Can you guess what the biggest sign of high cortisol is? Weight gain!!
Strenuous exercise can push the cortisol level higher and since the adrenal glands and the thyroid gland work together, this may cause my thyroid to under function as well.
The adrenal glands and the thyroid gland run on the same axis, HPAT (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal-Thyroid), so one can greatly affect the other. When cortisol is high, it not only can cause weight gain, but it can also cause fatigue, insomnia and several other unwanted symptoms.
Strenuous exercise can also cause suppression of the immune system. Since about 97% of thyroid disease is autoimmune in nature, this can also cause strain on the thyroid gland leading to weight gain.
The truth is that high-intensity exercise has many health benefits but weight loss is not one of them.
For some with high cortisol and/or a thyroid condition, they may need to start with something like yoga or Pilates until the adrenal glands and thyroid gland have been supported for some time.
20 min of meditation and pranayama sessions can further help in bringing the cortisol level under control. It also has a profound impact on the thyroid gland which regulates our metabolism.
Another reason for weight gain can be because of an increase in muscle mass which is, in fact, good news.
