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impact of stress on training


Beef

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Stress can have a big impact on performance.

Cortisol does increase, but unless you're a burn victim or trauma patient odds are you don't have to worry about that. I'd be more concerned with catecholamines and overall effects on the nervous system. Cortisol itself is more like a symptom than a cause of problems.

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Yes elevated cortisol levels can affect your performance. As you will know cortisol is a very catabolic (causing muscle to break down) hormone.As cortisol levels rise the bodys anabolic hormones GH, Igf1, and testosterone start to decrease. During the 2003 Americas Cup Team New Zealand had thier cortisol levels tested each day ( a simple saliva test) and if thier cortisol levels were to high they were ordered to have the day of training untill there cortisol returned to acceptable levels. This has become standard practise now for alot of sports teams and athletes.Exercise scientists use a test that measures the "Free Testosterone/Cortisol ratio" to measure if the athlete is over training/ and or not dealing with the pscychological pressures that come with international level competition.

Adaptogenic herbs like Siberian Gensing (and many others) have been found to be helpfull in rebalancing the bodies hormone levels in times of high stress ,either from a heavy training load or mental stress.

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Exercise scientists use a test that measures the "Free Testosterone/Cortisol ratio" to measure if the athlete is over training/ and or not dealing with the pscychological pressures that come with international level competition.

What if I told you that in personal communication with two of the guys responsible for popularizing that measure, they both told me that it doesn't reflect performance at all and isn't an indicator of overtraining?

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Isn't main problem from cortisol caused by the discontinuance of a Steroid regime ie: When terminated the cortisol receptors are suddenly freed and the large quantity of free cortisol molecules in the blood rush to the cortisol receptors to form a molecule/receptor complex and transmit to the muscle cell, break down amino acids. These leave the muscle cell and enter the blood where they are transformed into glucose or blood sugar. Resulting in a serious Catabolic effect....

Are the fluctuations in Cortisol levels due to stress, not as severe? Therefore not really a problem.....

Just wondered because my job can be very stress related, so I'm a permenant stress head....

But I'm muscular & cut to fuk so shouldnt the effects of a stress related cortisol increase, add fat deposits & reduce muscle.... ?

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Interesting topic....all Ive learnt about stress and its effect on the human body has come from Paul Chek by way of "Eat Move And Be Healthy".....whilst he has his fair share of critics I appreciate his insights relating to the subject of stress and stress hormones.

Essentially what he says is that stress can be broken down into 6 types, and explains how they affect the body and how an excess of stress hormones suppress your parasympathetic NS responsible for growth and repair, such as melantonin,DHEA, GH etc.....

These are the 6 types of stress each having its effects negatively and positively.

Physical

Psychic/Mental

Chemical

Nutritional

Thermal

Im pretty open to broaden my horizon in learning more about the subject if someone could direct me to another source.

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Adaptogenic herbs like Siberian Gensing (and many others) have been found to be helpfull in rebalancing the bodies hormone levels in times of high stress ,either from a heavy training load or mental stress.

IMHO, adaptogenic herbs are probably one of the worst things you could do, both short and long term. I personally feel you're better off looking at foods and nutrients that inhibit/support thyroid function and making adjustments.

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