The majority of people who are overweight often consume too many calories and exercise too little. There are however some medical conditions that can cause people to gain weight. The stress hormone cortisol is also thought of to be a culprit in the battle of the bulge and an inability to achieve weight loss.
Cortisol is a critical hormone with many actions in the body. Normally, cortisol is secreted by the adrenal glands in a pattern called a diurnal variation, meaning that levels of cortisol in the bloodstream vary depending upon the time of day (normally, cortisol levels are highest in the early morning and lowest around midnight). Cortisol is important for the maintenance of blood pressure as well as the provision of energy for the body. Cortisol stimulates fat and carbohydrate metabolism for fast energy, and stimulates insulin release and maintenance of blood sugar levels. The end result of these actions can be an increase in appetite.
Cortisol has been termed the “stress hormone” because excess cortisol is secreted during times of physical or psychological stress, and the normal pattern of cortisol secretion (with levels highest in the early morning and lowest at night) can be altered. This disruption of cortisol secretion may not only promote weight gain, but it can also affect where you put on the weight. Some studies have shown that stress and elevated cortisol tend to cause fat deposition in the abdominal area rather than in the hips. This fat deposition has been referred to as “toxic fat” since abdominal fat deposition is strongly correlated with the development of cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.
Simple laboratory tests can show if you have high levels of cortisol in your system. Cortisol is usually tested by a 24 hour urine collection. If your hormones are out of balance, you will have difficulty with any weight loss system. If you lower cortisol levels and find stress relief, you might have better success.