High Cortisol: Why We're All Obsessed With It

Anyone who watches wellness content on TikTok will have noticed that one of this year's major buzzwords has been cortisol—and the trend has made its way over to Instagram now too. For the past year, content creators have made videos warning viewers of the signs of high cortisol—especially face puffiness and belly fat—and then promoting their products as ways to fix it, from supplements to anti-trauma therapies. "Cortisol is one of the newest buzzwords in health and wellness realms and is best known as the 'stress hormone,'" Trista Best, dietitian at The Candida Diet, told Newsweek. "Content creators on social media platforms have amplified this fascination by discussing its impact on weight gain, anxiety, irritability and fatigue." For example, a video from TikTok posted by @theworkoutwitch in April, now with 18.7 million views, described "10 weirdly specific signs you have high cortisol due to stress" that included eye twitching, bloating, hair loss, brain fog and ringing in your ears.

The trend is still going strong. Last week, @hannahtrenches posted a video to her Instagram channel featuring the words: "POV: you posted your stomach on the internet and people are diagnosing you with high cortisol but actually you're just a marathon runner who enjoys too many sweet treats." And the search term "cortisol" is up by 300 percent on TikTok this month compared to the previous one. "The recent buzz around cortisol reflects how we oversimplify health issues, often tying them to weight and body size," Katherine Metzelaar, a dietitian and the owner of Bravespace Nutrition, told Newsweek. "There's this pervasive idea that if we can just 'fix' cortisol levels, we'll lose weight, and life will magically improve. "This misses the bigger picture: health isn't about micromanaging hormones or chasing a smaller body; it's about building sustainable habits that support your mental and physical wellbeing." There is some truth to the cortisol warnings, however. Many people do live high-stress lifestyles, and elevated stress levels can have side effects, such as promoting weight gain. "Elevated cortisol is caused by chronic stress," Maria Villaman, a hormone coach and functional nutritionist, told Newsweek. "The problem in our modern world is that stressors are constant, and in fact, normalized. "High cortisol can and does contribute to abdominal fat accumulation... But cortisol is not the only cause of belly fat, and reducing elevated cortisol is not a magical solution to spot reduce body fat in this area." Metzelaar said: "The obsession with cortisol often ties back to the cultural focus on body size and weight. "Belly fat is often blamed on cortisol, but the reality is that body fat distribution is shaped by a combination of factors—like genetics, hormones, eating patterns (including past eating disorders and dieting history), sleep and even societal stress, like weight stigma." Metzelaar said that she often heard people worry about their belly fat as if it was something wrong with their body. "It's not," she said. "Fat on our bodies, including belly fat, is normal and not inherently unhealthy. "What's more important is asking how stress shows up in my client's life and focusing on manageable ways to care for yourself—like eating regularly, finding movement you enjoy and getting good sleep." Is there a nutrition concern that's worrying you? Let us know via science@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured in Newsweek. Correction 12/30/24, 9:12 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Villaman's last name.