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Herbal Pharmacist

The Connection Between Stress, Weight Gain, and other Metabolic Disorders

by | Dec 6, 2024 | Aging Gracefully, E-Gaming, General Health, Men's Health, Mental Health, Sleep, stress, weight management, Weight Mangament

How Stress Affects Weight and Metabolism

The Stress Response and Cortisol

When faced with stress, the body activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, releasing cortisol, often called the “stress hormone.” While short-term spikes in cortisol help deal with immediate challenges, chronic stress results in persistently elevated cortisol levels.

Elevated cortisol can[i]:

  • Promote Fat Storage: Cortisol encourages the accumulation of visceral fat, the type stored around internal organs, which is linked to metabolic disorders.
  • Stimulate Appetite: Chronic stress drives cravings for high-calorie, sugary, and fatty foods as a survival mechanism.

Stress-Induced Overeating

Stress often leads to emotional eating, where individuals consume food for comfort rather than hunger. This behavior is exacerbated by releasing neuropeptide Y (NPY) under stress, which increases appetite and encourages fat deposition.[ii]

Impact on Metabolic Health

Chronic stress can disrupt metabolic health in the following ways[iii]:

  • Insulin Resistance: Prolonged cortisol elevation impairs the body’s ability to use insulin effectively, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
  • Inflammation: Stress triggers systemic inflammation, contributing to conditions like metabolic syndrome.
  • Dysregulated Blood Sugar: Frequent stress-induced cortisol surges lead to erratic blood sugar levels, increasing the risk of diabetes.

Stress-Busting Ingredients

While the supplements below do not have clinical evidence that they specifically impact weight loss or other metabolic challenges, they have sound clinical support for stress and mood. If someone knew they were under chronic stress, these would be a great addition to their supplement program.

Ashwagandha (Sensoril® from Kerry, KSM-66® from KSM-66®)- Research shows that ashwagandha decreases daily stress and significantly decreases serum cortisol levels.[iv]

Holy Basil (Holixer® from Natural Remedies)- A 100-member study with Holixer showed a significant reduction in perceived stress (perceived stress scale) (38%) and hair cortisol levels (66%) when compared to the placebo group.  Hair cortisol levels are an indicator of stress over an extended period. Holixer also showed its effects (within 10 minutes) during acute stress.[v]

Kanna (Zembrin® from PLT Health Solutions)- study showed its direct effect on the amygdala (the brain’s stress center) within 2 hours post-consumption, which provides benefits of decreasing stress and increasing calmness.[vi]

Saffron (Affron® from Pharmactive Biotech)- Affron® is a patented and clinically substantiated ingredient of saffron (Crocus sativus).  Studies show:

  • Alleviating occasional stress, frustration, and tension in adults[vii]
  • Helped children (12-16 years of age) maintain a positive mood and alleviate occasional stress, frustration, and tension.[viii]
  • Improve psychological symptoms (low mood and occasional stress) in perimenopausal women (32-33% reduction)[ix]

Putting a Bow on the Topic

Stress is more than a psychological burden—it’s a physiological challenge with far-reaching consequences for weight and metabolic health. By understanding the mechanisms behind stress-induced weight gain and metabolic disorders, individuals can adopt healthier habits to counteract these effects. Managing stress through lifestyle changes, mindful eating, and emotional regulation is key to breaking the stress-weight cycle and improving overall well-being.

[i] Sominsky L, Spencer SJ. Eating behavior and stress: a pathway to obesity. Front Psychol. 2014 May 13;5:434. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00434. PMID: 24860541; PMCID: PMC4026680.

[ii] Sominsky L, Spencer SJ. Eating behavior and stress: a pathway to obesity. Front Psychol. 2014 May 13;5:434. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00434. PMID: 24860541; PMCID: PMC4026680.

[iii] Rosmond R. Role of stress in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2005 Jan;30(1):1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2004.05.007. PMID: 15358437.

[iv] Auddy B, Hazra J, Mitra A, Abedon B, Ghosal S, A Standardized Withania Somnifera Extract Significantly Reduces Stress-Related Parameters in Chronically Stressed Humans: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study ,JANA Vol. 11, No. 1, 2008 50-56

[v] Lopresti AL, “A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of an Ocimum tenuiflorum (Holy Basil) extract (Holixer™) on stress, mood, and sleep in adults experiencing stress” Frontiers in Nutrition 2022 DOI

10.3389/fnut.2022.965130

[vi] Terburg D, Syal S, Rosenberger LA, Heany S, Phillips N, Gericke N, Stein DJ, van Honk J. Acute effects of Sceletium tortuosum (Zembrin), a dual 5-HT reuptake and PDE4 inhibitor, in the human amygdala and its connection to the hypothalamus. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2013 Dec;38(13):2708-16. doi: 10.1038/npp.2013.183. Epub 2013 Aug

[vii] Kell G, Rao A, Beccaria G, Clayton P, Inarejos-García AM, Prodanov M. affron® a novel saffron extract (Crocus sativus L.) improves mood in healthy adults over four weeks in a double-blind, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.  Complement Ther Med. 2017 Aug;33:58-64.  doi: 10.1016/j.ctim.2017.06.001. Epub 2017 Jun 13.  PMID: 28735826.

[viii] Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Inarejos-García AM, Prodanov M. affron®, a standardized extract from saffron (Crocus sativus L.) for the treatment of youth anxiety and depressive symptoms: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.  J Affect Disord.  2018 May;232:349-357.  doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.02.070. Epub 2018 Feb 26.  PMID: 29510352.

[ix] Lopresti AL, Smith SJ.   The Effects of a Saffron Extract (affron®) on Menopausal Symptoms in Women during Perimenopause: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.   J Menopausal Med. 2021;27:e8.   https://doi.org/10.6118/jmm.21002