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Exercise and Stress: Do High-Intensity Workouts Spike Cortisol Levels?
The New York Times • • health
Key Points:
- Cortisol, often labeled negatively on social media, is a vital hormone that helps the body respond to stress by increasing blood flow to muscles and providing energy.
- High-intensity or prolonged exercise does cause cortisol levels to rise, but this spike is a normal and healthy response rather than harmful.
- The belief that strenuous workouts are bad due to cortisol increases is a misunderstanding; cortisol does not always equate to harmful stress.
- Experts emphasize that cortisol plays an essential role in the body's fight-or-flight response and overall health, especially during physical activity.
- Wellness advice recommending only low-intensity exercise to avoid cortisol spikes overlooks the hormone’s beneficial functions during exercise.
