drtbear1967
Musclechemistry Board Certified Member
In the past few years, research has shown that high level of cortisol can be very harmful to the body. We have heard this for years but we may not know exactly what cortisol does to the body and why it can be so harmful. In this article, we will layout what cortisol does in the body, the effects and the supplement MPA CortiSolve that is being used to address the high level of cortisol in today’s population.
How does cortisol affect the body during times of stress? Cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis (the making of new glucose) in the liver, using amino acids, lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Cortisol is also involved in glycogenolysis (the breakdown of glycogen stored in the liver and muscle cells), which is necessary as it activates glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme needed to complete the whole process. Cortisol also inhibits insulin from shuttling glucose into cells by decreasing the translocation of glucose transporters to the cell surface. All of this results in quite a bit of glucose floating around in the blood stream. This is great if we’re actually running away from a bear. Not so good if you’re just stressed about paying your taxes.
Cortisol also partially shuts down the immune system when levels are high. It interferes with T-cell production and function, making your body more susceptible to invading pathogens. Ever notice how people who are constantly stressed are always getting sick? Or how a person can go through a major stressor and right after overcoming it become incredibly ill? We usually chalk this up to bad luck, but is it really luck or is it a body too overwhelmed to cope anymore?
Bones and muscles are also affected by cortisol. Cortisol inhibits the uptake of amino acids into the muscle cells, making it damn near impossible to fuel muscle cells when cortisol levels are too high for too long. It also inhibits bone formation and decreases calcium absorption in the intestine. So, when cortisol is high, there’s no bone growth and no muscle growth. This could be problematic, no?
Our blood pressure also goes up in the presence of elevated cortisol levels. This is due to several different mechanisms. Cortisol makes the body more sensitive to the effects of epinephrine and nor epinephrine, causing vasoconstriction, or reduced blood flow, in many parts of the body. It also serves as an ant diuretic and causes the body to retain sodium. Again, this is great if we actually need to perform a physical task. However, if we’re under constant stress, high blood pressure, decreased blood flow to some of our organs, and sodium and water retention are not really signs of great health.
Let’s name a few more things that cortisol does in the body. Keep in mind these things are beneficial in the short term, but problematic if cortisol stays elevated for long periods of time:
Cortisol production, both too little and too much, can interfere with the production of thyroid hormones and the conversion of T4 to T3.
• Cortisol causes an increase in gastric acid production. When chronic, this can lead to reflux and other problems in the intestine. The decreased blood flow to the GI tract can also cause incredible problems with digestion.
• Cortisol disrupts the reproductive system, causing infertility or even miscarriage when cortisol levels are too high or chronically elevated.
• When our reproductive system shuts down, guess what hormone level goes down? Testosterone. I shouldn’t have to explain why that can cause some pretty negative things to happen in regard to your training and fitness goals.
• Cortisol decreases inflammation by reducing the secretion of histamine and stabilizing cellular structure.
• Increasing cortisol and chronically elevated cortisol can cause intense hunger and food cravings due to the metabolic derangement that occurs. Okay, if you just fought off a mountain lion. Not okay if you sat in the car for an hour during rush hour traffic.
So, how does cortisol production become deranged? Normally when cortisol reaches a certain level it automatically shuts off the mechanisms that signal for it, therefore limiting production. It goes something like this:
The hypothalamus, when it senses a stressor, produces CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone), which then stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce ACTH, which then stimulates the adrenal gland to produce cortisol. When cortisol levels get high the message is sent to the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary that, “Hey guys, we’re kind of overloaded here. Time to shut it down for a while.”
Now, it is thought that when cortisol levels are too high for too long this feedback mechanism gets a little screwy. I like to think of it like insulin resistance. If we pound cupcakes and candy day in and day out for too long we become insulin resistant and we then need medicine, or a major diet overhaul, to get our blood glucose under control. The same seems to apply to cortisol and adrenal health. We let stress get the best of us for too long and our bodies just can’t handle it anymore. Cortisol production may go through the roof, your body may not make enough, or you may make a ton of it at night when you’re trying to sleep and nothing in the morning. Ugh.
As you can see, cortisol and the adrenal system are finicky and complex. Without cortisol, our bodies cannot deal with the stress we encounter on an everyday basis. However, when we abuse our minds and our bodies, we eventually pay the price. Our cortisol levels become incongruent with our needs. Think about this the next time you “suck it up” and go to the gym on four hours of sleep or say yes to yet another work project that you may or may not actually have time to complete. While some part of you might be proud for toughing out the workout today, are you actually negatively impacting your health and fitness goals?
There is a new supplement that is being used to address cortisol levels a cortisol optimizer if you will, that many of today’s bodybuilders and athletics.
MPA CortiSolve is a naturally occurring phospholipids, designed to minimize the cortisol increase after exercise while optimizing the testosteronetocortisol ratio post exercise.
MPA CortiSolve is known as a "cortisol optimizer" because it can optimize the beneficial hormones such as testosterone, while preventing the unwanted spike in cortisol associated with exercise, so you can begin making progress towards building a harder, more muscular physique.
MPA CortiSolve comes in a delicious chocolate cocoa flavor that’s sweetened naturally with stevia & lo han. Due to the texture and natural flavoring of the raw ingredients the designated flavor coincides perfectly with the key ingredient (PS). MPA CortiSolve can be directly spooned into your mouth (my personal preference), or mixed into your favorite beverage or yogurt. Each scoop includes the heftiest dose of PS you’ll find on the market 800 mg. In studies, 750-800 mgs has been shown to mitigate excessive cortisol post strenuous exercise, improve exercise capacity, and decrease muscle soreness. Through anecdotal experience, and trials done on my own athletes I have found the potent dose of 600800 mg taken pretraining is ideal for hard training athletes in their plight to optimize their cortisol response.
How does MPA CortiSolve work?
MPA CortiSolve works by supplying the body with vital phospholipids and neurotransmitters, thus reducing the requirement for cortisol following strenuous physical or mental activity and supporting a higher testosteronetocortisol ratio (11,21,37)
Optimal cortisol output and testosterone levels help promote faster recovery, increased muscle growth and enhanced fat loss. (36)
How does MPA CortiSolve Support Testosterone production?
FEMALES Listen up!DO NOTBE AFRAID of the “T word” mentioned in this writeup! CortiSolve is a formula for both men & women. For men, you have testicles;these naturally occurring phospholipids will help sensitize the testicles response to luteinizing hormone, which is great for men. For women,you don’t have testicles; it won’t have any effect on you whatsoever besides lowering cortisol and making your tummy look amazing.
The active ingredient phosphatidylserine (PS) prevents the exercise induced cortisol spike, and is a vital nutrient that supports testicular function and testosterone production. (11,37) Each serving of MPA CortiSolve includes slightly above the clinically proven dose of 750 mg of PS and gives you a bolus 800 mg per serving!
A recent study examined the effects of 10 days of 600mg/day PS supplementation on testosterone and cortisol during and after exercise. (37) The researchers found that PS supplementation increased testosterone 78% over the placebo group, while completely blunting the cortisol response to exercise. When analyzed for the testosterone to cortisol (T:C) ratio and compared to placebo, the PS group had a 3,354% higher T:C!
In another human study, hormone levels were examined during two weeks of intense weight training. The group receiving the 800 mg of PS had higher testosterone levels and lower cortisol levels, compared to the group receiving the placebo. (11) Another study showed that 800 mg of PS reduced cortisol levels 30% (compared to the placebo group) after intense cycling exercise. (21)
It’s been hypothesized that PS supplementation minimizes cortisol secretion by providing the necessary phospholipids required for cellular membrane structure and regulatory functions, thus reducing the requirement for bodily breakdown and nutrient displacement. (17,25,36,38)
Research also suggests that PS supports testosterone production by increasing the testes sensitivity to luteinizing hormone (LH) and increases testicular steroid genesis a.k.a. the creation of testosterone. (111, 1926)
In other words, MPA CortiSolve creates a more conducive environment for testosterone synthesis in the testes by mitigating the damaging effects from cortisol supplying the testes with the necessary phospholipids for testicular function.
Key Benefits of Using MPA CortiSolve
● Highest dosed PS supplement available per serving
● Lowers cortisol into healthy ranges without blocking the corticosteroid receptor
● May reduce muscle soreness after resistance training
● May protect cell membranes encourages optimal cell signaling
● May support brain health & memory function
● May increase insulin sensitivity by lowering excess cortisol levels blunting gluconeogenesis & preserving muscle glycogen
● Perfect product to incorporate for Post Cycle Therapy (pct) after coming off a hormone cycle to mitigate a rise in cortisol and optimize testosterone output.
How does cortisol affect the body during times of stress? Cortisol stimulates gluconeogenesis (the making of new glucose) in the liver, using amino acids, lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Cortisol is also involved in glycogenolysis (the breakdown of glycogen stored in the liver and muscle cells), which is necessary as it activates glycogen phosphorylase, an enzyme needed to complete the whole process. Cortisol also inhibits insulin from shuttling glucose into cells by decreasing the translocation of glucose transporters to the cell surface. All of this results in quite a bit of glucose floating around in the blood stream. This is great if we’re actually running away from a bear. Not so good if you’re just stressed about paying your taxes.
Cortisol also partially shuts down the immune system when levels are high. It interferes with T-cell production and function, making your body more susceptible to invading pathogens. Ever notice how people who are constantly stressed are always getting sick? Or how a person can go through a major stressor and right after overcoming it become incredibly ill? We usually chalk this up to bad luck, but is it really luck or is it a body too overwhelmed to cope anymore?
Bones and muscles are also affected by cortisol. Cortisol inhibits the uptake of amino acids into the muscle cells, making it damn near impossible to fuel muscle cells when cortisol levels are too high for too long. It also inhibits bone formation and decreases calcium absorption in the intestine. So, when cortisol is high, there’s no bone growth and no muscle growth. This could be problematic, no?
Our blood pressure also goes up in the presence of elevated cortisol levels. This is due to several different mechanisms. Cortisol makes the body more sensitive to the effects of epinephrine and nor epinephrine, causing vasoconstriction, or reduced blood flow, in many parts of the body. It also serves as an ant diuretic and causes the body to retain sodium. Again, this is great if we actually need to perform a physical task. However, if we’re under constant stress, high blood pressure, decreased blood flow to some of our organs, and sodium and water retention are not really signs of great health.
Let’s name a few more things that cortisol does in the body. Keep in mind these things are beneficial in the short term, but problematic if cortisol stays elevated for long periods of time:
Cortisol production, both too little and too much, can interfere with the production of thyroid hormones and the conversion of T4 to T3.
• Cortisol causes an increase in gastric acid production. When chronic, this can lead to reflux and other problems in the intestine. The decreased blood flow to the GI tract can also cause incredible problems with digestion.
• Cortisol disrupts the reproductive system, causing infertility or even miscarriage when cortisol levels are too high or chronically elevated.
• When our reproductive system shuts down, guess what hormone level goes down? Testosterone. I shouldn’t have to explain why that can cause some pretty negative things to happen in regard to your training and fitness goals.
• Cortisol decreases inflammation by reducing the secretion of histamine and stabilizing cellular structure.
• Increasing cortisol and chronically elevated cortisol can cause intense hunger and food cravings due to the metabolic derangement that occurs. Okay, if you just fought off a mountain lion. Not okay if you sat in the car for an hour during rush hour traffic.
So, how does cortisol production become deranged? Normally when cortisol reaches a certain level it automatically shuts off the mechanisms that signal for it, therefore limiting production. It goes something like this:
The hypothalamus, when it senses a stressor, produces CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone), which then stimulates the anterior pituitary gland to produce ACTH, which then stimulates the adrenal gland to produce cortisol. When cortisol levels get high the message is sent to the hypothalamus and the anterior pituitary that, “Hey guys, we’re kind of overloaded here. Time to shut it down for a while.”
Now, it is thought that when cortisol levels are too high for too long this feedback mechanism gets a little screwy. I like to think of it like insulin resistance. If we pound cupcakes and candy day in and day out for too long we become insulin resistant and we then need medicine, or a major diet overhaul, to get our blood glucose under control. The same seems to apply to cortisol and adrenal health. We let stress get the best of us for too long and our bodies just can’t handle it anymore. Cortisol production may go through the roof, your body may not make enough, or you may make a ton of it at night when you’re trying to sleep and nothing in the morning. Ugh.
As you can see, cortisol and the adrenal system are finicky and complex. Without cortisol, our bodies cannot deal with the stress we encounter on an everyday basis. However, when we abuse our minds and our bodies, we eventually pay the price. Our cortisol levels become incongruent with our needs. Think about this the next time you “suck it up” and go to the gym on four hours of sleep or say yes to yet another work project that you may or may not actually have time to complete. While some part of you might be proud for toughing out the workout today, are you actually negatively impacting your health and fitness goals?
There is a new supplement that is being used to address cortisol levels a cortisol optimizer if you will, that many of today’s bodybuilders and athletics.
MPA CortiSolve is a naturally occurring phospholipids, designed to minimize the cortisol increase after exercise while optimizing the testosteronetocortisol ratio post exercise.
MPA CortiSolve is known as a "cortisol optimizer" because it can optimize the beneficial hormones such as testosterone, while preventing the unwanted spike in cortisol associated with exercise, so you can begin making progress towards building a harder, more muscular physique.
MPA CortiSolve comes in a delicious chocolate cocoa flavor that’s sweetened naturally with stevia & lo han. Due to the texture and natural flavoring of the raw ingredients the designated flavor coincides perfectly with the key ingredient (PS). MPA CortiSolve can be directly spooned into your mouth (my personal preference), or mixed into your favorite beverage or yogurt. Each scoop includes the heftiest dose of PS you’ll find on the market 800 mg. In studies, 750-800 mgs has been shown to mitigate excessive cortisol post strenuous exercise, improve exercise capacity, and decrease muscle soreness. Through anecdotal experience, and trials done on my own athletes I have found the potent dose of 600800 mg taken pretraining is ideal for hard training athletes in their plight to optimize their cortisol response.
How does MPA CortiSolve work?
MPA CortiSolve works by supplying the body with vital phospholipids and neurotransmitters, thus reducing the requirement for cortisol following strenuous physical or mental activity and supporting a higher testosteronetocortisol ratio (11,21,37)
Optimal cortisol output and testosterone levels help promote faster recovery, increased muscle growth and enhanced fat loss. (36)
How does MPA CortiSolve Support Testosterone production?
FEMALES Listen up!DO NOTBE AFRAID of the “T word” mentioned in this writeup! CortiSolve is a formula for both men & women. For men, you have testicles;these naturally occurring phospholipids will help sensitize the testicles response to luteinizing hormone, which is great for men. For women,you don’t have testicles; it won’t have any effect on you whatsoever besides lowering cortisol and making your tummy look amazing.
The active ingredient phosphatidylserine (PS) prevents the exercise induced cortisol spike, and is a vital nutrient that supports testicular function and testosterone production. (11,37) Each serving of MPA CortiSolve includes slightly above the clinically proven dose of 750 mg of PS and gives you a bolus 800 mg per serving!
A recent study examined the effects of 10 days of 600mg/day PS supplementation on testosterone and cortisol during and after exercise. (37) The researchers found that PS supplementation increased testosterone 78% over the placebo group, while completely blunting the cortisol response to exercise. When analyzed for the testosterone to cortisol (T:C) ratio and compared to placebo, the PS group had a 3,354% higher T:C!
In another human study, hormone levels were examined during two weeks of intense weight training. The group receiving the 800 mg of PS had higher testosterone levels and lower cortisol levels, compared to the group receiving the placebo. (11) Another study showed that 800 mg of PS reduced cortisol levels 30% (compared to the placebo group) after intense cycling exercise. (21)
It’s been hypothesized that PS supplementation minimizes cortisol secretion by providing the necessary phospholipids required for cellular membrane structure and regulatory functions, thus reducing the requirement for bodily breakdown and nutrient displacement. (17,25,36,38)
Research also suggests that PS supports testosterone production by increasing the testes sensitivity to luteinizing hormone (LH) and increases testicular steroid genesis a.k.a. the creation of testosterone. (111, 1926)
In other words, MPA CortiSolve creates a more conducive environment for testosterone synthesis in the testes by mitigating the damaging effects from cortisol supplying the testes with the necessary phospholipids for testicular function.
Key Benefits of Using MPA CortiSolve
● Highest dosed PS supplement available per serving
● Lowers cortisol into healthy ranges without blocking the corticosteroid receptor
● May reduce muscle soreness after resistance training
● May protect cell membranes encourages optimal cell signaling
● May support brain health & memory function
● May increase insulin sensitivity by lowering excess cortisol levels blunting gluconeogenesis & preserving muscle glycogen
● Perfect product to incorporate for Post Cycle Therapy (pct) after coming off a hormone cycle to mitigate a rise in cortisol and optimize testosterone output.
