Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced and released by the body in response to stress, increasing blood sugar which, in turn, increases your energy level. However, our high-stressed lives can cause a prolonged, constant release of cortisol, which will have negative effects on our body. Diet and exercise can help maximize the good effects of cortisol and avoid the negative effects of excessive cortisol release.   

 

Cortisol is known as a glucocorticoid or steroid hormone. It is naturally produced and released by the body as a response to any type of stress. It can also be released due to caffeine consumption and low glucose levels in the blood.

 

Its main function is to increase blood sugar, which increases your energy level. This is accomplished by boosting your metabolism.

 

Cortisol triggers a response specifically targeting fat, carbs and some proteins to burn and then turn into glucose. 

 

Any significant changes in your life, both positive and negative, can cause you to experience stress. We've all experienced stress at some point or another and we know that it can sometimes be unpleasant. It causes feelings of nervousness, anxiety and in some people it can even result in stomach upset and other gastrointestinal issues.

Stress can actually be dangerous, especially chronic stress. It weakens your immune system, making you more susceptible to illness, puts increased strain on your heart causing it damage, and it can even slow down bone formation as well as healing if you're injured. People with high stress jobs are significantly more likely to experience heart problems and even heart failure.

Some of us tend to perform better under stress, but prolonged stress can have what are obviously very bad repercussions.  Cortisol attempts to manage that stress when it first begins and this initial response is very beneficial. It increases glucose levels, which gives us a surge of energy to fight the stress, whether the stress is caused by a sudden fright, sickness or even a promotion at work. Like adrenaline it allows us to flee from danger and it makes us feel motivated to accomplish tasks we wouldn't normally accomplish.

Prolonged, constant stress causes a prolonged, constant release of cortisol. Too much cortisol decreases your white blood cell count and leads to a suppressed immune system. This is also what slows down healing and can even result in peptic ulcers. Intermittent cortisol is a vital part of recovering from an injury. Similarly, intermittent coristol release burns calories while prolonged, high cortisol levels increase appetite and fat storage. Cortisol is truly subject to the "too much of a good thing" adage. Too much cortisol often results in the exact opposite effect of regular cortisol fluctuations.

You may not think of it this way, but exercise causes your body to experience stress. The stress is usually mild compared to other types of stress. The physical activity of exercise still causes an immediate cortisol response as your body tries to manage the stress. The cortisol plays a significant role in the burning of fat and calories.

Losing weight or maintaining a healthy weight are the reasons why most of us exercise, so cortisol is important for these goals. Different types of exercise actually cause different types of stress and different cortisol responses. In general, cortisol levels increase as exercise intensity increases, which correlate with more fat being burned.

Interestingly, another factor that goes into cortisol release during exercise is when you eat and what you ate. Most people will experience anywhere between 7 and 15 spikes in their cortisol levels throughout the day, which coincide with meals. If you've just eaten a meal high in carbohydrates then your glucose levels are going to be up. If you then exercise not as much cortisol will be released. Your body will try to avoid increasing your glucose levels beyond their already elevated state. This means fat will not be burned as significantly during your workout.

In order to maximize the effects of cortisol and avoid the negative effects of excessive cortisol release there are a few rules of thumb to follow. First, you want to get most of your daily calories from non-processed food. Non-processed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables will give you your needed calories without a lot of bad fat and additives that come with processed foods. Drinking a caffeinated beverage before exercise gives your cortisol a jumpstart.

If your workout goal is weight loss you want to steer clear of foods that are high in carbohydrates before you exercise, but after exercise you can eat a moderately higher carb meal or snack. Carbs are fuel for the body, so you need some in your diet so that your body has something to burn if you're working on maintaining your weight.

Regardless of your goals, after exercise you want to consume foods with higher protein levels in order to promote the formation of muscle and replenish any proteins that your cortisol metabolized during your workout.