Why being stressed all the time makes you gain belly fat
THE METABOLIC PATHWAY OF CORTISOL IN CHRONIC STRESS: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When you're stressed for a long time, your body makes too much of a hormone called cortisol, which messes up how your body uses sugar and muscle. This can lead to fat building up around your middle, muscles shrinking, and your body becoming less able to handle sugar.
Surprising Findings
Metabolic dysfunction can amplify the stress response, creating a feedback loop.
Most assume stress is a one-way trigger for health problems, but this shows your broken metabolism can actually make your stress response worse—turning it into a two-way street.
Practical Takeaways
Prioritize stress reduction techniques like mindfulness, sleep hygiene, or walking in nature to potentially lower cortisol’s metabolic damage.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
When you're stressed for a long time, your body makes too much of a hormone called cortisol, which messes up how your body uses sugar and muscle. This can lead to fat building up around your middle, muscles shrinking, and your body becoming less able to handle sugar.
Surprising Findings
Metabolic dysfunction can amplify the stress response, creating a feedback loop.
Most assume stress is a one-way trigger for health problems, but this shows your broken metabolism can actually make your stress response worse—turning it into a two-way street.
Practical Takeaways
Prioritize stress reduction techniques like mindfulness, sleep hygiene, or walking in nature to potentially lower cortisol’s metabolic damage.
Publication
Journal
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)
Year
2025
Authors
Asatova Yulduz Saitmuratovna
Related Content
Claims (4)
When you're constantly stressed but not exercising, your body releases stress and sugar-regulating hormones that together make you store more fat around your belly.
When you're stressed for a long time, your body keeps pumping out a stress hormone called cortisol, which messes with how your body uses sugar and protein—making it harder for insulin to work properly and raising your risk for metabolic problems like type 2 diabetes.
When your body is under long-term stress, it releases a hormone called cortisol that breaks down muscle and ramps up blood sugar in a way that together makes your metabolism worse over time.
When your body is in a weird energy state—like being super tired or eating too much sugar—it can make you react more strongly to stress, and if this goes on too long, stress starts messing up your metabolism too, creating a bad cycle.