Is Short Term Stress Good? [It's The Fear Of Stress That Harms You Most.]

[David Chung]

I have watched the following TED talk video clip at youtube.

Kelly McGonigal: How to make stress your friend | TED Talk | TED.com

The speaker indicated that she used to think stress is a bad thing, something that should be minimized. However, over time, she began to realize that reduction in stress was leading to increased mortality. Her point is that some stress is necessary for optimum functioning of the body. To me, this leads directly tot he concept of hormeisis, which Ray has mentioned in the context of exercise.

Is short term stress (non chronic) a good thing?

 

[DaveFoster]

Eustress and distress are two different things.

Lack of stimuli paradoxically causes distress.

 

[David Chung]

Eustress and distress are two different things.

Lack of stimuli paradoxically causes distress.

From what I understand, both raise cortisol. So, I suppose, the question can be reframed - can short term increase in cortisol be a good thing? If so, in order for the short term cortisol increase to be a good thing, what OTHER requirements must be met?

 

[Kasper]

I think some kind of stress is kind of inevitable, in some sense, I think it is a consequence of living.

I think short term stress can be good, in the sense, that if you don't have short term stress, you will get long term stress.

Like, if someone does something mean to you, and you just let it happen, you will be hurt for a longer time, then if you just get angry for a minute, and let this person know that you don't want to be treated like dirt.

 

[DaveFoster]

So, I suppose, the question can be reframed - can short term increase in cortisol be a good thing? If so, in order for the short term cortisol increase to be a good thing, what OTHER requirements must be met?

Absolutely cortisol is a good thing.

I can tell you why estrogen is a good thing; without it you'd lose all your water, become dehydrated, and quickly die. Currently trying to avoid death myself as I type this.

Cortisol spikes to necessitate action from the organism. You don't want cortisol to be too low, but for most it's too high.

 

[David Chung]

Absolutely cortisol is a good thing.

I can tell you why estrogen is a good thing; without it you'd lose all your water, become dehydrated, and quickly die.

I guess your point is that "too much" of cortisol/estrogen is a bad thing.

For me, that raises the following question: PUFA is stress generating, right? Is there a dosage at which PUFA can be a good thing as well? Or are some things never "good"? (unlike cortisol or estrogen).

 

[Drareg]

From what I understand, both raise cortisol. So, I suppose, the question can be reframed - can short term increase in cortisol be a good thing? If so, in order for the short term cortisol increase to be a good thing, what OTHER requirements must be met?

It's an adaptive hormone cortisol, like adrenalin. Like serotonin,estrogen,nitric oxide all have purpose but when chronic it's an issue I think. Adaptive is neutral to your perception of good or bad situation.

They are meant to be at the lower end of the scale, your more intelligent and creative with coherent high metabolism, generally people functioning on adrenalin all the time will be in survival mode, there not intelligent just more reacting to things.
Poorer perception,thinking and acting. Adrenalin could be seen as just re-act, mob like mentality maybe.

So if your intelligent you can still be ok using cortisol and adrenalin etc but long term they will make you less intelligent, that's what I think, prolonged stress hormones may turn you into a savage. Plenty of financially successful narcissistic savages out there.
Cortisol is a pain killer also ,is it not?

PUFA in excess could lower inflammation if you were in a desperately inflamed state at the end of the earth, I would rather chew a tree bark for apsirin if I had too.

 

[DaveFoster]

I guess your point is that "too much" of cortisol/estrogen is a bad thing.

For me, that raises the following question: PUFA is stress generating, right? Is there a dosage at which PUFA can be a good thing as well? Or are some things never "good"? (unlike cortisol or estrogen).

Inflammatory processes are necessary. Your body can facilitate inflammation when needed, and it can make mead acid to fill the biological role of PUFA.

PUFA is not needed to promote inflammation, but its presence promotes excess inflammation.

 

[David Chung]

It's an adaptive hormone cortisol, like adrenalin ...
PUFA in excess could lower inflammation if you were in a desperately inflamed state at the end of the earth .

That makes sense - thanks!

 

[David Chung]

Inflammatory processes are necessary. Your body can facilitate inflammation when needed, and it can make mead acid to fill the biological role of PUFA.

PUFA is not needed to promote inflammation, but its presence promotes excess inflammation.

Thanks for the clarification.

As a newbie here, I am asking what could be considered annoying questions - I appreciate you guys being patient.

 

[sctb]

David,

I think hormesis is a very interesting subject and I'd like to hear more
about what Dr. Peat has to say about it. Amusingly, I just Googled the
phrase "ray peat hormesis" and the top hit was myself posing this to
the forum over three years ago!

As far as I can tell, any time Ray has mentioned the term specifically
it has been in a negative context (the adaptive response seems not to
be worth the other effects of the stressor.) But this might just be an
issue of terminology. When he talks about vitamins, nutrients, and
caffeine as an adaptogen, it feels to me like we could be talking about
effects that could now be described as hormetic. How many such
vitamins and nutrients can we think of that have the characteristic
U-shaped dose-response curve?

—Scott

 

[DaveFoster]

David,

I think hormesis is a very interesting subject and I'd like to hear more
about what Dr. Peat has to say about it. Amusingly, I just Googled the
phrase "ray peat hormesis" and the top hit was myself posing this to
the forum over three years ago!

As far as I can tell, any time Ray has mentioned the term specifically
it has been in a negative context (the adaptive response seems not to
be worth the other effects of the stressor.) But this might just be an
issue of terminology. When he talks about vitamins, nutrients, and
caffeine as an adaptogen, it feels to me like we could be talking about
effects that could now be described as hormetic. How many such
vitamins and nutrients can we think of that have the characteristic
U-shaped dose-response curve?

—Scott

This can get really philosophical.

As living beings, we are in an environment of oscillating energy scarcity and abundance.

We have evolved to grow in a certain way, and this encompasses hormesis. Peat says himself, "We still have to determine basic things such as the optimal rate of growth, and the optimal size. " He emboldens this for emphasis.

The answer really isn't known.

Peat's advice always demands context.

Some things can be harmful in some respects and not so much in others.

However, generally speaking the protective substances have a much larger range of clinical efficacy than the stress-related substances provided there's adequate nutritional support.

 

[Such_Saturation]

the biological role of PUFA

 

[Maretch]

Short stress? What this mean? Being stressed for just some hours?

 

[Giraffe]

I think that the description of the TED Talk the OP gave is missing important points.

The speaker says that it's the people who view stress ("stress" as in stressful situations) as something bad (vs. neutral) are the ones which will suffer most from it. People who view a pounding heart as something good (it prepares them to cope) are more confident, more relaxed and their physical response is changed: They do not experience constricted heart vessels in contrast to people who perceive it as anxiety. Also the choices you make influence the outcome.

She says that oxytocin (the "cuddle hormone"), while being a stress hormone, makes you seek support from people near you, so it helps you form a social network. Oxytocin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bottom line is: People with a positive attitude and a meaningful social life live longer.

 

[Elephanto]

Short term stress can be beneficial because it makes your heart work harder thus improving its capacity, being angry/nervous is basically the equivalent of cardio training. also like Dave mentionned, the lack of stimuli is harmful and some light stressors are correlated with longevity.

 

[thyrulian]

Well, if you don't perceive a potentially psychologically stressful event as stressful, then it isn't a (dis)stress in the first place.

 

[thyrulian]

Short term stress can be beneficial because it makes your heart work harder thus improving its capacity, being angry/nervous is basically the equivalent of cardio training. also like Dave mentionned, the lack of stimuli is harmful and some light stressors are correlated with longevity.

I find that anger relieves nervousness.

 

[jyb]

Short term stress can be beneficial because it makes your heart work harder thus improving its capacity, being angry/nervous is basically the equivalent of cardio training. also like Dave mentionned, the lack of stimuli is harmful and some light stressors are correlated with longevity.

That is why I don't think cyproheptadine long term is good. It may feel like being a stress-free piece of vegetable, but the lack of stimulation itself may be harmful. I'm simplifying of course as the effects of cypro depend on how well it is used. But between stress free but bed ridden and stressed but living, the best choice is not clear. Being active, sporty or intellectually challenged can result in great stress, does that always mean it is bad? It's too easy to load up on drugs or diets that kill stress in the short term on paper but are not robust at all for overall stress.

 

[paymanz]

My understanding is that you may live a very active life but stress free,if the life being stimulating life.as ray call it.

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Stimulation vs stress is a very interesting subject!

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