Cortisol is one of the many hormones produced in your body which serve as chemical messengers.

While commonly referred to as the stress hormone due to its role in your body’s stress response, it has a number of other important functions.

Some people wonder if cortisol levels have an influence on body weight.

Cortisol is an important steroid hormone that belongs to a class of hormones called glucocorticoids.

It’s produced in the adrenal glands found just above your kidneys.

In addition to aiding in your body’s stress response, its other roles include:

increasing blood sugar
reducing inflammation
suppressing the immune system
aiding in nutrient metabolism

Cortisol is generally released in close relation with your body’s circadian rhythm with 50–60% of it being released with 30–40 minutes of waking, and levels then falling throughout the day.

Its production and release is regulated by your pituitary gland and the hypothalamus located in your brain.

During times of increased stress, cortisol and adrenaline are released from your adrenal glands. This triggers an increase in heart rate and energy levels, preparing your body for a potentially harmful situation.

While this response is normal, continued elevations in cortisol can lead to negative side effects.

Cortisol is a necessary hormone with important functions in your body, which include increasing blood sugar, reducing inflammation, suppressing the immune system, and aiding in nutrient metabolism.

Cortisol is an important adrenal hormone that serves many essential functions in your body, including controlling your blood sugar, reducing inflammation, and regulating your metabolism.

Slight elevations in cortisol in response to stress are normal, though when levels remain chronically elevated, side effects may occur one being weight gain.

That said, there are several effective methods to preventing or combating weight gain, such as exercising, meditating, or seeking guidance from a dietitian.