Chronic Stress Can Disrupt Metabolism

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Chronic stress affects more than just one’s mood. The release of the steroid hormone cortisol affects energy metabolism and affects where and how the body stores excess fat. When our ancestors were faced with dangerous and stressful situations, this hormone was released to help them survive. While the “fight and flight” response was much appreciated, chronic stress in today’s world leads unintended weight gain and unsightly storage of fat deposits.

Cortisol stimulates both fat and carbohydrate metabolism to create quick bursts of energy, and this mechanism worked perfectly for our ancestors who needed to flee danger. However, chronic stress continues to trigger the same response even without the physical demands that would have burned that extra energy for fuel. Although this explains why stress-induced food choices are typically high-calorie, sweet, fatty, and salty treats, it makes weight control more challenging over time.

The good news is simple lifestyle changes can make a difference in managing unintended weight gain. After all, you can take proactive steps to protect your long-term metabolic health by applying your understanding of how cortisol affects your body to break free from the stress-weight gain cycle and maintain a healthier weight. In addition, combining stress management with a balanced diet and routine exercise can allow you to focus on getting adequate sleep that will help regulate hormonal levels.

What are the risks of excess visceral fat deposits?

When you're under chronic stress, your body releases elevated levels of cortisol that fundamentally changes how your body stores excess fat. Moreover, the fat that accumulates isn’t just the pinchable subcutaneous fat stored under the skin in adipose tissues, but rather visceral fat deposits that wrap around key internal organs in the abdominal region. What makes this fat especially problematic is that visceral fat is metabolically active with high concentrations of enzymes that convert inactive cortisone into active cortisol.

Visceral vs Subcutaneous Fat: The difference in danger of health risks between visceral fat and subcutaneous fat stems primarily from metabolic activity as well as the substances released. Excess visceral fat is more metabolically active and can release free fatty acids and other fat metabolites directly into the liver’s portal system. This can impair hepatic function, lead to fatty liver disease, and cause poor regulation of glucose and insulin metabolism.

Since cortisol levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day, you can take control of the stress-hormone process, so the cortisol-visceral fat connection can empower you to take proactive steps to improve your overall metabolic health and wellbeing. The key is figuring out how to prevent consistently elevated cortisol levels that can lead to problematic fat distribution and metabolic disturbances. But remember, it can also reduce muscle mass, which makes it even more challenging to burn fat effectively.

Cortisol Can Impact Sudden Weight Gain

Cortisol, a steroid hormone produced by your adrenal glands, is essential for regulating your metabolism, immune response, and blood pressure. When you experience mental, emotional, or physical stress, your body’s cortisol levels naturally increase. However, when cortisol levels remain chronically elevated due to persistent stress, the balance shifts from providing a protective boost to improving metabolic health issues, particularly when it comes to unintended or sudden weight gain.

• Increased Food Cravings – The relationship between cortisol and food cravings creates a problem when you're chronically stressed, as cortisol remains elevated, continuously fueling your desire for unhealthy foods.
• Cortisol Production in Tissues – When you're under chronic stress, elevated cortisol levels essentially reprogram your body to favor fat storage, particularly in deeper abdominal deposits, over fat burning.
• Excess Glucose Due to Insulin Resistance – Chronically elevate cortisol levels create metabolic problems that compound over time. For example, insulin resistance causes excess energy to be stored in fat reverses.
• Sleep and Hormonal Imbalances – High cortisol levels from chronic stress can make it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep to get quality sleep, which means you start your day feeling more exhausted from the get-go.
• Visceral Fat Accumulation – Unlike the subcutaneous fat that sits just under your skin, visceral fat is exceptionally responsive to stress hormones and creates frustrating cycles that trigger additional cortisol release.

Under chronic stress, high cortisol levels also activate an enzyme that encourages fat storage, especially in the abdominal region. This leads to an accumulation of visceral fat that is the deep internal fat that wraps itself around your vital organs. While a small amount is useful for cushioning those organs and maintaining hormonal balance, visceral fat is metabolically active and functions similar to an endocrine organ by releasing inflammatory substances that can disrupt the body’s processes and increase the risk of more serious health conditions.

Cortisol Works Differently in Women and Men

One of the most noticeable differences in how men and women respond to cortisol is where their bodies store excess fat. These distinct patterns are not just random; they're deeply connected to our biology and evolutionary history. Men typically accumulate visceral fat, which is stored deep within the midsection around internal organs with a “beer belly” shape. In contrast, women initially store fat subcutaneously in the hips, thighs and buttocks resulting in a “pear shape.” But over time, they to can develop deeper visceral deposits.

Men do typically exhibit a stronger and more immediate cortisol response to psychological stressors compared to women. However, women have a unique advantage in their natural stress response system. Along with cortisol, women release more oxytocin—often called the "bonding hormone"—which helps buffer cortisol's negative effects and promotes social connection as a coping strategy. Women's stress response is also influenced by hormonal fluctuations during different life stages related to the menstrual cycle and menopause.

While these patterns represent general trends, individual responses to stress can vary significantly regardless of sex. Women may benefit more from stress management approaches that emphasize social support and relationship building, while men might find physical exercise or solitary activities more helpful for managing stress-related weight gain. The key is recognizing that while cortisol's impact on weight gain is universal, the most effective strategies for managing stress are highly personal.

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