Ok, we need to talk about cortisol…
It’s having a real moment, isn’t it?
“Don’t do HIIT—it raises cortisol!” 😱
“Too much caffeine spikes cortisol!” ☕️
“Stress belly? Blame cortisol!” 😰
If you haven’t heard some variation of these, where have you even been??:
Firstly – can we PLEASE stop with the fear-mongering!
Secondly – let’s get something straight 👇🏻
Cortisol isn’t the villain it’s made out to be, especially when it comes to exercise.
So what is it?
👉🏻Cortisol is a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It plays a crucial role in our body’s “fight or flight” response, helping to mobilise energy by increasing blood glucose levels, enhancing brain function, and regulating inflammation.
Essentially, cortisol prepares your body to handle stress, whether it’s physical or psychological, by ensuring that you have the necessary resources to react effectively.
While it’s often labeled as harmful, cortisol is actually VITAL for maintaining balance and essential for our bodies to handle stress and thrive.
When it comes to exercise -> Yes, HIIT does raise cortisol (as does all exercise!)—but it also lowers your baseline levels with consistent training, making you stronger and more resilient.
The problem isn’t the HIIT. It’s that most people THINK they’re doing HIIT when they’re really doing…MIIT (i.e moderate intensity not high).
Aaaand they’re probably doing it for too long too 😬
So rather than freaking out about cortisol. Let’s make sure we have our facts straight so we can use it to our advantage and build stronger, more resilient Bodies with the RIGHT kind of stress💪
🎯 Get stronger, fitter, healthier with the RIGHT kind of stress!