When Catabolic Hormones Go Up, Anabolic Hormones Go Down
The body is highly adaptable. It has built-in, primal mechanisms that allow you to quickly go from the “rest and digest” state (parasympathetic) to “fight or flight” state (sympathetic). It does this so you can continue running from the bear or battle an invading tribe. So that you can survive and keep living.
Problems arise when we cannot tip the scale back. Again, the body is highly adaptable and will do whatever it takes to keep you alive. But this will cost you via some form of parallel conservation or compensation.
WHEN CATABOLISM GOES UP, ANABOLISM GOES DOWN.
When we're in a “fight or flight” state (sympathetic), we're in a catabolic state. Simply put, catabolism is the breakdown of the body to create energy. Stress hormones like adrenaline, cortisol, glucagon, etc are all catabolic hormones. The body will break down muscle, fat and soft tissues...to create glucose, the body’s main source of energy, for fuel. This puts immense stress on our adrenal glands and comes at an expensive price: our digestive system shuts off, thyroid hormone conversion stops, detoxification stops, the immune system is suppressed, reproductive activity shuts off, so on and so forth.
If we live in this state day-to-day, we end up malnourished, hypo-metabolic, unable to detoxify (and estrogen-dominant), immuno-compromised, infertile, so on and so forth. Anabolic hormones like thyroid hormone, progesterone, testosterone, etc will all lower and/or be suppressed.
This is why fad diets like intermittent fasting, keto, carnivore, etc aren’t ideal. This is also why running and high-intensity exercise may not be working in your favor. You’re voluntarily pushing yourself further into catabolism.
There are so many stressors that are seemingly out of our control. But if we can support our body with a solid nutrition strategy, good sleep and lifestyle habits, we can more quickly and easily tip the scale back into BALANCE. We become more RESILIENT...and we can get those #gainz, whether it's bigger muscles, less constipation/bloating/gas and better digestion, easier weight management, balanced hormones, a stronger immune system, a robust libido and/or fertility, so on and so forth.
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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.
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References
Tortora, G.J. Derrickson, B. (2015). The Human Body. Danvers, MA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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