Long-term coffee drinking may lead to excessive cortisol. What is the relationship between cortisol and obesity?

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Recently, a topic about coffee has become a hot search topic, sparking discussion among netizens. Netizens said that the amount of black coffee often consumed in some chain stores can increase the cortisol in our bodies by 25%-30%, making it increasingly difficult to lose belly fat.

So, why does coffee cause obesity?

What is Cortisol

First we need to understand what cortisol is.

Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, hydrocortisone or compound F, is an adrenal cortical hormone extracted from the adrenal cortex that has the strongest effect on carbohydrate metabolism, that is, it is a type of glucocorticoid.

Normal cortisol metabolism follows this physiological rhythm, which is a 24-hour cycle. Generally, cortisol levels are highest in the morning (about 6-8 am) and lowest in the early morning (about 0-2 am). Usually, cortisol levels will drop suddenly between 8 am and 12 am, and then continue a slow downward trend throughout the day. From around 2 am, cortisol levels begin to rise again from the lowest point, making us awake and ready to face a new stressful day. Breaking the pattern will cause cortisol levels to rise when they should be falling.

Normally, the body is able to control the secretion of cortisol and regulate the level of cortisol in the blood very well, but this is not always the case (and the latter is more common).

Abnormal obesity may be caused by excessive secretion of cortisol

Cortisol mainly manages the metabolism of the three major nutrients in humans: sugar, fat, and protein. These three nutrients are also the basic needs for maintaining our lives.

Increased cortisol can lead to regulatory disorders, causing obvious accumulation of fat that stores energy, while also mobilizing the burning of protein. Protein that should not be burned is burned, and fat that should have been used is left unused and accumulated, leading to centripetal obesity, resulting in a large amount of fat accumulation in the belly and back.

At the same time, metabolic disorders can also cause a series of chronic diseases such as hyperglycemia, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.

The key to the pros and cons of coffee is moderation

Does this mean that coffee is no longer drinkable?

Everything has multiple sides, and we need to understand the world dialectically. For example, water is an essential element for maintaining life, but drinking too much water at once may lead to water poisoning, so the right amount is important.

A review article published in the Annals of Internal Medicine states that the protective effect of coffee is biologically plausible. The polyphenols and other bioactive substances in coffee have antioxidant effects and are associated with reducing insulin resistance and inflammation.

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The "Food and Health - Scientific Evidence Consensus" released by the Chinese Nutrition Society points out that drinking moderate coffee (about 1 to 2 cups of medium-sized American coffee per day) may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

Researchers at the University of Southern California conducted a 16-year follow-up survey on the health of 185,000 Americans and found that coffee drinkers have a lower risk of dying from heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, respiratory diseases, kidney disease and other diseases.

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According to the "Scientific Consensus on Coffee and Health" jointly issued by the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food Hygiene Branch of the Chinese Preventive Medicine Association and other five institutions, the daily caffeine intake of ordinary adults should be controlled within 400 mg. This is equivalent to no more than 4 cups of pure coffee (150 ml/cup). If it is a small bag of 1.8-2 grams of instant coffee, no more than 5 bags per day. The caffeine content in a cup of 240 ml of freshly brewed coffee is about 95-200 mg.

Therefore, ordinary people who drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day don’t need to think so much, but if you drink coffee as water every day, you should pay attention and it is recommended to reduce the amount appropriately. In addition, for some special groups such as pregnant women, breastfeeding women, heart patients, etc., coffee intake should be avoided or reduced.