Cortisol hormone stress how to reduce it. Increased cortisol level in women - causes and ways to reduce

Cortisol is often called the leading "stress hormone", because he is one of the main hormones that produces our body, being under any stress, as well as when our reaction mechanism acquired in the process of evolution is activated. Although most think about cortisol as a harmful thing that promotes the appearance of acne, increasing weight or increase blood pressure, it actually more relates to the level of cortisol, which is simply our reaction to stress or its unwanted symptoms. It is necessary for us.

Causes of increased levels of cortisol

Cortisol production is a vital necessity and helps us remain motivated, vigorous and surrounding the environment. At the same time, maintaining an abnormally high level of cortisol in the blood can be dangerous and lead to long-term problems. Often cortisol enhanced in womenThe reasons for this are the long use of corticosteroids and chronic stress. Chronically high levels of cortisol are associated with symptoms and diseases, including weight gain, anxiety, sleep disorders, hormonal disorders and impaired reproductive function, along with many other problems.

The good news is that there are many natural ways to keep your cortisol level in the body under control. For example, adaptogenic plants are known for its ability to reduce the level of this hormone. And this is only the top of the iceberg. Read further about other paths of natural reduction in high-level cortisole in women.

Patches in women - norm

The level of cortisol in the body of a woman is determined by biochemical blood test. To obtain the most objective data, it is necessary to prepare for laboratory research. A few days before the tests, the use of alcoholic beverages should be eliminated, minimizing the number of strong tea and coffee. It will be necessary to abandon the taking of estrogenic drugs, hormonal contraceptives, as well as biologically active additives containing opiates. 24 hours before the visit to the clinic, it is contraindicated to use oily food, smoking, having sex and sports. An analysis is surrendered in the morning, strictly on an empty stomach. Normal hormone rate cortisol in the body of a woman is 140 - 600 nmol / l.


Such a wide digital range of the level of the cortisol level is due to the natural daily fluctuations of its content in the female body. However, in addition to various daily loads on the body of the woman, when surrendering analyzes, one important factor should be taken into account - pregnancy. During the battery period, the level of this hormone in a woman rises almost 5 times. This is quite explained, because the body of a pregnant woman works in reinforced mode, is in a state of stress due to constant concern about the child and, accordingly, stimulates the production of cortisol.

Watch the video, how to deal with stress - lower the level of cortisol

How to reduce cortisol levels in a natural way

You can significantly help resolve the level of cortisol and return health by changing your diet, familiar exercises, sleep levels and stress. Provided that your doctor has not diagnosed with you Cushing's disease (endocrine disease of the adrenal cortex), then the following steps that you can take to reduce the increased level of cortisol.

Go to solid food, anti-inflammatory diet

Heavily adjustable blood sugar level (especially in hypoglycemia having a low sugar level) and a high level of inflammatory processes can lead to an increased level of cortisol and other hormonal imbalances. Compliance with the anti-inflammatory diet, poor treated with food and rich antioxidants, fiber and main nutrients, is the key to balanced hormones, the control of your desires and becoming the right path. These same strategies can also help with adrenal glands, allow you to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, maintain energy during the day and better sleep at night.

Cortisol is important, but it causes stress how to regulate - consultation of a psychologist.

Some of the most important factors in the diet, contributing to inflammation and high level of cortisol, include:

• high blood sugar indicator, highlycemic diet (with numerous packaged products, cleaned grain products containing sugar drinks and snacks);
• consumption of a large number of refined and transgenic fats;
• consumption in a large number of beverages containing caffeine and alcohol;
• use in the insufficient number of useful trace elements and antioxidants;
• consumption of insufficient fiber (which makes it difficult to bare blood sugar);
• consumption in the insufficient number of healthy fats and proteins (which leads to a sense of hunger, weight gain and high blood sugar).

Instead of all this, go to a low-dealeristic diet, including healthy fats and proteins in daily meals, and make sure that you get enough fiber and phytopian substances, using fruits and vegetables in sufficient. Some of the most useful types of food to reduce the level of cortisol and stabilization of blood sugar include vegetables, fruits, coconut or olive oil, nuts, seeds, low-fingered products, such as eggs, fish and beef, grown on natural feed, probiotics (yogurts, kefir and cultural vegetables).

Take control and reduce your stress

Nowadays, almost every health problem is related to chronic stress. Stress affects almost all people to one degree or another, it affects health, sending chemical signals throughout the body, including heart and blood vessels, immune system, light, digestive system, sense and brain organs. Stress is able to increase the frequency of respiration and heartbeat, pain and muscular tension, appetite (up to overeating) and problems of sleep disorders.

Fortunately, all natural agents to facilitate stress indicated below have a proven ability to reduce the level of cortisol and reduce the negative impact of stress on your health.

• Meditation, or "awareness". This practice has been demonstrated to help train the brain and the body turn off the reaction to stress and promote greater relaxation. And these advantages are becoming possible without reducing vigilance, concentration and memory. Many studies show that daily meditation or even "healing prayer" for only 15 or 30 minutes can contribute to a significant decrease in cortisol. Participation in programs, "based on the awareness of the reduction of stress", also contributes to a significant decrease in cortisol and stress-related diseases and symptoms. The use of meditative practices can improve the condition of the heart and brain, while at the same time strengthening your immune system.
• Acupuncture. We confesses for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture helps a natural way to control stress and reduce symptoms such as muscle and articular pain, headaches, infertility, sleep disruption and poor circulation.
• Exercises with deep breathing. These exercises help to suppress the sympathetic nervous system and launch the body reaction to relax with the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. The diaphragm breathing is a light technique for self-study and application during the day to remove muscle tension and anxiety. Controlled breathing practices were major in Eastern health practices during the centuries and become more popular in the West, thanks to the emerging research and books describing their advantages, such as the book of Dr. Benson (Dr. Herbert Benson) called "Relax Reaction" ("The Relaxation Response ").
• Cut the time on nature / outdoors. Studies show that the surrounding situation plays a large role in reducing stress, and on nature is a well-confirmed way to achieve relaxation. Try to walk or run outdoors (it is especially recommended to walk or run barefoot - practice called "grounding"). Cut the time by the ocean, walk in the forest, work in your garden or do other things outdoors, away from the technology to reduce your level of concern.

When we are nervous, the body throws more cortisol. If you are just doing that you are stress, hardly with your level of cortisol is all right. Fortunately, you can learn to control your emotions.

• Conduct awareness. Learn to stay at the moment that will allow you to avoid stress.
• Try relaxing techniques like breathing gymnastics, visualization and diary.
• Highlight your personal reassurance corner. Line there is a comfortable soft blanket, put an inspiring book, a chocolate tile, and do not forget about essential oils or candles, for example, with lavender aroma. You can take a garlic for your back or massage ball - use everything that relaxes you.

Stay sleep mode. To normalize the level of cortisol, get up and go to bed at the same time. In addition, sleep normalization helps to reduce the level of stress. When a person is poured, it remains more calm throughout the day, while the level of cortisol remains low.

Brew the chairs of hot black tea. Scientists find out that the use of black tea lowers the level of cortisol in a group of people performing stressful tasks. So the next time you feel like cortisol rakes and is about to splash the wave of stress, drink a cup of black tea and calm down.

Try to meditate. Meditations activate the wandering nerve, which, among other things, is responsible for the response of your body to a low level of cortisol. Meditation techniques are very different - it can be both deep breaths and exhalations and visualization of the peaceful place. It is best to meditate for 30 minutes a day, three or four times a week. Already after the first meditation, you will notice the difference in how you feel.

• Sit in a quiet dark room. Relax. If you manage it with difficulty, imagine a quiet quiet place. Imagine how your whole body relaxes, and try to recreate this feeling yourself. This will help remove the tension in the muscles.
• Close your eyes. Make a deep breath and exhalation, again and again, until you notice how the rhythm of your heart slows down. Pay attention to the beat of your heart when you are relaxed. Imagine how all the tension leaves your body through the tips of the fingers and legs. Feel how the tension leaves your body.

Look at a funny movie or listen to a funny story. According to the American Association of Experimental Biology, joyful laughter restrains the production of cortisol organism. So tell me with a funny friend or remember some funny story to reduce the level of cortisol.

Perform special exercises aimed at lowering the level of cortisol. Exercises are well removed stress, right? But is all the exercises lower the level of cortisol? Not really. The fact is that running and other exercises, because of which the cardiac rhythm is accelerated, ultimately increase the level of cortisol in the body.

• Try yoga or Pilates as exercises that not only lower cortisol, but also help burn calories, and also train muscles.
• Try other exercises, for example, use the Wii game console to increase the heart rate, without increasing the level of cortisol.
• The main thing in the exercises is to know the measure. It is worth rearranged, and the level of cortisol will rise.

The cortisol blockers (Cortisol Blockers) were found in the sports environment due to the ability to reduce the losses of muscle mass and strength into unfavorable periods for these periods, such as post-free therapy and work on fat burning. Let's look more in more detail what kind of blocks are such.

Under cortizola blockers or antikataboliki The group of pharmacological preparations and sports additives, which provide an overwhelming effect on this hormone - reducing its secretion into blood. Who does not know, secretion is the allocation of some chemical compound from the cell (if you explain in two words).

Cortisol - what is it and for what functions does he answer?

Being at the level of normal physiological values, the cortisol is not some kind of "enemy" for an athlete, which he likes to draw a modern fitness community so much. In the end, this hormone has a regulatory effect on many organism systems, and also has a powerful anti-inflammatory effect.

But then there is a completely reasonable question: "Why block it?". In fact, it is quite obvious if you know what cortisol is and for what functions it responds. In order to understand why impede the body to highlight a fairly important steroid hormone, let's figure it out that he is.

Cortisol is a catabolic hormone, some of whose effects are:

• The splitting of the muscle protein while reducing the decay of glucose.

• Sodium ion delay and subsequent accumulation of fluid in the body.

• Enhance arterial pressure.

• Impact on appetite characterized by its gain.

• More serious pathological phenomena developing with elevated levels of cortisol arising in connection with impaired adrenal functions. In this case, it is possible to develop intensive swelling, obesity, fragility of bones and diabetes.

Intensive cortisol production is especially pronounced for periods of reinforced emotional and physical stress. Therefore, the following factors may affect this process:

1. Excessive training volume or intensity, work "to wear". It is also known that long-lasting cards can have catabolic effects. For this, I always write in the articles that should not be engaged in more than 1-2 hours. - This is not a joke!

2. Lack of night sleep. Again, at the moment, this is one of the main reasons for kickbacks, weightless weight, stagnation, etc. If you are intensively trained in the evening, and then come home and sit at the computer until 2-3 hours of the night - naturally, no about which progress can not Being speech.

3. Lack in the diet is sufficient to restore the amount of protein or carbohydrates. In this case, cortisol exhibits itself in the form of a pronounced feeling of hunger, as well as light symptoms of hypoglycemia. A sufficient amount of proteins, carbohydrates, etc. nutrients, is also one of the key factors of your physical development. Here you do not go to the grandmother. All these components are in sum of construction materials. Proteins are a component from which muscle tissue, carbohydrates - help to absorb proteins and not only. In general, in the amount, all these components are very important. If there is a shortage of their shortage, the body will experience stress, and in stress a special is allocated. hormones, including CortisolBy destroying your muscle tissue to provide the body with the necessary energy.

4. Combining training and downloaded graphics, other energy consumption sports, as well as severe physical work. Any additional stress, in addition to physical exertion in the gym, can contribute to catabolism. With a competent approach and planning of your day, you can easily get around all negative obstacles. For example, if you have a too long-loaded working day, in which there is no opportunity to fully eat, sports additives come to the rescue. If there is at least half an hour - an hour of dinner, it will be great if you will prepare myself in advance to yourself with a meal and take them to work. Also, an hour before lunch, you can take a protein cocktail, which will not give the body to get drunk, as a result, allocate an increased dose of cortisol. In general, about the correct power mode, we will talk in another article, and now we go further.

5. The use of corticosteroid preparations, such as prednisone, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone, which are synthetic cortisol analogs. They are used in various diseases, for example, prednisone is activated in the treatment of bronchial asthma, etc.

In a wide variety of stressful situations, cortisol acts on muscle tissue, splitting it into the components of its amino acids and glucose. This process occurs in order to supply the body with the necessary energy to solve any difficult tasks (actually due to which the stressful state occurred).

That is, you understand with frequent stress, cortisol blockers reduce the concentration of the hormone in the blood, preventing the decay of muscle tissue . In addition, if stress is an integral part of a person's life, an increased concentration of cortisol not only destroys the muscles, but also causes significant harm to the body. These include: Migraine (headache), weak work of the immune system (because of what, a person often sick), sleep disorder and more.

Actually, for this reason, the use of anticatabolic, which suppress the production of cortisol, are quite justified. I think now it's all clear. Naturally, this concerns exclusively people engaged in various physically active sports for which it is important to maintain the results achieved.

For ordinary people, the use of blockers to contraindicated, the same and athletes are not so needed. It is best to try less nervous. Without any physical exertion, the body of the average person is able to cope with such pathogens during stress. The main thing is to eat correctly (I advise you to get acquainted with the article O), to lead a healthy lifestyle and more often to relax psychologically (yoga lesson or perfectly help to cope with the inner concerns of a person, if such available and help relax, and improve themselves).

I would also like to note the negative effect of increased cortisol for women. As we already know, an increase in the level of cortisol contributes to an increase in appetite. Well, you understand, yes! Since girls are more susceptible to emotional shakes, they can often experience problems with an increase in the secretion of catabolic hormone, as a result, a regular increase in appetite is not beneficial. On this, the girls, nervous nervous.

How to reduce the level of cortisol in the body?

Oddly enough, the most significant anticatabolic effect is primarily a balanced diet having a sufficient amount of carbohydrates, protein and fats (especially Omega-3). Based on this, additives from sports nutrition, such as protein and amino acid complexes, possess similar impact.

Also overwhelming effects on cortisol have such connections as:

• Androgenic-anabolic steroids. Their overwhelming effect on cortisol is primarily due to the increased synthesis of protein and other nutrients, and, therefore, greater digestibility and the reduction of cortisol outgoing from it. By the way, this property has long found its application in medicine, having committed a huge breakthrough in the treatment of large burns, fractures and recovery after serious surgical interventions.

• A growth hormone. The anticatabolic effect of this drug in various sports is explained by the decrease in the adrenocorticotropic hormone caused by them, which follows the subsequent decrease in cortisol values. We also have some peptide drugs, close to the growth of growth hormone (for example, hexarelin and pralmoleberine).

• - relatively recently entered the Arsenal athletes drug. True, based on the study conducted in 2015, its anti-catabolic effect is more applied to nervous cells than muscle tissue.

• Ascorbic acidAlso known as Vitamin C. In one study, a significant reduction in blood cortisol was demonstrated, and a decrease in blood pressure was observed on 10 millimeters of mercury pillars. The tests were used ascorbic acid in the dosage of 3000mg / day (in the form of a slow-release drug) for sixty days.

• Glucose. It is known that the use of its solution during intense aerobic workouts almost fully negates the burst of cortisol. This fact is a fully proven multiple studies conducted on volunteer athletes.

• Phosphatidylserin - Cortisol blocker having a serious evidence base. In addition to the anti-catabolic effect, it helps to increase endurance, improved cerebral activity, as well as a decrease in post-track muscle pain.

• Complex sports additives, as a rule, containing some of the compounds indicated above, as well as alpha-lipoic acid, glutamine, and vitamins C and E.

In addition to the above preparations, there are other, the anticatabolic activity of which is in doubt, or completely refuted by the studies. Among them are:

• Dexametanone. For a long time, he moved (moreover, a very authoritative person in the field of sports pharmacology) as a drug that has a pronounced anticatabolic effect. But in fact, its action is completely opposite, and in its catabolic activity is not inferior (and even exceeding) endogenous cortisol, which is analogous to which it appears. The only use of dexamethasone in sports - with inflammatory processes of ligaments and joints, with the effectiveness of the elimination of which he has practically no equal.

• HydroxymethylButiratwhich is a product of decay leucine. At first, he was attributed to high efficiency regarding the preservation of muscle mass. But ultimately, studies have proven that it is completely ineffective in this area. Ultimately, the use of BCAA, which, by the way, will give a certain amount of hydroxymethylbutyrate during cleavage of the body.

• Clenbuterol. This tool is more good fat burner than an anti-catabolic. Ultimately, when applying high dosages, it is able to provide the opposite source referral to many sources, a catabolic effect.

conclusions

At the moment there is a sufficient amount of sports additives and pharmacological preparations that can have an overwhelming effect on cortisol. However, in most cases, their activity is insufficient in order for this to largely affect sports results, the overall health and composition of the body. Really effective drugs, in addition to the desired effect, also have a pronounced and potentially dangerous side effect, in connection with which, should be used in compliance with marginal caution.

Ultimately, the problem of combating cortisol does not deserve much attention until the real pathology of adrenal glands or pituitary, leading to excessive workout, is absent in the body. In other cases, almost any athlete will be enough compliance with the competent mode of workouts, nutrition and sleep.

Sources

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25084759.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11862365

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Cortisol in women is a hormone generated by adrenal glands. Otherwise, it is called a hormone stress. Under its exposure, blood pressure and sugar level increase. And if you learn how to manage your emotions, and therefore cortisol, it will protect your body from various diseases.

Normal Cortizola

It is difficult to talk about the normal level of cortisol, since this hormone has one feature. In the morning there is a high indicator, and in the evening it gradually decreases, reaching its minimum value. On average, the normal number of cortisol - both women and men are 600 nm / l. If this figure is higher, then it is worth thinking about how to lower the level of cortisol in women.

Treatment with folk remedies

There are no traditional preparations designed specifically to reduce hormone. Therefore, many are trying to lower cortisol with folk remedies. To achieve a positive effect, it is necessary to adhere to a number of recommendations:

1. First of all, it is necessary to determine what reason the hormone rate in the blood increased. Often, this is due to stressful situations, so they need to try to eliminate. Also in the risk group, women suffering from insomnia, who observe a strict diet.

2. In its diet, it is necessary to include products that reduce the level of cortisol. It is protein food, due to which the glycogen reserves grow in the body, contributing to the decrease in the stressful hormone. Be sure to use products containing protein, in the morning. This contributes to the body of a sufficient amount of energy.

3. It is necessary to minimize the use of sugar and refined carbohydrates. Such substances lead to an insulin jump, as a result of which it is difficult to avoid the occurrence of depression.

4. You need to drink enough water. Due to dehydration of cortisol in the body of a woman becomes more, so immediately after sleep, it is necessary to drink a sufficient amount of fluid.

Cortisol is a stress hormone, which is produced by adrenal glands. It is responsible for adapting the body to changing environmental conditions, it is necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system and brain. This hormone is essential to ensure hormonal equilibrium, but when too many cortisol becomes in the body, the body starts destructive processes, the endocrine, immune and nervous system are especially suffering. In medicine, elevated cortisol is called hypercorticism. To prevent sad consequences, you need to know how to lower cortisol and take appropriate measures. Consider all this in more detail.

First of all, we list the symptoms of increased cortisol:

• Violation of the level of glucose levels up to diabetes mellitus.
• Obesity.
• Increased daily urine volume.
• Arterial hypertension.
• Sleep disorders, reducing memory, irritability, apathy.
• On the skin of the abdomen and the thighs are possible the appearance of broad lanes of red or its shades.
• In women - disorders of the menstrual cycle, Amenorrhea.
• Men - reduced sexual attraction, reduced potency.
• Reducing overall immunity, which is manifested by frequent viral and infectious diseases.

The cause of increased cortisol usually becomes syndrome / Incenco-Cushing disease or a benign / malignant tumor. Also, this hormone increases during pregnancy, which is considered normal and reduced it is not necessary. This hormone can increase with the lesions of the liver, the reception of some drugs or drugs.

Treatment of increased cortisol is primarily aimed at eliminating the cause. If there is a tumor, the operation is usually required, radiation therapy is carried out. From medical drugs, ketoconazole, methirapon, aminoglutetimide is most often prescribed (dosage is determined by an exclusively attending physician and depends on the level of cortisol). Additionally, drugs can be assigned to reduce blood pressure and lower blood sugar.

In order to reduce the cortisol and less use pills, you can take advantage of the following tips:

• Lead a healthy lifestyle. And most importantly, calm. The excitement and stress are contraindicated. It is necessary to avoid nervous voltage, get enough sleep, watch merry comedies, not horror films.
• Learn to relax. Fragrant baths, contrasting shower, lightweight massage - here are your allies. Try to do meditation, breathing gymnastics, yoga. Cut the weekend in the family circle.
• Overweight is your enemy. If you have extra kilograms, the answer is obvious: it is necessary to lose weight. Limit the consumption of products rich in fats, pour your diet with squirrels, drink more liquid (up to 2 liters of water per day). But alcohol must be completely eliminated, like coffee and energy drinks.
• Eat more vegetables and fruits. This is a storehouse of vitamins. Well lowers cortisol vitamin C (meaning, do not forget about lemons). Often, doctors prescribe special vitamin complexes.
• From the traditional medicine: champs and tinctures of the Hypericum, Eleutherokokka, licorice, ginkgo biloba, Rhodiola pink as well as lecithin, fishery.

As a rule, the most optimal option to lower cortisol will be a comprehensive treatment using both medical drugs and lifestyle changes.