Supplements In Bodybuilding That Reduce High Cortisol

A stress hormone manufactured in the adrenal glands, cortisol can seriously marginalize the efforts of bodybuilders. Robert Kapolsky PhD, a researcher and the author of the best-selling book on stress "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers," explains that cortisol plays a variety of roles in the body and that excessive release can increase cardiovascular risk and impair mental processing. It can also induce insulin resistance and led to weight gain, as well as disrupting the repair and rebuilding process required for the body to accumulate muscle mass. Some supplements may help reduce cortisol output.

Phosphatidyl-Choline

A phospholipid, phosphatidyl-choline exists in everyone as part of the your cellular membrane. When used as a supplement, the compound can inhibit the release of cortisol from your adrenal glands. Charles Poliquin, a Canadian strength coach who has worked with a range of Olympic athletes, explains that keeping the lid on cortisol after workouts remains key to achieving impressive gains in muscle strength and size; cortisol, a catabolic hormone, could otherwise interfere with the anabolic actions of testosterone. Poliquin suggests taking phosphatidyl-choline soon after completing the workout to make the most of its cortisol-lowering properties.

Rhodiola Rosea

Botanists classify rhodiola rosea, widely distributed in the mountainous regions throughout Europe and Asia, as an adaptogen. Adaptogenic herbs help normalize hormonal levels, boosting them when they are low and lowering them when they measure high. Nutritional Reviews notes how rhodiola helps you cope with external stressors and can help avoid the changes that occur in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during times of stress. This can help maintain a healthier balance when psychological or physical stress increases.

Magnesium Orotate

Magnesium plays an important role in more than 300 different enzymes in the human body, affecting a wide range of biological system including those involved in hydration, cellular energy production and muscle relaxation. Poliquin explains that magnesium helps to induce deep sleep and an anabolic state within the body. He prefers the orotate form of the mineral, which sees magnesium bound to oratic acid, as this appears to lower both cortisol and other stress hormones known as catecholamines. The conditioning coach recommends taking the supplement in split doses over the course of the evening for maximum effect.