Is it true that excessive exercise/training can raise cortisol levels?

[Natasha0717]

I saw a YouTube video on it, one doc said that putting the body through excessive exercise routines or any exercise that seems strenuous or difficult for the body to handle will send the signal to raise levels of cortisol. I'm still not sure if I believe this one or not. What do you think? Have you ever just stopped working out for a week or two and noticed sudden weight loss? I'll admit once I totally gave up on exercise for a couple days, went to McDonald's, and took some really long naps. When all was said and done, I had actually lost 3 lbs. during the two lazy days. Made no sense to me. And nope, wasn't muscle loss. I would hardly call the exercises I do "muscle-building"- (yoga, light weights, half-mile walking/strolling.) So who knows....maybe cortisol levels went down because I wasn't doing much of anything, and that's how I lost those magic 3 lbs. I will always remember that, it was like a strange miracle. (I tried it again and it didn't work.) haha

 

[Alexandoy]

It doesn't make sense to me either that you will lose weight when you take a rest day or days from your regular exercise. In my case, it is always the excessive exercise that makes me lose weight and not to forget lesser intake of food. And when I take a rest day, it has no effect on my weight unless I take another day of rest and more food. With that, for sure I would gain a pound or two. With that cortisol thing, I don't understand much of the level. What I can say is that resting from exercise stabilizes the body condition that affects metabolism.

 

[to7update]

Everything should be done in a balanced way. Exercising too much isn't healthy, so we need to dose our training with proper nutrition.

 

[JiLLian]

I always believe that too much of anything is not good. Short high-intensity exercise or weight training cause less of an increase in plasma cortisol concentrations. Too much exercise might not be the sole reason for negative symptoms in some people, overtraining and stress from other factors like imbalanced hormones, can raise Cortisol Levels and might make you gain weight! The way you exercise might impact your hormonal status and fat metabolism can actually decrease with excessive, intense cardio exercise because it elevates cortisol levels, which winds up impairing insulin sensitivity.

 

[Heatman]

Keeping one's exercises on a moderate level is very important. When you push your body too far, there are always bound to be repercussions. This is why I try as much as possible to listen to my body when working out, so the moment I get a whif of any discomfort, I would stop the exercise immediately and take some time off. This is the only way I have remained healthy and injury free from my training sessions.

 

[Folk Artist]

Yes, over training can cause the body's adrenal glands to secrete high levels of cortisol - this causes bone loss, and muscle breakdown, creates belly fat, and increases sugar cravings as well. You should feel good from the endorphin rush that you get from working out, if you don't, you may be over doing it.

 

[Heatman]

Yes, over training can cause the body's adrenal glands to secrete high levels of cortisol - this causes bone loss, and muscle breakdown, creates belly fat, and increases sugar cravings as well. You should feel good from the endorphin rush that you get from working out, if you don't, you may be over doing it.

No good thing can ever come from overdoing one's workout. In as much as it's good to engage in good exercise, it's never a good idea to push your body beyond its limits.

 

[Concentrix]

Doing a strenuous exercise will undoubtedly increase your cortisol level but it can increase endurance and strengthen immune system. It would truly cause problems when an exercise is done excessively and improperly. But I do not think lowering cortisol level can lose weight. Weight loss always depend on the amount of what you consumed and the calorie burned.