Cortisol and the belly fat connection
By Annie Konovitch
Tucson Green Times – July 2009
If you feel like you tend to hold an unexplainably disproportionate amount of weight in your belly and waistline, there might be an explanation: Stress.
When a body is under stress, especially chronic stress, more adrenalin and cortisol are secreted from the adrenal glands. This is the primal “fight-or-flight” response that can explain unfathomable feats of strength by individuals in life-threatening situations. This natural response is helpful in those temporary situations, but when triggered again and again, throughout the day, week, month, and year, the excess release of cortisol has many negative health implications, including an increase in fat – specifically in the belly region.
Here’s what happens: Abdominal fat has a very rich blood supply and has four times more cortisol receptors than any other body fat. The amount of cortisol released varies throughout the day in response to what you are faced with and how you deal with it. More stress equals more cortisol released. When the stress occurs, the adrenalin that is released signals your body fat to release its fatty acids. It is these fatty acids that are used for the energy to run faster, lift heavier things, jump higher, or act in an emergency situation. Then the cortisol stores any of the fatty acids (fat) that were released but not used.
Cortisol is an important hormone in the body, and plays a functional role in proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance, immune function and inflammatory response. But higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream, like those associated with chronic stress, have been shown to have negative effects.
Since there are a higher concentration of cortisol receptors in the belly area, weight is increased and maintained in that region as we experience consistent or continuous stress.
The belly is a common area to accumulate disproportionate fat with age, and for individuals under a lot of stress for any reason, or after having children (for both women and men). Obviously, there are other contributing factors to weight gain – including rate of metabolism, diet, exercise, etc. – but the cortisol connection is a lesser-known factor.
If you are prone to frequent “flight or fight” reactions to everyday stress, it is important to remedy this situation because the deposit of extra belly fat is not the worst repercussion of this stress response. Besides weight gain, high cortisol levels can lead to health problems such as Diabetes, asthma, osteoarthritis, heart disease, gall bladder disease, certain cancers, and emotional difficulties.
The way to break the adrenalin/cortisol response cycle is with a plan. First, it is important to become aware of how often your body is under stress and what your stress triggers are. Usually one becomes so used to stress that awareness of how much of a problem it is becomes lost. Every time you feel your diaphragm tighten (feel like there is a knot in your stomach) in response to stress in your environment it is likely the cycle is occurring. When you feel that tightness, pay attention. You will probably notice you are holding your breath. The breath is the key to breaking the cycle.
Regular deep breathing, especially during the times of stress, can help change your response and reverse the cycle and the negative effects. Once you are aware of your daily stress reactions, make a plan to reduce stress and add daily deep breathing. You don’t have to join a Yoga class to remember to breath, but it is one option to help healthy breathing become a normal part of your life.
Here are some other ideas to help put together your plan:
- ! Add daily meditation of any kind to your routine
- ! Take breaks during the day to breathe and stretch
- ! Get enough sleep (nothing fuels a stress cycle like not getting enough sleep – notice the connection between less sleep and women who have given birth and can’t lose “the last five pounds” or new fathers getting the parenthood pouch)
- ! Make attempts to avoid unnecessary daily stress
- ! Leave early so you’re not stressed driving in heavy traffic
- ! Do writing exercises to release stressful thoughts
- ! Pets are great for helping relieve stress. If you don’t have one, the Humane Society and other animal rescue centers are always grateful to have volunteers walk dogs and play with cats.
You can learn to relax your body with various stress management techniques, and you can make lifestyle changes in order to keep your body from reacting to stress in the first place. Begin today. What are your ideas for other stress-relieving activities?
Author: Annie Konovitch is a freelance writer, consumer advocate and community activist in Sedona, Ariz. She also is author of the novel Tough Pill To Swallow.
