You may have heard the term cortisol steal (or pregnenolone steal) in relation to stress and hormones. It refers to how, under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production at the expense of other essential hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. For those experiencing high stress, stored trauma, or hormone imbalances, understanding how cortisol affects the body can illuminate frustrating symptoms and offer a path to relief.
Common Symptoms of Cortisol Steal
The cortisol steal often contributes to frustrating symptoms, such as:
- Fatigue: With the body constantly producing cortisol, energy levels can feel drained.
- Sleep Disturbances: High cortisol, particularly at night, disrupts sleep patterns.
- Mood Swings and Irritability: Hormonal imbalances can cause emotional highs and lows.
- Weight Gain: Excess cortisol prompts fat storage, particularly around the midsection.
- Low Libido: Reduced testosterone and estrogen from the cortisol steal can impact sexual health.
These symptoms, combined with everyday stressors, can easily escalate into a cycle where high cortisol keeps the body in a constant state of stress, making it difficult to relax and recharge. Recognizing this pattern is the first step in breaking free and restoring balance.
The Science of the Cortisol Steal
When the body is stressed, it produces cortisol to help you cope with the demands at hand. However, the process isn’t simple: it pulls from a finite reserve of building blocks, particularly pregnenolone, which is essential for producing many hormones. In a state of prolonged stress, pregnenolone becomes largely devoted to cortisol production instead of creating estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, leading to hormonal imbalances.
Imagine pregnenolone as a resource your body uses to balance multiple priorities. When stress is chronic, cortisol demands the lion’s share, limiting the availability for other hormones. This prioritization is why stress often seems to worsen symptoms of hormonal imbalance, leading to a frustrating overlap of symptoms that can feel out of your control.
The result? Higher cortisol paired with lower levels of other hormones can mimic or intensify symptoms of conditions like perimenopause, menopause, or andropause. The body’s drive to produce cortisol under stress can effectively “steal” resources needed for optimal hormonal health.
How Somatic Exercises Help Regulate Cortisol and Rebalance Hormones
You can reduce the effects of cortisol steal by adding somatic exercises to your routine. These exercises help balance hormone levels and lower cortisol.
Not only do somatic exercises promote emotional release, but they also address the root cause of high cortisol—stress. By incorporating somatic exercises, you can relax and restore balance to your body while releasing stored trauma and supporting hormone regulation.
Are you ready to take control of your hormonal health?
Join the Lower Your Cortisol (90 Day Course) and start your journey toward balance today!