WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Beauty
  • Podcasts
  • Video
WomensHealth
  • News
  • Health
  • Fitness
  • Sex & Love
  • Food
  • Weight Loss
  • Women In Sport
  • Beauty
  • Podcasts
  • Video
Subscribe
How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Got God-Level Ripped for Watchmen
Watch 8:53

How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Got God-Level Ripped for Watchmen

{headline}

{headline}

Beyoncé Shares How Her Miscarriage Helped Redefine What She Views As Success

Beyoncé Shares How Her Miscarriage Helped Redefine What She Views As Success

Penny McNamee Opens Up About Dealing With Endometriosis And Infertility

Penny McNamee Opens Up About Dealing With Endometriosis And Infertility

What You Need To Know About Insulin Resistance And Weight Loss

What You Need To Know About Insulin Resistance And Weight Loss

How To Beat A Hangover, According To A Doctor

How To Beat A Hangover, According To A Doctor

{headline}

{headline}

Is The Pill Changing How You Think?

Is The Pill Changing How You Think?

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome And Is It Legit?

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome And Is It Legit?

7 Foods To Eat In Your First Trimester Of Pregnancy

7 Foods To Eat In Your First Trimester Of Pregnancy

{headline}

{headline}

Rosie Huntington-Whitely Claps Back At Claims She ‘Ruined’ Her Body By Becoming A Mum

Rosie Huntington-Whitely Claps Back At Claims She ‘Ruined’ Her Body By Becoming A Mum

How To Cope With The Grief Of Still Birth Over The Festive Season, From Someone Who's Been There

How To Cope With The Grief Of Still Birth Over The Festive Season, From Someone Who's Been There

14 People Share How Long It Took Them To Feel Comfortable Pooping Around Their Partner

14 People Share How Long It Took Them To Feel Comfortable Pooping Around Their Partner

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

Brushing Your Teeth Three Times Per Day May Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Failure

Brushing Your Teeth Three Times Per Day May Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Failure

Emily Skye Makes A Solid Case For Why We Should Try Working Out Barefoot

Emily Skye Makes A Solid Case For Why We Should Try Working Out Barefoot

Your Favourite Beauty Products Are, Quite Literally, Crawling With Bacteria

Your Favourite Beauty Products Are, Quite Literally, Crawling With Bacteria

  1. Home
  2. Health

Is Adrenal Fatigue Causing You to Gain Weight?

You can stop Googling now - by K. Aleisha Fetters
  • 10 Jun 2016
Is Adrenal Fatigue Causing You to Gain Weight?
Getty Images

If you’ve been on the weight-loss wagon since Juicy tracksuits were a thing, Dr. Google might be quick to tell you that you're suffering from adrenal fatigue. But WTF is that, and is it really the reason behind your weight gain? Your adrenal glands sit atop your kidneys and pump out hormones, including cortisol, adrenaline, and testosterone.

 

The theory is that daily stressors, like your tyrannical boss, fights with your S.O., and a lack of sleep can exhaust your adrenal glands over time. Eventually, your tuckered-out adrenals stop producing enough hormones and symptoms—including weight gain—set in. But hold up: “There is no scientific evidence that adrenal fatigue exists,” says Dr Brian Quebbemann. Did we just blow your mind?

 

Why doctors are calling BS?

Though the concept is supported by many alternative medicine doctors, hormone supplement companies, and random experts on the interwebs, Quebbemann says it's just a trendy way to blame your weight on something out of your control.“It is far too simplistic to define long-term stress, and the feeling of fatigue that goes along with it, as a decrease in adrenal production of hormones," he says. 

 

The real deal on adrenal disorders

Yikes. OK, so just because adrenal fatigue hasn’t been proven, that doesn’t mean it’s not within the realm of possibility, right? Well, experts say, probs not.

 

That’s mostly because serious medical conditions that affect the adrenal glands, including Addison’s disease and pituitary tumors, don’t cause symptoms that look like so-called adrenal fatigue.

 

For example, with these conditions you lose weight instead of gaining it like adrenal fatigue proponents claim. In fact, severe loss of appetite and weight are hallmarks of adrenal insufficiency. So there you have it.

 

RELATED: This Quick Trick Will Help You Cut Back On Stress Eating

 

Why you're really gaining weight?

With that being said, it is possible that these little glands could impact your weight, just in a different way. For a majority of women, super-high levels of adrenal hormones (not super-low) are the issue, says Quebbemann.

 

When dealing with chronic stress (show of hands, please?), the adrenal glands produce a heavy, steady supply of cortisol, which can impair your body’s ability to respond to insulin, says endocrinologist Brunilda Nazario. This messes with your ability to burn fat, which ups your risk of gaining weight, she says.

 

That's probably why a recent study found that when stressed and non-stressed women followed the same diet, the always-frazzled women gained more weight and abdominal fat.

 

On top of that whole insulin issue, persistently high cortisol levels stoke your appetite, making it feel impossible to follow a healthy eating plan, says Nazario. After all, there’s a reason that ‘stress eating’ is a thing.  

FREE aim'n Fitness Pack-SAVE 25%

when you subscribe to Women's Health

Subscribe Now
FREE aim'n Fitness Pack

FREE aim'n Fitness Pack-SAVE 25%

when you subscribe to Women's Health

Subscribe Now
FREE aim'n Fitness Pack

Recommended to you

How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Got God-Level Ripped for Watchmen
Watch 8:53

How Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Got God-Level Ripped for Watchmen

{headline}

{headline}

Beyoncé Shares How Her Miscarriage Helped Redefine What She Views As Success

Beyoncé Shares How Her Miscarriage Helped Redefine What She Views As Success

Penny McNamee Opens Up About Dealing With Endometriosis And Infertility

Penny McNamee Opens Up About Dealing With Endometriosis And Infertility

What You Need To Know About Insulin Resistance And Weight Loss

What You Need To Know About Insulin Resistance And Weight Loss

How To Beat A Hangover, According To A Doctor

How To Beat A Hangover, According To A Doctor

{headline}

{headline}

Is The Pill Changing How You Think?

Is The Pill Changing How You Think?

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome And Is It Legit?

What Is Leaky Gut Syndrome And Is It Legit?

7 Foods To Eat In Your First Trimester Of Pregnancy

7 Foods To Eat In Your First Trimester Of Pregnancy

{headline}

{headline}

Rosie Huntington-Whitely Claps Back At Claims She ‘Ruined’ Her Body By Becoming A Mum

Rosie Huntington-Whitely Claps Back At Claims She ‘Ruined’ Her Body By Becoming A Mum

How To Cope With The Grief Of Still Birth Over The Festive Season, From Someone Who's Been There

How To Cope With The Grief Of Still Birth Over The Festive Season, From Someone Who's Been There

14 People Share How Long It Took Them To Feel Comfortable Pooping Around Their Partner

14 People Share How Long It Took Them To Feel Comfortable Pooping Around Their Partner

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

World-First Research Finds Chronic Pain Physically Changes Your Brain

Brushing Your Teeth Three Times Per Day May Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Failure

Brushing Your Teeth Three Times Per Day May Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Failure

Emily Skye Makes A Solid Case For Why We Should Try Working Out Barefoot

Emily Skye Makes A Solid Case For Why We Should Try Working Out Barefoot

Your Favourite Beauty Products Are, Quite Literally, Crawling With Bacteria

Your Favourite Beauty Products Are, Quite Literally, Crawling With Bacteria

WomensHealth
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • 7Plus
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement
WomensHealth Magazine Subscribe
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Pacific Magazines
  • Partners
  • 7Plus
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Privacy Statement

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Instyle
  • marie claire
  • Who

Pacific Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Men’s Health
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • All Recipes
  • Practical Parenting
© 2019 Pacific Magazines
Get more from Women's Health

Magazine Subscription Offer

FREE aim'n Fitness Pack-SAVE 25%

Shop This Offer
FREE aim'n Fitness Pack