It seems counterintuitive, right? Exercise is supposed to be good for us, improve our mood, keep us at a healthy body weight, and reduce our risk of developing chronic disease...
...But, EXERCISE IS A STRESS ON THE BODY, and if your stress response system isn't capable of withstanding additional stress, moderate to strenuous exercise can actually be BAD FOR YOU!
Some of the most hormonally unbalanced patients I've worked with are elite athletes. They exercise so much, that their bodies go into survival mode. Women stop having their periods or go into early menopause. Men can develop low testosterone levels, and the list goes on and on.
Too much exercise will initially raise cortisol...but as the body attempts to ADAPT, CORTISOL LEVELS EVENTUALLY GO DOWN to survival levels...
EXERCISE REGIMENS NEED TO BE INDIVIDUALIZED and determined based on hormone levels, the status of their stress response system, and other factors. It is important to work with a knowledgeable and experienced health care practitioner who understands the complexity of hormone relationships and the effects of exercise on hormones