Cortisol: Clearing Up Misconceptions in the Fitness and Wellness World

In recent years, cortisol has become a buzzword in the fitness and wellness community. Influencers often point to it as the root cause of fat gain, inflammation, and low energy. While these claims contain kernels of truth, they’re often oversimplified or even exaggerated. To truly understand cortisol, we need to separate facts from fiction and explore what influencers are getting wrong.

What is Cortisol, Really?

Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It’s an essential part of your body’s natural processes, playing key roles in:

• Regulating metabolism

• Controlling blood sugar levels

• Reducing inflammation

• Supporting the fight-or-flight response

Cortisol isn’t inherently bad. In fact, without it, you wouldn’t survive. The problem arises when cortisol levels become chronically elevated, usually due to lifestyle factors like poor sleep, inadequate recovery, or persistent stress.

The Buzzword Problem

Here’s where many influencers go wrong: they treat cortisol like a villain. A quick scroll through social media will reveal claims like:

• “Elevated cortisol makes you store belly fat!”

• “Lower your cortisol to reduce inflammation.”

• “Cortisol is why you’re tired all the time.”

These statements aren’t entirely false, but they lack nuance. Let’s break down what’s actually happening.

What Influencers Get Wrong About Cortisol

1. Cortisol Fluctuations Are Normal and Healthy Cortisol naturally rises and falls throughout the day. It peaks in the morning to help you wake up and gradually decreases in the evening to prepare you for sleep. Elevated cortisol during exercise is also normal and even beneficial, as it helps mobilize energy. The issue isn’t short-term spikes but prolonged, consistently high levels—something many influencers fail to distinguish.

2. Cortisol Alone Doesn’t Cause Fat Gain Yes, cortisol can promote fat storage, especially visceral fat, but only in the context of chronic stress combined with other factors like poor diet and lack of sleep. It’s not as simple as “stress makes you fat.” Overeating in response to stress (as you sit there reading this with Cheeto dust covered fingers) and disrupted sleep patterns are often the real culprits.

3. Cortisol Isn’t Always Inflammatory While chronic cortisol elevation can contribute to low-grade inflammation, cortisol also has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s commonly used in medical settings to treat inflammatory conditions like arthritis or asthma. The context matters: short-term spikes can help reduce inflammation, while long-term stress can exacerbate it.

4. Oversimplified “Hacks” Don’t Work Many influencers offer quick fixes like “take this supplement to lower cortisol” or “do this one exercise to balance your hormones.” These tips rarely address the root causes of elevated cortisol, such as chronic stress, inadequate recovery, or unhealthy lifestyle habits. Managing cortisol requires a comprehensive approach, not a magic pill.

…And get this, without blood work, you actually have no idea.

The Real Culprit: Chronic Stress

The issue isn’t cortisol itself but chronic stress, which keeps cortisol levels elevated for prolonged periods. This can lead to:

• Fat storage, particularly around the midsection

• Insulin resistance

• Poor immune function

• Disrupted sleep patterns

• Low energy and mood swings

Chronic stress often stems from modern lifestyles: long work hours, inadequate sleep, poor diet, overtraining, and constant digital stimulation. Addressing these underlying factors is far more effective than targeting cortisol directly.

How to Manage Cortisol the Right Way

Instead of demonizing cortisol, focus on creating a lifestyle that supports healthy hormone regulation. Here are practical strategies:

1. Prioritize Quality Sleep
   Poor sleep is one of the biggest drivers of chronically elevated cortisol. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality rest each night and establish a consistent bedtime routine.

2. Eat a Balanced Diet
   Stable blood sugar levels help regulate cortisol. Focus on meals rich in protein, healthy fats, and fiber. Avoid excessive caffeine, especially on an empty stomach, as it can spike cortisol levels.

3. Exercise Intelligently
   While exercise can temporarily raise cortisol, it’s beneficial overall. Avoid overtraining and ensure you have adequate recovery days. Here’s so more nuance though. Realistically, you probably don’t workout hard enough to “overtrain”. Overtraining and the idea of overtraining has been hijacked from the sports world. Your normie life doesn’t revolves around training/practice/sport/contact from sports/etc. I highly doubt you who works out at a moderate intensity for 30-40 minutes 4 times a week can “overtrain” yourself. In saying that, you can definitely be under recovered. Poor diet, sleep, stress management, etc. Which ultimately brings us back full circle.

4. Incorporate activities like yoga, recovery sessions, zone 2 conditioning or light walks to reduce stress.

5. Practice Stress Management
   Techniques like meditation, deep breathing, and mindfulness can lower cortisol. Even 5-10 minutes a day can make a difference.

6. Set Boundaries Around Work and Technology
   Constant connectivity can keep you in a state of stress. Schedule downtime to recharge.

A Balanced Perspective

Cortisol isn’t the enemy. It’s a vital hormone that helps your body respond to stress and maintain balance. The problem arises when cortisol levels remain elevated due to chronic stress and poor lifestyle choices. Influencers often oversimplify this complex topic, leading to misconceptions and misguided advice.

If you’re concerned about cortisol, don’t focus on quick fixes or demonize the hormone itself. Instead, look at your overall lifestyle. Are you sleeping enough? Eating well? Managing stress? These foundational habits are the real keys to optimizing cortisol levels and, ultimately, your health and wellness.