How Cortisol, the Stress Hormone, Impacts Blood Sugar and Health | Dr. Robert Lustig

Levels Advisor Robert Lustig, MD, explains how chronic stress leads to mitochondrial dysfunction.

In the face of stress, the adrenal gland releases cortisol into the bloodstream. Cortisol raises glucose levels to provide energy for the brain.

Chronic stress feeds the brain because the brain has the highest glucose demands but no place to store it.

Cortisol lifts energy from the rest of the body, even from muscle, to ensure the brain gets it.

These effects adversely impact the brain and the rest of the body. Cortisol interferes with the ability of mitochondria (the powerhouse of cells) to produce ATP, the body’s energy currency.

Ultimately, cortisol drives mitochondrial dysfunction, which shows up as insulin resistance.

The more stressed you are, the higher your fasting insulin. And higher fasting insulin drives fat storage.

#metabolichealth #stress #glucose #cortisol

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