisol/minimise stress
Good sleep
(I have already made a post about sleep: https://forum.looksmaxxing.com/threads/sleepmaxxing-megathread-guide-to-10x-better-sleep.9123/ but there are more in here that could help)
Insomnia or lack of sleep will cause your cortisol levels to rise. And it's not surprising, as one of cortisol's functions is to help you stay awake and alert by giving you more energy. Additionally, regulating your circadian rhythm is just as crucial as getting enough sleep. Circadian rhythm and sleep are closely related. According to its natural circadian rhythm, cortisol peaks in the morning to aid in waking up and falls in the evening. Your circadian cortisol release will be disturbed if you interfere with your circadian rhythm by eating and exercising at completely random times of the day, causing your eyes to be bombarded with bright or blue lights at night, or altering your sleep schedule. Fix your circadian rhythm and your sleep by going outside to watch the sunrise and the sunset every day. You should spend as much of the day outside as you can so you get that natural sunlight into your eyes. Block light after sunset and use very dim lights in your house. Even a small amount of light suppresses melatonin and makes it harder to sleep, reducing your sleep quality. Eat your meals at regular times each day. This helps your body get into a regular rhythm. And the same with your exercise times. Try to exercise at the same time every day. Don't eat a big meal or exercise within 2 or 3 hours of bed because there's a good chance that will keep you awake and worsen your sleep quality. And lastly, keep your bedroom cool, dark, and silent for the best sleep. Good sleep and circadian alignment will improve your cortisol levels and also improve all of the other metrics that you probably want to work on like muscle growth and recovery
Stress management techniques
One of the primary reasons for high cortisol levels is ongoing psychological stress. Numerous studies have been conducted on this topic. Methods that show a moderate reduction in cortisol include mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation. beginning with meditation or mindfulness. These entail concentrating entirely on a single object, such as your breathing.
It has been demonstrated that mindfulness reduces baseline cortisol. As a result, you feel less stressed overall during the day, and the cortisol spike that occurs during acute stress is also lessened. A regular mindfulness practice will therefore reduce your cortisol response, which will help you feel less stressed in stressful situations, such as when you're stuck in traffic. In contrast to the sympathetic fight-or-flight nervous system, mindfulness triggers the parasympathetic, or rest and digest, nervous system. Thus, it truly helps you relax.
One of the primary reasons for high cortisol levels is ongoing psychological stress. Numerous studies have been conducted on this topic. Methods that show a moderate reduction in cortisol include mindfulness, meditation, and relaxation. beginning with meditation or mindfulness. These entail concentrating entirely on a single object, such as your breathing.
It has been demonstrated that mindfulness reduces baseline cortisol. As a result, you feel less stressed overall during the day, and the cortisol spike that occurs during acute stress is also lessened. A regular mindfulness practice will therefore reduce your cortisol response, which will help you feel less stressed in stressful situations, such as when you're stuck in traffic. In contrast to the sympathetic fight-or-flight nervous system, mindfulness triggers the parasympathetic, or rest and digest, nervous system. Thus, it truly helps you relax.
Other than these, you can reduce your cortisol levels by simply giving yourself some time to relax, engaging in your hobbies, spending time in nature, and spending time with your loved ones. You're more likely to have cortisol issues if you don't do these things on a regular basis.
Exercise
I have already mentioned exercise in the beginning of the thread and linked the studies, but I will post some more info here:
In the moment, exercising will definitely spike your cortisol. It is a kind of stress. Some people (especially Goatis fans- no offense) see this as a reason to avoid exercising because they believe humans should avoid all forms of stress entirely and just live a totally sedentary, inactive life devoid of anything challenging. But in reality, exercise within reason is a kind of hormesis. It's a good stress that produces desirable adaptations in the brain and body, like lowering your baseline cortisol and improving stress tolerance. That is if it's done in moderation. Overtraining will elevate your cortisol.
For instance, almost all professional athletes have elevated cortisol levels and train excessively. You don't have to do double training days every day for the average person. Simply give the appropriate amount of stimulus to initiate the desired adaptations, then let them rest and recuperate.
TLDR: Acute: Temporary spike → rapid recovery.I have already mentioned exercise in the beginning of the thread and linked the studies, but I will post some more info here:
In the moment, exercising will definitely spike your cortisol. It is a kind of stress. Some people (especially Goatis fans- no offense) see this as a reason to avoid exercising because they believe humans should avoid all forms of stress entirely and just live a totally sedentary, inactive life devoid of anything challenging. But in reality, exercise within reason is a kind of hormesis. It's a good stress that produces desirable adaptations in the brain and body, like lowering your baseline cortisol and improving stress tolerance. That is if it's done in moderation. Overtraining will elevate your cortisol.
For instance, almost all professional athletes have elevated cortisol levels and train excessively. You don't have to do double training days every day for the average person. Simply give the appropriate amount of stimulus to initiate the desired adaptations, then let them rest and recuperate.
improved resilience, fat metabolism, and mood.
Chronic: Sustained elevation → fatigue, low T, and immune suppression.
Diet
What you eat, when you eat, and how much you eat can all affect your cortisol levels. You should avoid massive or prolonged calorie deficits. Fasting is definitely a stressor on the body. It can be a very useful tool for things like autophagy, and a calorie deficit is good for fat loss and longevity. But these things do increase cortisol in order to kind of make up for the energy deficit.
You need to stay hydrated. Dehydration is a stressor that can increase cortisol. Don't overdo the caffeine, and definitely do not consume alcohol. There are some that are especially important for managing cortisol, like magnesium, vitamin C, and B vitamins. Cortisol levels will be lowered by a diet that is generally anti-inflammatory. foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, staying away from processed foods, and avoiding foods that upset your digestive system.
There are some more targeted tools that you can use to address cortisol as well. These can be pretty powerful. Adaptogens are natural substances that help the body adapt to stress and lower cortisol. The most notable are ashwagandha and Rhodiola rosea. Ashwagandha especially has lots of evidence to support it. Definitely don't overdo them, though. These should be short term tools used for a few weeks while you're addressing the root causes of your high cortisol before you cycle off them. Another substance is phosphatidyl serine. This is a phospholipid found in high levels in neuronal membranes. It's especially good for lowering the cortisol spike that's caused by exercise. It is found in some foods like egg yolks, but that's in very low doses. So, it is better to supplement this if you're going to use it. If you're in a very intense period of training or you're really stressed, this can be a useful short-term tool. As I mentioned in the anti-inflammatory diet section, omega-3s are very useful, and you can supplement them. I'm not a big fan of fish oil supplements because they can oxidize quite easily when they're exposed to light, heat, and air. I prefer using foods that are high in omega-3s, like fatty fish. If you're going to supplement, obviously get a good quality fish oil. Don't cheap out on this. And again, as I mentioned, magnesium. I highly recommend supplementing magnesium because it's not easy to get from food. To improve your sleep, reduce cortisol, and promote relaxation, you should take 300–500 mg a few hours before bed.
Green tea contains the amino acid theanine. It can lower blood pressure and cortisol levels during stressful situations and raise alpha brain waves, which will help you relax. If you get jittery from caffeine, it's a good idea to take 100 or 200 milligrams of L-theanine for every 100 milligrams of caffeine.
There are some other herbs that have some evidence for calming and lowering cortisol, like lemon balm and chamomile, which is one of my favorite ones to have before bed. Valerian root and holy basil.
It should go without saying that you should not try to nuke your cortisol by using all of the tools I just mentioned at once. In fact, your body does require some cortisol. Change your lifestyle to include stress management, a nutrient dense diet, proper exercise, and restful sleep. Then If you're still having problems with elevated cortisol, think about taking one or two of these supplements. The changes in lifestyle will likely be sufficient for the majority of people here.
-Donsa
