Cortisol panic on social media

Influencers blame cortisol for everything from obesity to poor digestion, creating fear around a hormone that's actually essential for health and exercise.

“Shouty influencers linking the hormone to ultra-processed foods and omega-6s and obesity.”

Supplements promise athletic recovery

Pills and drinks claim they lower cortisol to improve sleep, focus, and workout recovery. The pitch: high cortisol from stress blocks your body's ability to bounce back.

Cortisol spikes are actually helpful

A cortisol spike from hard exercise is adaptive and necessary. It mobilizes fuel and organizes repair. You need to hit 60 percent of VO2 max just to raise it at all.

“The cortisol spike you get from a hard workout is the signal that mobilizes fuel and organizes repair.”

Below that threshold, exercise lowers cortisol

Workouts below 60 percent of VO2 max actually reduce cortisol. You're engaging in self-care when you exercise, not triggering a stress response.

Overtraining shows low cortisol

Athletes who are genuinely overtrained show blunted cortisol response, not elevated. The American College of Sports Medicine says resting cortisol isn't even useful for measuring overtraining.

“When researchers look at athletes who are genuinely overtrained, they find a blunted cortisol response, not an elevated one.”

Real recovery needs sleep and food

The three things that move recovery are sleep, eating enough to support training, and managing load. Supplement ingredients like L-glutamine are just nutrients found in balanced meals.

“The three things that actually move recovery are sleep, eating enough to support the training, and managing load.”

Protein and carbs are what matters

The most important nutrients for recovery after hard workouts are protein and carbs. Before buying a supplement, look at how much you're sleeping and eating.

“If a guy is worried about stress and performance, the honest advice is to look at how much he's sleeping and eating before considering a supplement.”