Cortisol is a natural stress hormone which is released by the body as a reaction to stress in the body. It is produced in the adrenal glands. The problem arises when the production of cortisol is in excess of the demand of the body. The excess production of the hormone leads to reduction in muscle mass and to deposition of fat deposits.

The cortisol levels can be reduced in the body by natural methods such as taking vitamin supplements, sleeping, etc.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most gainful supplements for cortisol level reduction. As per researches carried out taking 1 gm of Vitamin C 3 times a day is helpful in controlling the cortisol levels.

Glutamine

Glutamine is a naturally occurring amino acid which is found in the muscle cells. It helps in preserving the muscles by reducing the cortisol levels. It is also responsible for increasing the muscle cell volume, increasing the protein synthesis. It also aids to improving immune function and abets better glycogen replacement.  It should be taken in a dosage of 5 gm each 3 times a day.

Stress Reduction

The most effective method of controlling cortisol levels is the use of ways and means to reduce stress in daily life. It is prudent to plan your routine in advance and have effective time management. The more stress free your life, lesser would be the cortisol levels in your body.

Strength Train for maximum of 60 minutes

The testosterone levels tend to fall down after a workout of about an hour. The body goes from an anabolic state (building state) to catabolic state (breakdown state). This would result in a breakdown in the muscle cells. The body needs time to recover and heal. Give it sufficient recovery period.

Cardiovascular Exercise

While doing cardiovascular exercise there is a tendency in people to keep on going on with the exercise to the extent of overdoing it. The maximum time allotted to aerobic exercise should be about 20 – 45 minutes for males and about 30 – 45 minutes for females. Doing aerobic exercise for a longer duration will cause the cortisol levels to rise.

Sleep for 8 hours

For a person to function normally, the body needs to rest for at least 8 hours in the night. In real life, to meet the ever increasing demands of work and family, people tend to cut back on their sleeping time. Deficiency in sleep will cause the body to go in stress and to release cortisol in the blood stream. It is advisable that in case a person is not able to sleep for 8 hours, he/she should try to catch a nap in the day to compensate.

It is imperative to mention here that labeling cortisol as the culprit is to over-simplify the matter. The body needs cortisol for stopping the production of protein in the body. It also helps in regeneration of new protein from the old protein molecules. In short, cortisol is required by the body.

To attain maximum benefits of bodybuilding one should try to limit the levels of cortisol and not to eliminate cortisol from the body.