Is too much cortisol making you fat?
Cortisol may contribute to obesity by interacting with regulators of weight and food intake. Leptin, the satiety hormone is secreted by fat cells in order to inform the brain of fat levels in the body and to control eating. High levels of leptin result in an inhibition of hunger. A study that removed the adrenal gland in mice with low levels of leptin found that these mice lost weight, suggesting that glucocorticoids may contribute to leptin metabolism (Dubuc & Wilden, 1986). Another study found that administration of a steroid medication, dexamethasone, increased leptin levels when administered after eating in both average and obese patients (Laferrère, et al., 2002; Laferrère, Fried, Osborne, & Pi-Sunyer, 2000; Dagogo-Jack, Selke, Melson, & Newcomer, 1997). Ghrelin, the hunger hormone, induces feelings of hunger and promotes food intake. This hormone has been found to have an inverse relationship with cortisol during fasting, suggesting that cortisol may be used to mediate the effects of ghrelin. However, more research is needed before any solid conclusions can be drawn. Based on the previous evidence, it’s not a surprise that researchers have been investigating the link between stress and hunger. This association is also likely due to the fact that dysregulation of the HPA has been associated with multiple eating disorders such as binge eating disorder, bulimia and anorexia.