[copied from Rehan Jalali's article
Muscle Breakdown: Is Cortisol Leading You Down the Catabolic Pathway? at ThinkMuscle.com]
What it is:
Cortisol, a natural hormone of the adrenal glands, is the body's primary
glucocorticoid - thusly named because of early observations that these hormones were involved in glucose metabolism. In fact it appears that no cells lack receptors for glucocorticoids, allowing these hormones to effect a huge number of systems in the body. Although cortisol's precise actions are not completely understood, we know that it is essential for life.
As an anti -inflammatory:
Cortisol is a potent anti-inflammatory agent and possess powerful immunosuppressive properties. Glucocorticoids are widely used as drugs to treat inflammatory and auto-immune diseases (arthritis).
Cortisol's effect on metabolism:
In the fasted state, cortisol stimulates several processes that collectively serve to increase and maintain normal concentrations of glucose in blood. The major catabolic effect of cortisol involves facilitating the conversion of protein in muscles and connective tissue into glucose and glycogen (
gluconeogenesis).
Cortisol can also decrease the utilization of glucose by cells by directly inhibiting glucose transport into the cells (think "insulin resistance").
How and when cortisol is produced:
Any type of stress that occurs to the body signals the nervous system to relay this to the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus then responds by initiating the stress-hormone cascade starting with CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone) followed by ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone) release, and finally glucocorticoid production. Stress to the human body can include trauma, anxiety, infections, surgery, and even resistance training and aerobics. Cortisol increases with increasing time of intense exercise.
Cortisol secretion is suppressed by classical negative feedback loops. When blood concentrations rise above a certain threshold, cortisol inhibits CRH secretion from the hypothalamus, which turns off ACTH secretion, which leads to a turning off of cortisol secretion from the adrenal.
Production of cortisol tends to be highest during one of the 4 stages of sleep and upon rising in the morning.
Possible indications of elevated cortisol levels:
- Testosterone : cortisol ratio - typically when cortisol levels rise, testosterone levels fall.
- Muscle weakness and atrophy - high levels of cortisol inhibits protein absorption
- Hypertension - Cortisol excess can also lead to hypertension because it causes sodium retention (which can make you appear bloated) and potassium excretion.
- Increased resting heart rate
- Depression & sleeping problems
- Stressed immune system function - resulting in more frequent colds, flu or other infections. Allergy or asthma may also develop or exacerbate.
Cortisol's effect on other hormones:
Cortisol can inhibit growth-hormone levels by stimulating the release of somatostatin (a growth-hormone antagonist). It may also reduce IGF-1 (insulin like growth factor) expression (IGF-1 is one of the most anabolic agents in the body and is the substance that is responsible for most of growth hormone’s positive effects because GH [growth hormone] converts into IGF-1 in the liver).
Cortisol can also directly inhibit TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). It may also suppress an enzyme which converts the relatively inactive thyroid hormone T4 to the active one known as T3 or triiodothyronine. This can decrease metabolic rate and make it harder to lose body fat.
5 Steps to managing your cortisol levels:
1) Make sure you supply your body with all the essential nutrients you need to prevent deficiencies and for optimal functioning. This includes plenty of high-quality protein, complex- low-G.I. carbohydrates, essential fatty acids, and vitamins and minerals. Try not to restrict calories continuously - restricting normal caloric intake by 50% can lead to an increase in cortisol levels by almost 40%.
2) Avoid overtraining. Try not to work out three or more days in a row without taking a day off. Keep workouts to under an hour at the most and train efficiently and intensely. Be sure you take enough rest days between workouts - If you are really sore, then wait an extra day to train until your body fully recovers from your previous workout. More is not always better.
3) Don't shortchange yourself on sleep. Try to get at least eight hours of sleep per night. Sleep is crucial to the recovery and recuperation process, and is often overlooked.
4) Manage your stress. Easier said than done, but something to strive for. Relaxation methods, yoga, meditation - they can all go a long way to helping you control the stress in your life.
5) Neutralize cortisol post resistance workout with a controlled spike of insulin. Insulin actually interferes with cortisol and may enhance cortisol clearance from the body. Spiking insulin levels after a workout (by consuming a high-glycemic index carbohydrate - read 'simple carb') may help minimize excessive cortisol levels since cortisol levels are elevated significantly post resistance training.
Supplement help controlling excessive levels of cortisol:
The key is to suppress
elevated levels of cortisol, not decrease normal physiological levels of this hormone - a certain amount
is needed for it's anti-inflammatory and other effects.
One way is to take anti-cortisol supplements in the morning upon rising and then before bedtime, as these are two times that cortisol levels seem to be raised.
Supplements that may help control increased cortisol levels secondary to intense exercise:
L-Glutamine:
This is the most abundant free amino acid in muscle tissue and is often called the most essential non-essential amino acid. Glutamine plays a very important role in protein synthesis and is very important to weight-training athletes. Some research suggests that glutamine levels may be a good indicator of overtraining or overreaching. In other words, athletes who were overtrained generally had low levels of glutamine along with high levels of cortisol. glutamine’s role in immune system support has been shown to prevent infections following intense bouts of physical activity – which tend to reduce plasma glutamine levels. Some of its positive effects include enhancing protein synthesis; increasing GH levels, which can counteract some of the catabolic effects of cortisol; potent cell-volumizing effects, which can create an anabolic environment in muscle cells; and partially determining the rate of protein turnover in the muscle. It also helps provide a source of fuel for the small intestine and may enhance anti-inflammatory function.
Vitamin C:
This vitamin, mainly known for it's anti-oxidant properties, may also have some anti-cortisol effects. A study done by Stone entitled "Effects of Vitamin C on Cortisol and the Testosterone: Cortisol Ratio" showed a decrease in cortisol levels in 17 junior elite weight lifters. This study also showed that the individuals taking Vitamin C (an extra gram a day) improved their testosterone : cortisol ratio by over 20%. This type of decrease in cortisol can lead to increased muscle and connective-tissue hypertrophy and enhanced recovery from training. Since Vitamin C also decreases your chances of suffering from a cold or flu infection by 30% (14) and may aid in collagen synthesis, it would be wise to take some extra vitamin C when involved in an intense weight-training program.
Green Tea: for its amino acid
theanine.
Theanine is a unique amino acid found in the leaves of green tea (Camellia sinensis). Theanine is quite different from the polyphenol/ and catechin antioxidants for which green tea is typically consumed. In fact, through the natural production of polyphenols, the tea plant converts theanine into catechins. This means that tea leaves harvested during one part of the growing season may be high in catechins (good for antioxidant benefits), while leaves harvested during another time of year may be higher in theanine (good for anti-stress and cortisol-controlling effects). Three to four cups of green tea are expected to contain 100-200 mg of theanine.
The unique aspect of theanine is that it acts as a non-sedating relaxant to help increase the brain's production of alpha-waves (those associated with "relaxed alertness"). This makes theanine extremely effective for combating tension, stress, and anxiety-without inducing drowsiness. By increasing the brain's output of alpha waves, theanine is thought to control anxiety, increase mental focus, improve concentration, and promote creativity.
Phosphatidylserine (PS): PS has been linked to a suppression of cortisol secretion during periods of intense training by as much as 20-30%. By decreasing cortisol levels, the testosterone: cortisol ratio can increase possibly relating to anabolic effects. PS seems to only decrease cortisol levels when they are elevated and does not seem to decrease cortisol levels below normal. Decreasing cortisol levels or suppression of cortisol production is not desired in many instances as it may cause adverse effects such as a decrease in reaction time to wounds and healing mechanisms in the body. There are two forms of PS available: a brain cortex derivative and a soy lecithin derivative. The brain cortex PS has been used in most of the studies and shown to be effective.
Zinc: A mineral that is an essential cofactor in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body including testosterone synthesis and steroid hormone production. Getting enough zinc may make the difference between making great gains and only making average gains in a weight training program. Mild to moderate zinc deficiency can lead to significant reductions in ability to take up and use oxygen, remove carbon dioxide and generate energy during high intensity exercise.
Acetyl-L-carnitine: This is basically the acetylated ester of L-carnitine. This supplement may help prevent the decline in testosterone that occurs during and after an intense resistance training session. It seems to lessen the response to stress.
DHEA:
This natural hormone of the adrenal glands that declines after the age of 30 seems to have some powerful anti-cortisol effects. DHEA is fat soluble so it can cross the blood-brain barrier and have some effects on cognition as well.
No piece about cortisol would be complete w/o a section on Overtraining:
Overtraining is defined as an
increase in training volume and/or intensity of exercise leading to a
decrease in performance. Hardly a desired result!
One of the symptoms of overtraining syndrome is high cortisol levels. Moderating (not completely diminishing) cortisol levels is an essential factor in allowing weight-training individuals to completely recover from their exercise session and maximize results.
Without proper recovery,
including rest, even low intensity training can result in overtraining. By including recovery, factors other than training, including any lifestyle stress, become part of the equation. For example, if you work long hours and you don't get enough sleep, this can impair training recovery.
Dr. Phil Maffetone, a respected sports medicine doctor, divides overtraining into 3 stages to help better describe and explain the process. In Stage One overtraining may blend with the normal overreaching -a normal part of training where you ride slightly beyond your ability to force your body to adapt and improve. It is when overreaching results in an injury, even a very minor one, or one not clearly defined (that elusive knee discomfort that comes and goes), that you may have gone beyond healthy training into overtraining.
Dr. Maffetone suggests recognizing stage one overtraining may be more easily done by evaluating your aerobic training improvements using a heart rate monitor. For example, if you've progressed from nine minutes a mile at 150 heart rate to eight minutes a mile at the same heart rate, that's good progress. But if suddenly you revert back to a nine minute pace, or slower, at the same heart rate, it typically indicates overtraining.
The first stage of overtraining may also be accompanied by abnormal hormone levels; increased cortisol, reduced testosterone and DHEA.
If overtraining is not corrected here, you may enter the second stage of overtraining.
Stage Two of overtraining is more recognized. Classic signs and symptoms include an elevation of the resting and training heart rate, and often aggravation of the symptoms from stage one.
Performance reductions are more evident in this stage, as are symptoms such as fatigue, feelings of depression and sleeping problems (typically, you fall asleep easily but wake in the middle of the night with difficulty getting back to sleep).
Hormone imbalance is now usually more dramatic, with an abnormally high cortisol and low testosterone and DHEA. This puts you in a catabolic state, making recovery much more difficult. In addition, immune system function is reduced resulting in more frequent colds, flu or other infections.
The second stage of overtraining can last a long time. If the problem is not remedied, typically through reductions in training both in volume and intensity, an athlete may enter the third stage of overtraining.
Stage Three is a chronic condition with more serious physiological and psychological ramifications. Often, this includes a career-ending physical injury or other serious chemical or mental problem. In a sense, the body has given up its fight against overtraining stress. Hormone levels are abnormally low, with cortisol reversing its elevated levels. The sympathetic nervous system also is reduced as reflected in an abnormally low resting heart rate.
Unlike the first two stages, recovery from the third stage of overtraining is a much longer and more difficult process. Athletes often have to cancel a whole season and focus on getting healthy, often with the help of a professional.
Recognition of the overtraining syndrome in its earliest stage is essential to avoid the anguish of this common and unnecessary problem. The remedy may be as simple as reducing training (volume and intensity). Not only can stress come from exercise, but other lifestyle factors can add to the overtraining syndrome.
You can read the entire article
here.
N
Cortisol: Understanding and Management
This is a very informative article, Natrushka!!
Day!
Actually, it's high G.I. carbs post workout that will neutralize the cortisol, not low G.I. ones. And yes, a Banana should be enough (banana's are relatively high G.I.).
Oh my $#% that is an incredibly interesting article 
Thanks for the article you know I have a really old Life Extension book around here somewhere. I recall it was really big, and I'll bet they have done so much more research than when my copy was published.
Linear Mode
