Cortisol
Its function: Cortisol hormone is also commonly referred to as the stress hormone and this is for a good reason. Cortisol’s job in the body is essential to help regulate changes in the body that happen in response to anxiety [3], stress, or tension. Those feeling the pressures of modern life generally have excess cortisol circulating, which increases abdominal fat.
The effect exercise has on it: To reduce your cortisol hormone, studies have shown the effectiveness of low-intensity exercise (or, at the very least, not affect them at all), while moderate to high-intensity exercise may increase cortisol. That increase is generally seen as acute as opposed to chronic, though, meaning it won’t have long-term effects.
Intense endurance training is the one exercise that drastically increases your cortisol hormone. “If you’re an endurance athlete, you’ll need additional measures to counteract oxidative stress and high levels of cortisol, such as taking supplemental vitamin C,” Dr. Gottfried advises. For everyone else, it is best to aim for targeted, smart overload followed by adequate and active rest. So go ahead and catch your breath doctor’s orders.