Prevent Damage from Chronic Stress

When we face physical or emotional stress, the hormone cortisol helps us cope.

In the short term, that's a huge benefit. In the long term, it can be a disaster.

When cortisol remains persistently high, it can wreak havoc on our health, aging us faster, putting us at risk of numerous diseases, and shortening our lives.

In a population study, men with high cortisol levels faced a 63% increased risk of death and women with elevated cortisol levels had an 82% increased risk of death.¹

In another study, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease escalated five-fold in those with high cortisol levels.²

Several plant extracts have been clinically shown to help reduce elevated cortisol levels. This may help prevent the damage inflicted by cortisol and potentially decrease risks of premature death.

Chronically Elevated Cortisol Is Deadly

Cortisol is a hormone produced primarily in the adrenal glands. Under normal circumstances, cortisol functions to regulate the body's metabolism of glucose.

It's often referred to as the "stress hormone" since it's also released in response to physical or emotional stress.

Cortisol levels normally fluctuate throughout the day, rising just before you wake in the morning and tapering off through the evening in preparation for sleep.³

However, chronic stress disrupts this daily rhythm, which may cause cortisol levels to remain persistently high.^4,5

Cortisol levels also tend to rise in older age.^6,7 The results can be deadly.

Chronically elevated cortisol speeds up the aging process through decreased immunity, increased inflammation, and dysregulated metabolism.⁸

High levels of cortisol are also associated with shortening of telomeres, the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes.^9,10 Telomere shortening is associated with shorter lifespan.

One population study showed that elevated cortisol levels correlate with a significantly higher mortality risk. Men with high cortisol had a 63% increased risk of death, while women had an 82% increased risk.¹

And in another study, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease jumped five-fold in those with high cortisol levels, regardless of their cardiovascular health history.²

Other studies confirm that those with elevated cortisol have higher mortality rates and a potentially increased risk for metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and neurodegenerative disorders.^6,11-15

Cortisol may also contribute to thinning hair, wrinkles, age spots, and slower healing of wounds.^16-18

Plant Extracts That Help

Many people turn to anti-anxiety medications or other drugs to manage symptoms of chronic stress. But these often come with side effects and may do little to reduce chronically elevated cortisol, allowing the damage to continue.

Several plant extracts can reduce cortisol levels in humans, safely relieving stress and protecting against the hormone's long-term harm.

These include extracts of lychee fruit, green tea, Magnolia officinalis, and Phellodendron amurense.^19,20

Lychee Lowers Cortisol

Lychee, a tropical fruit rich in health-promoting polyphenols, has the ability to fight oxidative stress and inflammation and lower cortisol levels.^19,21,22

However, most lychee extracts contain long-chain polyphenols, severely limiting their absorption in the intestinal tract.

Scientists have developed a blend of lychee fruit and green tea that provides a low-molecular-size extract that is three to four times as bioavailable as regular lychee.^19,21,23

In a clinical trial, healthy but sedentary young men who took 100 mg of the lychee-green tea extract blend for four weeks had a dramatic reduction in cortisol levels, compared to those who took a placebo.¹⁹

In another clinical trial, healthy male volunteers dipped their legs in hot water, a physical stressor. Those who had taken 100 mg of the lychee-green tea blend a half-hour earlier had significantly lower blood cortisol levels than those in a placebo group.²¹

In both studies, the men taking the extracts also had a significant reduction in serum levels of IL-1beta and IL-6, inflammatory cytokines that can cause cortisol levels to rise.

  

Stress-Relieving Bark Extracts

A combination of bark extracts from two trees, Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense, has been shown to reduce cortisol and decrease anxiety, without the side effects of prescription medications.^24,25

In a study of participants with moderate-to-high stress levels, taking 250 mg of this extract combination twice daily (500 mg total) for four weeks resulted in an 18% reduction in salivary cortisol levels compared to those taking a placebo.²⁵

Those in the extract group also reported a significant reduction in stress, compared to the placebo group, including a:²⁵

• 13% reduction in tension,
• 20% reduction in depression,
• 42% reduction in anger,
• 31% reduction in fatigue,
• 27% reduction in confusion,
• 18% increase in vigor, and
• 11% improvement in mood.

In another clinical trial, premenopausal women with anxiety who took 250 mg of the Magnolia-Phellodendron bark combination three times daily reported significantly lower anxiety scores after six weeks.²⁴

Combining these bark extracts with the lychee-green tea blend may maximize their ability to lower cortisol levels, reducing the elevated risk of disease and death that comes with chronic stress.

Summary

Chronic elevated cortisol is a deadly issue.

Aging and chronic stress can raise cortisol levels and keep them high, increasing risk of illness and death.

A blend of lychee and green tea extracts has been clinically shown to lower cortisol levels.

A combination of bark extracts from the Magnolia officinalis and Phellodendron amurense trees has also been shown to reduce cortisol and lower anxiety and stress.

Together, these extracts may optimize cortisol reduction, potentially decreasing the risk of disease and premature death brought on by chronic stress.

If you have any questions on the scientific content of this article, please call a Life Extension Wellness Specialist at 1-866-864-3027.

References

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