Cortisol Supplements
Cortisol supplements are used when the adrenal glands are not producing enough of cortisol- a human steroid hormone that is part of a category of hormones known as glucocorticoids, referring to their ability to increase blood glucose levels.
Adrenal glands are the small glands attached to your kidneys. The reason they produce cortisol is for helping the body use sugar and fat for the purposes of maintaing energy and managing stress. On the other hand when the cortisol levels are too high, we tend to observe high blood pressure, insulin resistance, fat storage- abdominal fat and even premature death of brain cells.
Cortisol is a kind of a stress hormone that exists in response to mental, emotional and physical stress that occurs as a result of training too hard, extreme diets, lack of good sleep, injuries, traumas, work pressure, family problems and more. Faced with a life or death situation, cortisol increases the flow of glucose, protein and fat out into the bloodstream so as to increase energy to handle the stress.
Cortisol, in fact, has many important functions, including regulating the immune system, providing natural pain relief, responding to stressful situations, providing glucose to the body when it needs it generally acting as a breaking-down hormone rather than a building-up hormone.
Some herbs can attenuate the release of cortisol. However these are usually not the hormones to play around with too much so let’s have a look at how you can lower your cortisol levels naturally:
• For athletes or people that work out at gyms, continued overtrainingcan lead to adrenal exhaustion, which could take months to remedy. The best thing you can do is to avoid overtraining by keeping workouts intense but brief as cortisol rises sharply after about an hour, and take a rest or decrease your training volume and intensity rather than artificially attempt to suppress cortisol.
• Suppress cortisol and maximize recovery after workouts with proper nutrition: Consume a carb-protein meal or drink immediately after your workout.
• Avoid unhealthy diets as they tend to increase cortisol while reducing testosterone and they are a major pressure to the body. A low glycemic diet is important. Sugar handling stress increases cortisol levels. Elevated cortisol, in turn, aggravates the sugar handling situation contributing to the development of high insulin levels and ultimately diabetes.
• Sleep deprivation is not a great thing so try and get plenty of quality sleep.
• Limit alcohol as large doses of alcohol can elevate cortisol and drink plenty of water as dehydration can also increase cortisol levels.
• Find stress reduction techniques that work best for you, such as meditation, yoga or other activities.
• Cortisol supplements should only be turned to after the above natural cortisol-reducing methods have been employed. Often these other methods are generally much safer and quite effective. And bear in mind that cortisol supplements will not directly help you lose weight as it could well be your stress or depression that is making you eat too much, which is then making you fat.
Cortisol Supplements:
Over the last few years, a growing number of people have sought out cortisol supplements in order to function more effectively. And the ingredients in these supplements can vary from one brand to the next.
Ingredients that are often used in the various product formulations include magnolia bark, beta sitosoterol, theanine, green tea extract, bitter orange peel extract (source of synephrine), banaba leaf extract, vanadium, vitamin C, calcium, chromium, epidemium, phytosterols, tyrosine, Branched chain amino acids, ginseng, ashwaganda, astragalus, kava kava, St. John’s wort, Melatonin, SAM-e, Valerian, Gingko Biloba, Phosphatidyl Serine (PS), Acetyl L-carnitine and Glutamine.
As with anything else, before committing to taking any type of cortisol supplements, it is sensible to speak to your physician and find out all of the risks involved.
Phosphatidylserine:
One of the best known cortisol supplements, Phosphatidylserine (PS) is very effective in lowering excess cortisol levels. Phosphatidylserine is believed to facilitate the repair of the cortisol receptors in the hypothalamus. It is believed that the cortisol receptors get damaged by high cortisol levels reducing the ability of the hypothalamus to sense and correct high cortisone levels. Because phosphatidylserine helps repair the feedback control apparatus, it is useful in correcting both high and low cortisol levels. Phosphatidylserine is also useful for preventing short-term memory loss, age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Typical dosages are one to three 100 mg. capsules per day.
Siberian Ginseng:
Siberian ginseng comes with a wealth of research to support its use in a variety of conditions. Also known as eleuthero senticoccus, traditional medicine in both Russia and China has employed this herb to improve resistance to infection, enhance stress response and even sustain athletic performance. Researchers from the University of Maryland Medical Center credit the eleutherosides inside the herb as responsible for the adaptogenic effect, which involves reducing any excessive production of cortisol at the adrenal glands.
Vitamins:
Vitamins C, B5, and B6 have all been linked to lowering cortisol. A study showed that cortisol was reduced in elite weightlifters who took 1,000 mg of vitamin C each day. Use each of these vitamins as directed on the supplement packaging. A good Complete Multiple Vitamin Mineral Supplement.Vitamin C, one capsule (500 to 1000 mg.) three times per day. B5, (500 mg.)one capsule per dayB6, (50 mg.) one capsule per day
Vitamin C:
Vitamin C plays a number of roles in the human body, from strengthening to walls of blood vessels to providing a strong antioxidant function at every cell. However, the vitamin also demonstrates a powerful influence on the function of the adrenal glands, facilitating a balanced release of hormones from the adrenal cortex and normalizing cortisol levels when they climb too high.
Black Tea Extract:
Black tea extract may be beneficial for lowering cortisol levels, according to research reported in the 2006 issue of the journal of “Psychopharmacology.” which examined the impact of black tea on stress hormone levels. For six weeks, subjects received black tea or a placebo before performing tasks that triggered the output of stress hormones such as cortisol. Scientists observed that one hour after the tasks, the black tea group had reduced their levels of the stress hormone cortisol more than the placebo group.
Glutamine:
Although it is already the most abundant amino acid in the body, glutamine supplements of 5 to 10 grams each day are said to help reduce cortisol levels in a relatively safe manner. As with all supplements, read all warnings and directions before using glutamine.
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