Is high cortisol good or bad in athletes?

First things first, we need to understand: What is Cortisol?

It’s a steroid hormone produced mainly in response to stress, emergencies, or threats we might face. Without cortisol, our body could not efficiently respond to stress, making it a crucial component for the “fight or flight” response. When cortisol is released, it triggers the release of amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids, providing the body with the energy it needs.

However, does this mean cortisol production is always beneficial for our body? Yes and no.

Cortisol is also known for having an essential role in fighting inflammation, and synthetic forms of cortisol are used in medicine to treat various conditions. As with most things in life, too much of a good thing can become detrimental, and the same applies here. If we constantly face stress or threats, our bodies will continuously release cortisol, leading to difficulty regulating our levels. It is important to note that how our bodies are designed to deal with stress may not align with how we currently handle stress in the “modern world”.

Many of us can relate to experiencing stress, ignoring it, and experiencing more stress, creating a snowball effect that hinders our bodies’ ability to eliminate stress hormones - which causes even more stress and further cortisol production. What a mess.

Suppose you believe you can handle stress well (some individuals are more resilient than others). In that case, it’s essential to understand that stress can be defined as “what you feel when life’s demands exceed your ability to meet those demands”, and if this state is constant, regulating cortisol levels becomes challenging.

Unfortunately, poor cortisol regulation can lead to various consequences, including increased appetite, body fat, decreased muscle mass, heightened anxiety, depression, mood swings, reduced libido, increased PMS and impaired memory and learning. Not so good anymore, right?

For athletes, avoiding the abovementioned “consequences” of having poor cortisol regulation becomes even trickier. Cortisol is produced in the adrenal glands, located just above the kidneys. Testosterone is also not only produced in the testicles (for men) and ovaries (for women) but also a good amount of it is produced in our adrenal glands as well. When faced with stressors in life, the adrenal glands “give priority” to cortisol, and our natural production of testosterone falls.

In both sexes, a decrease in testosterone levels can result in low sex drive, reduced muscle mass, decreased metabolic rate, emotional changes, and other symptoms that can significantly impact athletic performance.

Nevertheless, keep in mind that maintaining a balance between both hormones is more important than the absolute level of either hormone. For athletic performance, it is ideal to maintain low cortisol levels and high testosterone levels, creating an anabolic state that promotes fat loss and muscle gain.

With all of this in mind, it’s crucial to note achieving optimal performance doesn’t require isolating yourself from the world and becoming a Zen Master; instead, understanding the sources of stress in your life, accepting that stress will be harmful and actively seeking ways to address it.

Here are some simple suggestions:

• Check your email only at certain times during the day (or even just once a day).

• Reduce your cell phone usage.

• Incorporate daily mini-stretches and short walks to take your mind off work.

• Take an entire day off each week to relax and recharge.

• Get a massage, take a bath, and enjoy a long weekend.

• Regularly participate in yoga classes.

• Get a pet, listen to music to relieve stress.

• Ensure you get enough sleep.

When assessing performance, if you’re an athlete or a coach working with athletes, remember not only to focus and ask about training progress. Also, ask, “How is your life going?”

Eddie Gracio