Cortisol Control

Diet Pills

You may have heard some of the fuss lately about cortisol, and how it could be responsible for stress related weight gain around the abdominal region. To a certain degree such claims may be true, cortisol is a hormone excreted by the adrenal glands in times of physical or emotional stress. It's part of our body's natural fight-flight mechanism, and in times of stress we do excrete more cortisol into the blood stream than usual. This excess cortisol is used by our body to efficiently convert protein into glucose. Where high levels of glucose can raise the blood sugar level and result in increased fat storage, that is if such energy is not burned off with physical activity (ie. flight or fight).

So getting to the point, how do cortisol controllers work? Quite simply they work as mild anti-anxiety or "feel good" pills. The claim is these pills help to relax you in times of stress, and when you're relaxed your body won't excrete (as much) cortisol. A lower level of cortisol in the blood stream therefore has a direct correlation to lower glucose levels and less potential for fat storage.

Now for the bad news. If it were as simple as stress related cortisol then I would feel comfortable calling cortisol controllers "magic pills," unfortunately magic pills they are not. Increased cortisol levels in the body may not only result from stress, but may also result from poor diet, an overactive adrenal gland, some types of cancer, or long-term use of corticosteroids such as those used to treat asthma and other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. Obviously it's important to see your doctor if you suspect increased cortisol levels to be an issue. Testing cortisol levels can be as simple as a urine test, but more commonly cortisol levels are determined through two blood tests – one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

Cortisol Control Side Effects

Diet pills which attempt to control cortisol through stress management have less serious side effects than those pills which suppress appetite or boost metabolism. Cortisol control diet pills have been associated with sleepiness, irritability, cramps, gas, and bloating. Some individuals may also experience minor depression for a couple days following discontinued use.

Ingredients in Cortisol Control Pills

The majority of ingredients in cortisol control pills promote relaxation. Very few cortisol controlling diet pills include stimulants, however some do contain caffeine which is a bit of a surprise considering a side effect of caffeine is nervousness. Nevertheless the majority of ingredients promote relaxation and may include green tea extract, calcium, chromium, magnesium, thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, vitamin C, l-theanine, scutellaria, folic acid, and DHEA.

An interesting ingredient included in CortiSlim is citrus aurantium. This is an ephedra like stimulant and comes from a fruit also known as bitter orange. The concern over this ingredient is its structural similarity to ephedra, raising fear that it may cause similar serious side effects. Citrus aurantium's other common names include: synephrine, bitter orange, zhi shi, citrus bergamia, citrus bigaradia, citrus vulgaris, among others.

Does Cortisol Control Work?

So does stress related cortisol control work? Hard to say. I believe diet pills such as Relacore and CortiSlim are effective at reducing stress – that's for sure. The question is whether the stress management is enough to significantly affect cortisol levels such that glucose levels are reduced enough to prevent weight gain.

As I hinted above, cortisol levels are also affected by poor diet. The consumption of simple or refined carbohydrates often results in a spike of high blood sugar. Our body's respond to such a spike by excreting insulin to bring the blood sugar down, but often too low. If blood sugar is too low then our body increases it with, you guessed it – cortisol!

My final take? If your weight gain is the result of a very stressful lifestyle, and high levels of cortisol have not been associated with serious health complications, then perhaps cortisol controlling diet pills may help to promote weight loss. However, with such pills it's important to follow a healthy diet plan low in simple carbohydrates, as well as follow a moderate exercise program which helps boost metabolism.

Cortisol Diet Pills

CortiSlim
Relacore
Cortiburn
Cortidrene

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