The cases in that the organism produces the hormone of stress: cortisol. Why does this hormone cause obesity and destroys muscles? How to diminish the levels of cortisol?
What is cortisol?
Hormone cortisol is produced by the organism in cases of stress or situations of excessive physical activity and bad feeding. Its normal energy level is of 10 μg/decilitro; nevertheless stress shoots this level up to 80 μg/decilitro or, even, 180 μg/decilitro in extreme cases.
When studying the cases of increase of the cortisol levels, it is easy to realize that this process is a method of defense of the organism: in shock state, cortisol helps to act quickly; in case of hunger, it forces to look for food and in case of excessive physical activity, it increases the force(1).
How act does cortisol?
The organism tries, quickly increasing the levels of cortisol, to mobilize the energy reserves. The glucose (like the amino acids) are come off weaves and it goes to the sanguineous torrent to increase to the cerebral activity and the concentration.
On the one hand, the concentration and the attention help the fast decision making; on the other, the conduct of a person can be aggressive under the effects of cortisol and to be constantly in this condition can bring about chronic stress.
Why does cortisol destroy muscles?
Since we have already mentioned, the increase of the cortisol levels brings about the destruction of weaves: these are disturbed by the necessity of the organism to consume amino acids and glucose (which is present in muscles in the form of glycogen to guarantee its operation).
High the arterial pressure increases the shipment of great amounts of glucose to the brain, which is an effect of cortisol, which, as well, brings about a burst of energy and a species of “adrenalin shock”. All this is a load for the organism, “a blow”.
The negative effects of cortisol
If a momentary increase in the cortisol levels brings about the destruction of weaves, to maintain these chronically high levels in the blood entails to constant stress, the high irritability and changes related to the deterioration of the metabolism(1).
In addition, different opinions from experts exist, according to who, the high cortisol levels alter the metabolism and cause to obesity and accumulation of fat in problematic places (in the low part of the back and the abdomen in men, in the hips in women).
Cortisol and the physical activity
In agreement with the investigation of Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition(2) , during the first minutes of physical activity, the cortisol levels increases up to 60-65 μg/decilitro, later they fall up to 35 μg/decilitro and after 40-45 minutes they again grow (to see graph. Line superior).
The recommendation of not training more than 45 minutes, to a large extent, is based on the fact that after this time the cortisol levels increase, begin the anabolic processes and the organism begins to destroy muscular weaves.
How to diminish the cortisol levels?
In the investigation before named, the sportsmen were divided in two groups: those that did not consume sport supplements and those that consumed 600 mgs to the day of supplements that contained fosfatidilserina (PS, phosphatidylserine).
Between nutritional products with high content of fosfatidilserina, they can name: brain of bull (713 mg/100 g), mackerel (480 mg/100 g), hearts of chicken (414 mg/100 g), herring (360 mg/100 g), eel (335 mg/100 g), products of meat (305 mg/100 g)(3).
Supplements during the training
Scientific studies exist(4) that demonstrate that the cortisol levels fall if gr. of BCAA is consumed during the training from 5 to 10 (abbreviation to denominate the branched-chain amino acids combination: leucine, isoleucine and valine) mixed with simple carbohydrates.
The previous thing can be explained because the body produces cortisol, in first instance, to provide the amount of necessary extra energy. It is possible that the organism does not shoot the cortisol levels, if in the blood there is the sufficient amino acids and glucose.
***
The cortisol production is an immediate reaction of the organism before a stress situation. In the short term, cortisol destroys muscles; to length, it affects to the metabolism, it stimulates the obesity and accumulation of fats in problematic places and brings about chronic stress.
To read more:
 |  |
Literary sources:
- Cortisol and Stress, source
- The effects of phosphatidylserine on endocrine response to moderates intensity to you exercise, source
- Phosphatidylserine, Wikipedia Article, source
- Sharp, Carwyn P.M.; Pearson, David R. Amino Acid Supplements and Recovery from High-Intensity Resistance Training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
via http://fitness2000.blogspot.com
No comments:
Post a Comment