time Emmitt Smith Elite Jersey

This can be a huge threat to your health because abdominal fat is more dangerous - and increases disease risk more - than fat located in any other part of the body. Excessive abdominal fat is linked directly to serious health conditions like hypertension and diabetes. Women in particular have been found to accumulate more fat around their waists while they're under stress.

In fact Greg Hardy Womens Jersey , a Yale University study showed that even otherwise - slim women who are under high stress levels are prone to put on weight on around their abdominal area. The Cortisol Connection. What's the connection? When we are stressed out, our bodies release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol has been proven to encourage fat storage in the abdominal area. The worst part is if you don't learn to alleviate stress, cortisol levels stay high even when the original source of stress has subsided. The prolonged effects of cortisol will cause even more fatty deposits to find their way to your middle even when the stress seems to have passed. A recent retrospective study (Nutrition, 2010, Oct 8., Division of Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, S. Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, University Alma Mater Studiorum, Bologna, Italy) investigated the relation between daily urinary free cortisol excretion rate, as a marker of cortisol production rate and waist circumference.

Obese women had significantly higher urinary free cortisol excretion than the normal-weight women. Higher and more prolonged levels of cortisol in the bloodstream have been shown to have negative effects, such as: weight gain Rolando McClain Womens Jersey , overweight, impaired cognitive performance, depression, suppressed thyroid function and blood sugar imbalances, decreased bone density, decrease in skeletal muscle tissue mass and power, skeletal muscle wasting, high blood pressure, lowered immunity, decreased testosterone levels, impaired erectile function, menstrual abnormalities, fatigue Troy Aikman Elite Jersey , chronic fatigue, chronic pain, headache, migraine, fibromyalgia, muscle pain and poor digestion.

The skin can present with symptoms such as oily skin, acne, eczema, and roughness. Elevated cortisol also decreases the skin's ability to regenerate leading to wrinkles, sagging, and impaired wound healing.

Elevated cortisol in pregnant mothers influences cortisol metabolism during the baby's crucial development periods.

Marathon running and cortisol.

Running marathon halves testosterone level and increases the stress hormone cortisol. It is important that the body's functions can return to normal following stress and stressful events. To keep cortisol levels healthy and under control, an innovative adaptive stress free alarm clock, "The Gentle Alarm" (patent pending) for iPhone and iPod touch was developed by a clinical neurologist. The new gentle alarm adapts itself to the users' particular needs within a few nights. Running marathon halves testosterone level and increases the stress hormone cortisol.

By the end of a marathon Tony Dorsett Elite Jersey , men's cortisol levels have doubled and their testosterone levels have just about halved, according to a study done at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, and published in Arquivos Brasileiros de Endocrinologia e Metabologia. The researchers monitored twenty health men aged between 25 and 42 for several days before, during and after they ran the 42.2 kilometre race. The researchers measured the levels of hormones and muscle damage-markers in the subjects' blood. Immediately after finishing the marathon the subjects' testosterone level halved, falling from 673 to 303 ngdl. The cortisol level rose sharply, from 20.3 to 42.5 microgdl. A day after the race, the cortisol level had not returned completely to the starting level. A marathon, triathlon or ironman race may cause marked physical stress, resulting in a distinct hormonal imbalance and cellular damage.

What is cortisol? Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland that plays different roles: Its primary function is to increase the amino acid supply to the liver when there are low levels present. This act, however, serves to increase protein catabolism. Cortisol also serves to increase blood pressure, blood sugar levels and will have an immunosuppressive effect on the body. Thus, when high levels are seen over time Emmitt Smith Elite Jersey , there is also an increased chance of becoming ill due to a decreased functioning of the immune system. What affects the release of cortisol? Potentially, one of the largest factors that can affect the release of cortisol in the body is psychological or physical stress. Cortisol is the body's primary stress hormone. When the brain stimulates its release in response to physical or emotional stress, the adrenal glands secrete cortisol into the blood. Cortisol helps the body regulate blood sugar levels and blood pressure. It also is an antiinflammatory, an antiallergic agent and reduces the actions of the immune system. Many synthetic versions of cortisol have medicinal uses.