The relation between metabolic resilience and long-term cortisol levelsThe relation between metabolic resilience and long-term cortisol levels

Chronic cortisol exposure is hypothesized to contribute to obesity and metabolic disorders. Using hair cortisol as a marker of long-term cortisol secretion, previous studies have linked elevated cortisol levels to metabolic syndrome, obesity, and diabetes. Even in people that appear ‘healthy’, their metabolic resilience may already be compromised, particularly when chronically exposed to high cortisol levels due to conditions of psychological stress. From the view that health is not a static state but rather reflects the ability to maintain or regain homeostasis after various physiological stressors, we assessed the relation between chronic cortisol exposure and metabolic resilience by evaluating the metabolic response to a high caloric mixed meal tolerance test.