Stress is an unavoidable part of life. But can stress hormones really change where your body

stores fat? Today, we're taking a closer look at the so-called cortisol belly.

Welcome to the Nutrition Diva podcast, a show where we take a closer look at nutrition news, research, fads, and trends so that you can make more informed decisions about what you eat and buy. I'm your host, Monica Reynagle, and today I'm tackling a question that June sent in. Have you addressed the cortisol belly craze?

She writes, I keep seeing articles about this, but I ignore them, figuring it's just the latest

fad.

So am I right?

Well, this is a great question, because like so many other internet rumors, this one actually has a kernel of

truth at its core. Cortisol is a real hormone, and there is a relationship between stress,

cortisol, and fat storage. But the story that's being told in the media about cortisol belly

is at best an oversimplification,

and at worst, a bunch of hooey.

Cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, and it plays several important roles.

It helps to regulate your metabolism, your blood sugar, immune function.

And it's a key player in your body's response to stress.

And in fact, we couldn't live without it.

When we experience a stressful stimulus, anything from a car suddenly pulling into our lane to a plunge into a cold lake, to just a terse email from

the boss. Our adrenal glands respond by releasing adrenaline and cortisol. Adrenaline drives that

immediate fight or flight reaction. It increases our heart rate, sharpens our focus,

gets us ready to leap into action.

Cortisol's role is to reallocate metabolic resources in order to keep a steady supply of energy

available to our brain and our muscles if the stress continues. And all of that is normal and adaptive. The concern is when stress

becomes a chronic experience and cortisol levels stay elevated over long periods of time.

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