You may have seen trends on the internet where people share ways to “naturally balance cortisol levels” to reduce brain fog, belly fat, puffy faces, fatigue etc. To understand this trend, let’s take a look at what cortisol is and its role in our bodies.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone (a chemical messenger) our bodies produce in response to stress, such as being in a state of fight or flight, physical stress (injury or illness), or day to day stressors such as work, bills, or family.
Cortisol is released from the adrenal glands during these stressful times to help increase our heart rates and energy levels. For example, if you get chased by a raging bear, your body’s sudden burst of cortisol will help give you the energy to run fast and far. Cortisol is also typically released by your body in response to your circadian rhythm, with 50-60% of it being released in the first hour of waking, then decreasing throughout the day.
How Your Body Keeps Cortisol in Check.
Luckily, your body will balance cortisol levels all by itself unless you have an underlying issue such as a tumor, Cushing’s syndrome, Addison’s disease, or a problem in your pituitary gland or part of the brain called the hypothalamus.
Our bodies are always trying to maintain hormonal balance, and in the case of cortisol, our endocrine system works hard to keep cortisol levels where they should be. Small rises in cortisol in response to stress are not likely to be harmful.
Healthy Ways to Manage Cortisol
While under chronic stress, it can be more difficult to maintain healthy habits. So, when you see a Reel or Tik Tok about “lowering cortisol levels” what they are really talking about is lowering stress levels in order to have a healthier lifestyle. Some healthy ways to do this are:
- Get adequate amounts of sleep (6-8 hours)
- Practice yoga, meditation, and journaling
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Exercise daily
- Perform deep breathing exercises
- Limit exposure to known stress factors (toxic jobs, relationships, known emotional triggers)
- Increase the fun! Make time to do things you enjoy with people that make you feel good
- Don’t reach for unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol, binge eating, or nicotine
The before and after photos of people looking thinner after “lowering cortisol levels” are likely showing weight loss related to the measures taken from the stress rescuing practices such as daily exercise, healthy eating, and decreased alcohol intake. Remember that unless you suffer from a physiological impairment causing your body to produce extra cortisol (Cushing's syndrome), fat in the lower abdomen and face is NOT solely from high cortisol levels.
While there are theories that increased stress can result in increased body fat due to elevated cortisol levels, more studies and data are needed to determine a direct relationship. Chronic low-level stress may encourage the brain to look for energy dense foods, such as simple carbohydrates, thereby increasing weight.
Take home message:
When you see a video of a miraculous slimming down due to lowering cortisol levels, what you are really seeing is the result of healthy habits to decrease stress. When cortisol is produced (it is impossible to protect ourselves from all stress), our body will take care of the regulation for us unless there is an underlying medical condition.