Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands in response to the secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the pituitary. Metabolically, cortisol increases the concentration of blood glucose by converting amino acids into carbohydrates (gluconeogenesis), inhibiting glucose uptake, and breaking down lipid stores into adipose tissue (lipolysis).

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone that is secreted by the 2 cap-sized glands that are located on top of your kidneys in response to stress. It has been described as a low-grade adrenaline.

This chronic elevation in cortisol is extremely detrimental to your health. It has been linked to, but not limited to, adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalances, heart disease, excessive blood sugar levels, elevated cholesterol, and pretty much anything else you can think of that stress can create in the human body.

Cortisol is known as the "stress hormone" and is secreted in response to all forms of stress. These include environmental stress (heat, cold, and noise, etc.), psychological stress (worry, fear, etc.), chemical stress (pollution, drugs, etc.), biochemical stress (nutritional deficiencies, simple sugar consumption, etc.), and physical stress (overexertion, trauma, and infection, etc.). During the "fight or flight" response, the adrenal glands secrete large quantities of adrenal cortical hormones. These hormones mobilize the body's energy supplies and direct all of the body's resources toward survival.

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

Ways to Reduce your Cortisol:

1. Use cortisol reduction supplements: I use a variety of herbs in my clinic to reduce cortisol at peak times. Some of my favorites include: ashwaghanda, phosphatidylserine, and rhodiola rosea.

2. Eat at regular intervals throughout the day: Avoid skipping meals, as this will create a cortisol release.

3. Eat right for your Metabolic Type: Excessive carbohydrate intake creates cortisol release in response to constantly elevated insulin levels. Find out your metabolic type and eat consistently with it.

4. Utilize stress reduction techniques at peak cortisol times: Neuro-linguistic Programming, meditation, self-hypnosis, or simply lying on the floor doing belly breathing for 10-15 minutes can work wonders at reducing stress and thus cortisol levels.

5. Get to bed on time: Get to bed by 10:30 pm at the latest.

6. Avoid stimulants: Stay away from energy drinks that contain ephedra-like compounds and caffeine. Stimulants shift the body into sympathetic dominance, ie. "fight or flight". Stimulants can also disrupt your sleeping patterns. If you must have your daily coffee, be sure that you do not drink any after 12 noon.

7. Keep your workouts under 1 hour: At the 1 hour mark, your testosterone levels begin to decline and cortisol levels rise. Forty-five minute workouts are even better.

8. Do not overtrain: Strength coach Charles Poliquin recommends not training more than 2 days in a row. Doing so will simply overtax the hormonal system and therefore increase cortisol levels. Listen to your body. If you do not feel recovered from your previous workout, simply take an extra day off or reduce the number of sets you perform in your workout.

Read About Fast Weight Loss also Read about Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Cortisol and Weight Loss

To add a comment please login by clicking here