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During chronic stress, we produce a lot of cortisol, a stress hormone that works differently than adrenaline, which we tend to produce during acute stress. Unfortunately, a long-term increase in cortisol is not good for the figure and this is due to various mechanisms:
1. Cortisol increases the activity of an enzyme that allows fatty acids to be absorbed into fat cells (lipoprotein lipase). Since the fat cells around our abdominal organs unfortunately have more receptors for cortisol than our subcutaneous fat tissue, fat accumulation on the stomach is particularly encouraged. 🍔💥
2. The enzyme (11β-HSD1 = 11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1) for a strong local conversion of less active cortisone (= “reserve cortisol”) into active cortisol, which further promotes fat accumulation there.
3. Cortisol promotes the release of fats from adipose tissue because it wants to provide energy for “escape” or muscle reactions. Unfortunately, if this energy is not used, it is stored preferentially in the abdominal cavity. 🤰🍩
4. Cortisol changes our appetite and our feeling of satiety. There is an increase in hunger hormones (NPY, AgRP) and a simultaneous decrease in satiety hormones (leptin). In particular, the appetite for foods rich in sugar and fat, i.e. “reward foods,” increases and thus increases our calorie intake. 🍫🍕
5. Cortisol also increases blood sugar to provide energy for “fight or flight” response. As a result, our insulin levels rise, which, if chronically high, leads to insulin resistance and in turn promotes the storage of fat in the stomach and organs. ⚡🍭
6. Cortisol causes a breakdown of muscle protein because the body wants to provide amino acids as additional fuel (amino acids are then converted to glucose). Unfortunately, a decrease in muscle mass lowers our basal metabolic rate, i.e. calorie consumption increases and we gain weight much more easily when our calorie intake stays the same and especially when we increase when we are stressed.🏋️
Our tip:
If possible, exercise when you are stressed or after a stressful day 🏃. This not only means you use up the energy mobilized by stress (sugar and fatty acids), but you also break down stress hormones more quickly. This also enables you to build or maintain muscle mass, which increases or keeps your calorie consumption high. In addition, our muscles are the best consumers and also the healthiest storage place for glucose (stored as glycogen), which prevents excessive blood sugar. This prevents diabetes and protects you from damage to the vascular system. The more muscle mass we have, the less glucose and fats can harm us. 😉
