Cortisol, Adrenal Fatigue, and Weight Gain

Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands that helps manage stress. It’s often called the “stress hormone” because it’s released when you’re under pressure – whether physical pressure/stress, emotional/mental, or even environmental/chemical stress. While cortisol is essential for survival, too much of it—especially over long periods—can lead to problems like adrenal fatigue and weight gain.

What Is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands become overworked due to prolonged stress. Imagine your adrenal glands as a bank account. Each time you experience a stressor (remember: stress can be physical, emotional, chemical), you make a “withdrawal” of cortisol from your adrenal account. Over time, without enough “deposits” (restorative sleep, healthful foods and drinks, blood sugar stability, appropriate movement/exercise), your adrenal account can become depleted. Not only does this leave you feeling tired, run down, and unable to handle stress, it also contributes to your increased “adrenal debt,” for which you have to take out “high interest loans” in order to manage your daily stressors. These “high interest loans” are things like coffee and other stimulants that you need in the moment to “pay your bills” (secrete cortisol), but leave you with a big debt that is harder to pay off.    

How Does Cortisol Affect Weight?

Dysregulated cortisol is closely linked to weight gain, particularly around the abdomen. When cortisol levels are too high for too long, it signals your body to start storing fat. This can lead to weight gain even if your eating habits haven’t changed.

But there are also precursor symptoms that often show up before weight gain occurs, including:

• Blood sugar instability: Cortisol makes fat and muscle cells resistant to insulin (insulin resistance). When cortisol is out of balance, you may experience dips and spikes in blood sugar, which can lead to hypoglycemia and cravings for sugary or carbohydrate-heavy foods.
• Craving for carbohydrates: Cortisol fluctuations make your body crave fast energy, often in the form of carbohydrates in order to quickly correct hte stress of low blood sugar. These cravings can lead to overeating and, eventually, weight gain.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

When your adrenal glands are overworked, your body gives you signs that it’s struggling to keep up. Some common symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:

• Brain fog: Difficulty focusing, poor memory, and feeling mentally sluggish are all signs of adrenal fatigue.
• Insulin resistance: When cortisol levels remain high, your body can become less sensitive to insulin, making it harder to regulate blood sugar. This can contribute to weight gain and increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Waking in the middle of the night: People with adrenal fatigue often wake up in the early hours of the morning, unable to fall back asleep. This is due to cortisol imbalances that disrupt your body’s natural sleep patterns.

How to Replenish Your Adrenal Bank Account

If your adrenal bank account is running low, it’s important to start making deposits to support recovery. Here’s how you can help your adrenal glands heal:

1. Manage stress: Incorporating relaxation techniques like intentional abdominal breathing (examples would be “box breathing” or practice the “physiologic sigh”), meditation, and mild to moderate exercise, can help lower cortisol levels.
2. Get quality sleep: Prioritize a good night’s sleep by establishing a regular bedtime and creating a calming bedtime routine.
3. Eat a balanced diet: Focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods that stabilize blood sugar, such as high-quality proteins, healthy fats, and fiber-rich vegetables.
4. Exercise moderately: While exercise is important, too much intense activity can increase cortisol. Try gentle exercises like walking or swimming, walking, or yoga to support adrenal recovery.

Key Takeaways

• Cortisol is essential for managing stress, but too much for too long can lead to adrenal fatigue and weight gain.
• Precursor symptoms like blood sugar instability and carbohydrate cravings can signal adrenal fatigue before weight gain happens.
• Adrenal fatigue also causes brain fog, insulin resistance, and trouble sleeping.
• Replenishing your adrenal bank account through stress management, sleep, a balanced diet, and moderate exercise can help you feel better and support a healthy weight.

If you’re experiencing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, schedule your free 15-minute discovery call to discuss ways to support your adrenal health and restore balance.

Nourish House Calls provides Functional and Regenerative Medicine services to patients in Illinois, Florida, Arizona, Pennsylvania, Texas, Oregon, New Hampshire, and Vermont. In-person house calls are available in Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Westmont, Downers Grove, Oak Brook, Oakbrook Terrace, La Grange, Western Springs, Burr Ridge, and surrounding areas. Telemedicine is available both inside and outside of Illinois, including Chicago, Miami, Sarasota, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Houston, and Portland.

If you would like to learn more about how Nourish House Calls can help you resolve adrenal fatigue, click here to schedule a free, 15-minute discovery call.