Stress, cortisol and obesity: a role for cortisol responsiveness in identifying individuals prone to obesity

There is a strong inter-relationship between activation of the hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis and energy homeostasis. Patients with abdominal obesity have elevated cortisol levels. Furthermore, stress and glucocorticoids act to control both food intake and energy expenditure. In particular, glucocorticoids are known to increase the consumption of foods enriched in fat and sugar. It is well known that, in all species, the cortisol response to stress or adrenocorticotropin is highly variable. It has now emerged, that cortisol responsiveness is an important determinant in the metabolic sequelae to stress.
Source: Domestic Animal Endocrinology - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Source Type: research