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

[YourUniverse]

Could be that the cortisol-reducing substances are revealing your state of inflammation, which is making your gut push out/etc.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

Could be that the cortisol-reducing substances are revealing your state of inflammation, which is making your gut push out/etc.

The problem is that Cortisol reduces,keeps in check the latent inflammation everyone produces if Cortisol goes below a threshold.On the other Hand,excess of it (how do we know) causes inflammation all by itself by virtue of tissue destruction for short-term energy-production.

 

[YourUniverse]

The problem is that Cortisol reduces,keeps in check the latent inflammation everyone produces if Cortisol goes below a threshold.On the other Hand,excess of it (how do we know) causes inflammation all by itself by virtue of tissue destruction for short-term energy-production.

So by your process, maybe he had non-excessive cortisol which was reduced further

 

[Tristan Loscha]

So by your process, maybe he had non-excessive cortisol which was reduced further

Yes,not sure of course though.symptoms like this are highly subjective.what is your optimal belly optic from a health standpoint.I couldnt say tbh.

 

[redsun]

Yes,not sure of course though.symptoms like this are highly subjective.what is your optimal belly optic from a health standpoint.I couldnt say tbh.

The "optimal belly optic" is no belly at all. Minimal to near zero bloat and very little fat in the abdomen. Indicates both good digestion and good hormonal health.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

The "optimal belly optic" is no belly at all. Minimal to near zero bloat and very little fat in the abdomen. Indicates both good digestion and good hormonal health.

Hahaha,true.very little visible bellyfat,we are on the same page.But how much of which we call "bloat" is physiologic.

 

[Anders86]

I like to think of cortisol as acute and acidic, and "sugar" as calm and regenerative.

 

[Hans]

Stress and abdominal Fat: Preliminary Evidence of Moderation by the Cortisol awakening Response in Hispanic Peripubertal Girls
"Stress and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) have been independently linked to increases in abdominal fat depots. This cross-sectional study examined the CAR as a moderator of the association between stress, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue (SAT) in a sample (N = 23) of female peripubertal Hispanic girls aged from 8 to 11. The study included: (i) monitored salivary cortisol collection, (ii) VAT and SAT obtained by multislice magnetic resonance imaging, and (iii) a stressful life events checklist with four domain-specific subscales: peer, family, personal, and school. Regression analysis indicated an interaction of school-related life events and CAR on VAT and SAT, with greater numbers of school-related events being related to greater VAT and SAT for girls with high CAR, but no association with VAT or SAT for girls with low CAR. Similar to job stress in adults, school-related stress in children may contribute to central adiposity, especially for girls with high CAR."

Stress, cortisol, and obesity: a role for cortisol responsiveness in identifying individuals prone to obesity. - PubMed - NCBI
"Patients with abdominal obesity have elevated cortisol levels. Furthermore, stress and glucocorticoids act to control both food intake and energy expenditure. In particular, glucocorticoids are known to increase the consumption of foods enriched in fat and sugar. It is well-known that, in all species, the cortisol response to stress or adrenocorticotropin is highly variable. It has now emerged that cortisol responsiveness is an important determinant in the metabolic sequelae to stress. Sheep that are characterized as high-cortisol responders (HRs) have greater propensity to weight gain and obesity than low-cortisol responders (LRs). This difference in susceptibility to become obese is associated with a distinct metabolic, neuroendocrine, and behavioral phenotype. In women and ewes, HR individuals eat more in response to stress than LR. Furthermore, HR sheep have impaired melanocortin signaling and reduced skeletal muscle thermogenesis. High-cortisol responder sheep exhibit reactive coping strategies, whereas LRs exhibit proactive coping strategies. This complex set of traits leads to increased food intake and reduced energy expenditure in HR and thus, predisposition to obesity. We predict that cortisol responsiveness may be used as a marker to identify individuals who are at risk of weight gain and subsequent obesity."

Drugs That Affect Body Weight, Body Fat Distribution, and Metabolism - Endotext - NCBI Bookshelf
"The risk of weight gain with glucocorticoids is dose dependent and significantly increases with intakes above the equivalent of oral or parenteral 5 mg prednisone per day. Inhaled corticosteroids and single epidural steroid injections have no effect on body weight."

 

[Mito]

And yes,Cortisol isnt just the Death Hormone lol,it is highly useful and keeps the latent-inhibition-organised immunenetwork
under control,inactive.Low Cortisol produces Inflammation without a cause and awful wasting.

Cortisol is obviously very anti-inflammatory and acts quickly. Are the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of cortisol known? Does it block inflammatory mediators (i.e. eicosanoids, leukotrienes, prostaglandins), does its stop their production?

 

[Tristan Loscha]

Cortisol is obviously very anti-inflammatory and acts quickly. Are the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of cortisol known? Does it block inflammatory mediators (i.e. eicosanoids, leukotrienes, prostaglandins), does its stop their production?

It has some fundamental target,which has to be targeted more narrowly.In my understanding,the anti-inflammatory
effect could be isolated from the catabolic energy-redistribution cycle,but not so sure.

 

[ddjd]

a few people, @Tristan Loscha, @Mauritio have asked regarding the difference between belly fat and belly bloat. To clarify, i do have a fair amount of belly fat, im 6'2 / 187cm, i weigh 100 kilos (220 pounds). im about 10-15 kilos overweight and have zero fat on legs and arms, its all hanging around the belly- so classic cortisol belly. but on top of this belly fat, depending on severity of my gut inflammation, my belly will bloat even further - and this can really fluctuate considerably over a short period of time, and this what i mean by cortisol reducing my belly size.

@lampofred thats a great point you made. there could definitely be a connection with the increased bloating from niacinamide, t3, cypro, SFAs etc. being caused by increased liver glycogen storage. however the fact that cortisol lowers the bloat so significantly seems to suggest its more inflammation based.

i think what @Rafael Lao Wai, @jamies33 and @ecstatichamster pointed out, which is that the increased cortisol is temporarily reducing what essentially is an inflamed digestive tract, is probably most likely.

thanks for all your input, really helpful

 

[pauljacob]

"Chronically elevated cortisol can lead to insulin resistance, and insulin resistance can lead to chronically elevated cortisol. "
I think this statement is true and I took it from an article based on this study:
Mechanisms of Glucocorticoid-Induced Insulin Resistance: Focus on Adipose Tissue Function and Lipid Metabolism
What do you think? I think I suffer from Insulin Resistance because two slices of bread, any time of the day would raise my blood sugar to 170 and higher.
I'm a vegetarian (not vegan) and carbs (bread, pasta, and beans, yogurt and cheese) are main staples for me. I've cut down on these, but even a small serving of pasta would jack up my blood sugar. I'm under tremendous mental and emotional stress due to goals I've set for myself that I must reach. I'm 74.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

"Chronically elevated cortisol can lead to insulin resistance, and insulin resistance can lead to chronically elevated cortisol. "
I think this statement is true and I took it from an article based on this study:
Mechanisms of Glucocorticoid-Induced Insulin Resistance: Focus on Adipose Tissue Function and Lipid Metabolism
What do you think? I think I suffer from Insulin Resistance because two slices of bread, any time of the day would raise my blood sugar to 170 and higher.
I'm a vegetarian (not vegan) and carbs (bread, pasta, and beans, yogurt and cheese) are main staples for me. I've cut down on these, but even a small serving of pasta would jack up my blood sugar. I'm under tremendous mental and emotional stress due to goals I've set for myself that I must reach. I'm 74.

low amount of light jogging, 2 to times a week,for 20 to 30 minutes,plus a 5-second sprint once a week,
can reduce Insulin resistance.Also more Protein,from eggs as an example.

 

[pauljacob]

low amount of light jogging, 2 to times a week,for 20 to 30 minutes,plus a 5-second sprint once a week,
can reduce Insulin resistance.Also more Protein,from eggs as an example.

I can't jog for two reasons: I'm 5-6 and weigh 185. I need to be under 150, and because I'm vegetarian my body is deficient in collagen because I can't eat bone broths. So I don't jog to prevent possible damage to my knees. However, I'm a life-long pace walker. I walk at least three miles a day at a 5-mile/hour speed. I eat 2-3 hardboiled eggs a day. I'm sure it's the mental-emotional stress, not the diet that's causing this "insulent" resistance. I read somewhere that deep breathing reduces Cortisol, and I do deep breathe while I walk.

 

[Tristan Loscha]

I can't jog for two reasons: I'm 5-6 and weigh 185. I need to be under 150, and because I'm vegetarian my body is deficient in collagen because I can't eat bone broths. So I don't jog to prevent possible damage to my knees. However, I'm a life-long pace walker. I walk at least three miles a day at a 5-mile/hour speed. I eat 2-3 hardboiled eggs a day. I'm sure it's the mental-emotional stress, not the diet that's causing this "insulent" resistance. I read somewhere that deep breathing reduces Cortisol, and I do deep breathe while I walk.

Protein intake should be high for people in that age-range.1.6g to 2.2g per Kilogram of Bodyweight.
That is where Collagensynthesis can come from.
You should consider a Gelatine-Supplement also,despite Vegetarian diet.
Also,Cycling for faster speeds.

 

[redsun]

and because I'm vegetarian my body is deficient in collagen because I can't eat bone broths.

Why do you continue a diet that you yourself know is inheritantly inadequate? Defies reasoning. And lack of glycine and other collagen aminos because of not eating meat is not the only way a vegetarian diet is inadequate by the way.

 

[pauljacob]

Protein intake should be high for people in that age-range.1.6g to 2.2g per Kilogram of Bodyweight.
That is where Collagensynthesis can come from.
You should consider a Gelatine-Supplement also,despite Vegetarian diet.
Also,Cycling for faster speeds.

Thank you Tristan, excellent suggestions. I do take one 7g pouch of Gelatine per week. Should I take more?

 

[Tristan Loscha]

Thank you Tristan, excellent suggestions. I do take one 7g pouch of Gelatine per week. Should I take more?

You should find a affordable gelatin,and consume 30 to 40 grams a day.
Also,calculate your Protein intake,or post what you eat a day normally here.I and others will take a look at it.

 

[pauljacob]

Why do you continue a diet that you yourself know is inheritantly inadequate? Defies reasoning. And lack of glycine and other collagen aminos because of not eating meat is not the only way a vegetarian diet is inadequate by the way.

Vegetarian diet is not a choice for me. I was born vegetarian. My mother told me I spat the meat out of my mouth whenever she tried to give it to me. I joke by telling people I must've been a cow in a previous incarnation

 

[pauljacob]

You should find a affordable gelatin,and consume 30 to 40 grams a day.
Also,calculate your Protein intake,or post what you eat a day normally here.I and others will take a look at it.

Thanks Tristan, I will monitor my diet for a week and post the results here for your consideration.