Stress is not only bad for building muscle, it’s also bad for your mind.

This month, the topic is Cortisol, the “stress hormone.” In my last post, I talked about cortisol’s negative physical health.
In my last post, I discussed high levels of caffeine causing spikes in cortisol levels. Also, in past posts, I have discussed how stress causes spikes in cortisol levels. I’ve also addressed ways to lower stress levels. In fact, stress management is one the health pillars of mine in making fitness gains. In past posts, I’ve provided advice on how to lower stress in your life, to make gains and avoid negative impacts of stress.
Cortisol, as you recall from early posts, is produced by the adrenal glands and is involved in regulating blood sugar levels, reducing inflammation, controlling salt and water balance and other body functions. However, a new study has shown that higher levels of cortisol have been shown to have a strong correlation with dementia. This study found that in women, but not in men, higher cortisol was also associated with reduced brain volume. There was no association of the lowest cortisol levels with either cognitive test scores or brain size.
This is the first study, and more will be forthcoming. But, the results of this study reinforce that cortisol is something you want to minimize in your body.