Why Does Everything That Inhibits 11β-HSD1 (lowers Cortisol) Increase My Belly Fat?

[Frankdee20]

That’s because this forums hormonal information is backwards. I’ve already posted numerous studies showing a relationship between high levels of estrogen and low levels of adipose tissue. In men low estrogen is associated with increased belly fat. Yet I see thread after thread on this forum of men trying desperately to lower their estrogen in hopes of reducing belly fat, the only results achieved are a temporary reduction in water weight which is unhealthy.

Anyone worth their salt knows cortisol increases fat burning. Now chronically high cortisol will lead to insulin insensitivity, so it’s not recommended.

Facts

 

[Peater]

Well this was an interesting read. @ddjd thanks for being bold enough to start the original thread. I see more people chipped in, and this is something I am familiar with too. Something I had noticed was that "Just eat more to support you metabolism" doesn't actually seem to work. This is true of any "Diet" I have followed, so it's not a direct criticism of Ray's work.

Have you ever had your cortisol tested? I can recognise almost everything people have said here, but weight loss is a symptom of Addison's disease so even if we have "crashed" cortisol surely the belly should go away even if we feel low energy/ill?

It's the part that's always confused me. "Just eat enough to support your new healthy metabolism" becomes "You're eating too much of the wrong thing, you must be". Well maybe 5% of my diet isn't perfect but in a world where all things are equal I think I would be at least very lean if not jacked!


Just to add my personal data to the compendium:

My blood test in 2021 came back high, but even then I suppose it STILL isn't as simple as cortisol = bad, as my thyroid wasn't great either, so I was potentially running on stress hormones and cortisol was saving me.

Lab tests apart I show the signs of typical high cortisol, but nothing ever seems to have helped. I found doses of Lugol's to be very relaxing, whether this was due to direct thyroid activation or stress hormones being lowered, I don't know, but it is a common thing noticed by some.

My most recent experiments with NDT included started well but I think I possibly drove cortisol too low, I haven't lab tested it but I was still taking things like 6-keto and a drop or two of Pansterone and felt great at first, but then started feeling tired, irritable and fractious. Although I noticed in the mirror that my pectorals looked pretty well defined, my belly and flanks are a mess. It's very strange.

I am really keen to know others experiences even if there isn't a definitive answer yet.

 

[Andy316]

I have this same issue. @ddjd How are you doing now with the cortisol belly?

 

[Peater]

Thanks for replying Andy, it's encouraging to know others have experienced the same and maybe we can work out what's going on.

I noticed in Broda Barnes book he mentions a build up of mucopolysaccharides in hypothyroid people. It isn't water and it isn't fat, it's a jelly like substance. I just don't have the knowledge to further expand on this but it adds a new aspect we may be overlooking.

Happy Christmas everyone.

 

[Andy316]

Hi @Peater , I am hypothyroid and man loosing this enlarged waist and belly has become an impossible task. Upper and lower body are somewhat lean. I did loose weight cutting potatoes, but no diet intervention helped with loosing the cortisol belly/waist. No supplements or thyroid meds helped. You mentioned mucopolysaccharides, will do some research on it.

 

[Peater]

Hi @Peater , I am hypothyroid and man loosing this enlarged waist and belly has become an impossible task. Upper and lower body are somewhat lean. I did loose weight cutting potatoes, but no diet intervention helped with loosing the cortisol belly/waist. No supplements or thyroid meds helped. You mentioned mucopolysaccharides, will do some research on it.

Yes I am in exactly the same position. I'm going to stop trying to lower cortisol for now I think, and focus on thyroid and continued liver care.

 

[ddjd]

I have this same issue. @ddjd How are you doing now with the cortisol belly?

It's a few years on, reflecting on it now, it seems quite clear that free cortisol is an anti inflammatory so no wonder I was getting a flatter stomach.

But high (free) cortisol long term is terrible for health. All of those things that raise free cortisol, whilst they temporarily flatten my stomach will cause a whole host of issues long term.

I would stay away from raising free cortisol completely and focus on longer lasting ways reduce the inflammation causing the belly bloat. That's my current view - no doubt it'll change again in a few years lol

 

[Peater]

It's a few years on, reflecting on it now, it seems quite clear that free cortisol is an anti inflammatory so no wonder I was getting a flatter stomach.

But high (free) cortisol long term is terrible for health. All of those things that raise free cortisol, whilst they temporarily flatten my stomach will cause a whole host of issues long term.

I would stay away from raising free cortisol completely and focus on longer lasting ways reduce the inflammation causing the belly bloat. That's my current view - no doubt it'll change again in a few years lol

What could cause innate inflammation in someone who tries to integrate RPs ideas by eating low PUFA etc? I'm sure we all know that guy that can live on junkfood and remains lean and muscular. We can't know their cortisol status of course, but their body seems to handle the inflammatory food.

Meanwhile we're here with (So called?) cortisol belly. It doesn't make any sense.

In my case all I can think of is:

Stress (Which everyone has to some extent and we're back to how come some people deal with stress fine - indeed seeing the cortisol belly that shouldn't exist is a stressor!)

Appendix removal intestinal issues (But I was overweight before this happened, I got a lot healthier and fitter over the intervening 20 years but still with a belly)

Something inherently wrong with my vagus nerve (Just a thought)

Something inherently wrong with my hormonal glands (Excluding cortisol?)

Something inherently wrong with my pancreas (It's a blood sugar issue as conventional medicine suggests)

Vaccine damage (Not COVID jabs)



I'm not intending to make the thread all about me, just putting ideas out - all I have to share is my experience and occasional nuggets of knowledge!

 

[Peater]

No supplements or thyroid meds helped. You mentioned mucopolysaccharides, will do some research on it.

@Thoth found this and posted it.

Treatment of Localized Myxoedema - DMSO

Treatment of Localized Myxoedema SIR, -Like Drs. R. Hall, G. Holti, and C. J. Stevenson (4 December, p. 1368) I was surprised to find no mention of the long- acting thyroid stimulator (L. A. T. S. ) in your leading article on localized myxoedema (13 November, p. 1138), but I cannot go all the...

raypeatforum.com