From what I’ve read it can be difficult to distiguish between high or low cortisol. Low of symptoms overlap. So figure out what you (and if you have) first.
High cortisol
From: Cushing’s syndrome
This is what extreme chronic high cortisol looks like:
This is my body composition to a tee. It’s getting better though, my belly is going away. My buffalo hump is stubborn though.
Symptoms of Cushings:
- High blood pressure.
- High blood sugar.
- Suppressed immunity (and more infections).
- Insulin resistance and dysphoria that lead to carbohydrate cravings, metabolic syndrome, visceral obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
- Suppressed sex hormones and reduced libido.
- Suppressed thyroid hormones.
- Stigmata, including:
– A round, red, full face, often called a “moon” face.
– Muscle weakness and thin limbs.
– Growth of fine hair on the face, upper back, or arms.
– A lump of fat (buffalo hump) on the back of the neck.
– Stretch marks over abdomen.
From: http://www.heart-health-guide.com/decrease-cortisol.html
Some of the symptoms of high cortisol are purple colored stretch marks, depression, anxiety, small red dots on your skin or petechia, fat gain in the face, neck, midsection and upper back. To overcome it, you have to find out the cause of high cortisol.
However, I noticed this only after increasing my intake of phosphatidylserine above 500 mg which makes it not the most cost-effective cortisol lowering supplement, out there.
Anti-estrogens worked great for me. Estradiol is one of three estrogens which can increase cortisol and SHBG, while reducing total and free testosterone, a hormone with strong anti-catabolic properties.
Progesterone
From: http://www.mikemahler.com/online-library/articles/workout-recovery/fighting-exercised-induced-inflammation.html
#2 the progesterone that gets converted into cortisol can no longer protect testosterone from converting into estrogen so the more T we make (or put in) if not protected by progesterone becomes T’s opposite number estrogen, with its fat increasing, catabolizing and mood depressing effects
First we fight the inflammation before it creates the cortisol response. We do that with the only safe non-toxic anti-inflammatory stuff around – systemic enzymes, the Vitalzym from World Nutrition, being my present choice. (www.enzymescience.com)
Not only does the progesterone, maca helps to make, help control estrogen, the maca has Di Indole Methane (DIM) to block a good bit of estrogen and help metabolize it out. One other point to remember the dreaded hair loss and prostate swelling hormone Di Hydro Testosterone (DHT), is not made from testosterone but as research has shown DHT is a product of estrogen. So any control of estrogen lowers DHT levels significantly.
Hunger raises cortisol levels
Exercise can raise cortisol levels
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_does_honey_reduce_cortisol_levels
Honey does relax me
http://m.wikihow.com/Reduce-Cortisol Try out rhodiola when your cortisol is high. Rhodiola is an herbal supplement related to ginseng, and a popular folk remedy for lowering cortisol. It reputedly ramps up your energy, helps you burn fat, and lowers your cortisol levels while it’s at it.