Cortisol keeping you down? Now you may not have heard of cortisol or know what it does, but it could be the reason you’re not gaining muscle!
Cortisol is a hormone released in response to stress. In a catabolic (muscle eating) fashion it reduces protein synthesis which prevents muscle growth.
If you have a hard time putting on muscle you may want to cutback or even cut out cardio. Despite the benefits of aerobic exercise, too much can keep you from gaining muscle.
Too much cardio increases cortisol levels. Levels start to rise after 60 minutes of exercise. This occurs in response to low glycogen stores. The increased levels will eat away muscle fibers, reversing the effects of training. Keep your cardio sessions to a max of 40 minutes and start doing HITT for 20-30 minutes.
Don’t believe me? All you have to do is compare marathon runners to sprinters…