Stress and abdominal obesity

Let's talk about the real reason why you lost your butt and gained a belly: high cortisol. Excessive cortisol can break down the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus.

Effect of high cortisol on hip muscles and abdominal obesity

Cortisol is a stress hormone and a survival hormone. It tends to keep your sugar levels available for quick energy. It can also rob amino acids from the quadriceps and the gluteus maximus to convert to glucose. The sugar is then converted to fat with the help of insulin.

During this process, you can develop muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy can look very similar to cellulite, but it's really a loss of muscle fiber.

Top causes of high cortisol

• Prednisone

• Menopause

• High stress

• A tumor

• Birth control pills

• Sarcopenia

• Inactivity

• Low back pain

Ketonia dietitian expert

Abdominal obesity and higher long-term cortisol levels are highly correlated. In addition to being unsightly, stress-induced abdominal fat secretes large amounts of inflammatory molecules that contribute to diabetes, insulin resistance, and heart attacks. How many extra pounds you are carrying around may not be as important as where that excess weight is located. Since abdominal fat also tends to increase cortisol levels, this can lead to a vicious and unhealthy cycle, particularly in women. There is little doubt that increased stress and/or cortisol can cause increased abdominal fat and weight gain. Research on stressed-out middle-aged Swedish men showed that those with the highest cortisol levels also had the biggest beer bellies.

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