Cortisol and midsection fat storage

Phoenix_Angel
Phoenix_Angel Posts: 68
in Health and Weight Loss
I've read that u can't control where you're body loses fat.
I've read that u can't control where you're body Gains fat.
BUT... I've read that cortisol causes abdominal fat. So in a way, doesn't that mean you at least have some control, at least where your body gains fat? So what if I dropped a few pounds and in the process did everything I could to control cortisol? Then i tried gaining a little back? Doesn't that mean I would have a better chance of gaining in other places besides my belly, butt and thighs? Maybe get a little on my chest even?
Well this makes sense to me. Maybe I'm wrong, and if I am I would absolutely love for someone to explain why it couldn't work. And not just repeating what I said in the first 2 sentences ;)

Replies

  • chuckles217
    chuckles217 Posts: 123 Member
    Cortisol causes "truncal" obesity. Aka it stores it anywhere within the torso, not just the abdomen.

    It does this for two reasons, it drives the break down of muscles in the limbs & sugar release by the liver which creatse energy for the body; it also stimulates insulin release which drives the uptake of free sugar by adipocytes and muscles. Since the limb muscles are getting a primary signal to break down, they don't take up much sugar and therefore the trunk takes it up.

    Its a phenomenal seen in people who suffer from cushings disease/syndrome. Google it for interesting pictures.

    Now to further your question, it really is genetically determined where and how your store weight. The location and quantity of adipocytes (fat storage cells) is genetically determined and when the signal to sore energy comes up, the densest area of adipocytes is going to enlarge the most; it is also usually the first to lose.
  • Phoenix_Angel
    Phoenix_Angel Posts: 68
    Unfortunately in my case, itis the last to go. But yeah it is definitely the first place my fat goes too. Makes sense tho that it's thaking it from my limbs. I have tiny little arms ( but oddly big biceps), giant thighs and quite a bit of abdominal and butt fat. Only recently has my body taken fat from my butt and it took quite a bit but now my thighs look even more humongous. Quite strange actually, and my chest... Well... There ain't much left. I'm pretty sure I'm a 1/2- A-cup now :(
  • led6777
    led6777 Posts: 268
    bump!
  • Falling2Grace
    Falling2Grace Posts: 220 Member
    If you have an adrenal issue such as a tumor or cyst on the adrenal, Cushings (overproduction of cortisol), or on steroids (like predinsone or other asthma medications), that all can cause too much cortisol. That is NOT controlable unless you get treatment/stop steroid use. I would think you really cant control cortisol, even through diet. A lot of people who overproduce cortisol do not lose much weight, if at all even if they exercise regularly and eat well. It's a hormone. But outside of this condition, i guess where you store fat is just where you store fat and everyone loses/gains fat differently. Women usually have higher cortisol than men, but sometimes its not cortisol that is the primary reason for fat. Women have higher levels of estrogen and lower levels of testosterone which is why we usually carry more fat. If you have high estrogen exposure, you could also carry the midsection fat like that of those with cortisol issues. Estrogen helps/promotes/keeps fat (somethng important for reproduction), thus if you have high estrogen exposure that could lead to the fat , though its hard to say if that would always be in the trunk like cortisol is.

    PCOS can also be a cause.

    but outside of these conditions, some people just carry weight in different places. The abdomen, especially, if you are an apple shape..which is very important to lose there since that can mean higher risk of cardiovascular disease amongst other health problems.

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