When you’re feeling stressed out it can be really hard to stick to your healthy eating goals. Suddenly you crave comfort foods like chocolate, chips or takeaways and lose all motivation for those gym visits.
So it’s no surprise that many people gain weight during particularly stressful patches in life. But is it just a result of poor eating and exercise habits? Or can stress itself, lead to weight gain. Let’s explore.
Cortisol concern
There are literally hundreds of hormones involved in body fat metabolism, body weight and related behaviours like hunger and cravings. But by far the most hyped hormone is cortisol. Cortisol is dubbed the ‘stress hormone” and some researchers believe that cortisol levels are closely related to weight gain. 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 or being apple shaped is strongly correlated with the development of cardiovascular disease. Other studies have indicated that people who secrete higher levels of cortisol in response to stress also tend to eat more food, and food that is higher in carbohydrates than people who secrete less cortisol.
Calming cortisol
Like adrenalin, excess cortisol is secreted during times of physical or psychological stress as in the fright and flight response. Your body also has a normal pattern of cortisol secretion which peaks in the morning and falls around midnight and can be altered. Plus cortisol secretions differ between individuals, just as we naturally observe different individual responses to the same stressful situation. The supplement industry has picked up on these findings and promote cortisol-lowering weight loss supplements. These supplements contain very scientific sounding ingredients like phosphatidylserine, mucuna Pruriens, 5 HTP and coleus forskohlii, all claimed to biologically improve your stress levels.
The bottom line
While there is limited evidence that cortisol is related to bodyweight more studies are required before clear recommendations can be given. As yet there is no evidence that cortisol suppressing supplements are beneficial for weight loss. Like most complex reactions within the body, it is unlikely to be one specific hormonal path, like that of cortisol, which will be the definitive solution to keeping in shape. That said, stress can definitely affect your daily life including a healthy lifestyle. We all have rough patches that we need to ride through with support of family and friends. But if stress at work or home is starting to creep into your daily life, get help early. Simple steps like a relaxation tape on the drive home, lunchtime yoga or meditation class or regular catch up with a mentor can really help. And see your GP to discuss ongoing concerns.
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