The Role of Cortisol in the Body

Stress can significantly impact your ability to maintain a healthy weight.

It can also prevent you from losing weight.

Once the threat has subsided, your adrenaline high wears off and your blood sugar spike drops.

How Stress Can Cause Weight Gain

Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin

This is when cortisol kicks into high gear to replenish your energy supply quickly.

This energy is stored mainly in the form of abdominal fat, which can be particularly hard to shed.

Stressed women also had higher insulin levels, a hormone that contributes to fat storage.

Maintaining a schedule and/or routine can help make these healthy behaviors a habit and combat stress-related weight changes.

2009;170(2):181192. doi:10.1093/aje/kwp104

Goldstein DS.Adrenal responses to stress.Cell Mol Neurobiol.

2010;30(8):14331440. doi:10.1007/s10571-010-9606-9

Yau YH, Potenza MN.Stress and eating behaviors.Minerva Endocrinol.

2013;38(3):255267.

2018;4(8):eaar8590.

2018;118(2):261-274. doi:10.1016/j.jand.2017.10.015