Is Cortisol senken useful for Sport?

Cortisol is a key stress hormone essential for energy metabolism and inflammation regulation during exercise. While a certain level is necessary for performance and adaptation, chronically elevated cortisol – due to overtraining, poor sleep, or psychological stress – can impair recovery and immune function. Strategies to lower cortisol, such as stress management, sleep optimization, or adaptogens like ashwagandha, are often promoted, but the evidence for direct performance benefits is mixed. Many studies are mechanistic or animal-based; human trials show modest effects. MyBody-X offers hormone panels like the Body-Balance Check, which measures testosterone, SHBG, prolactin, and albumin – cortisol is not explicitly listed in the provided context. Overly aggressive cortisol lowering can be counterproductive, as the hormone is needed for stress response and catabolism. Conclusion: cortisol reduction may be useful in cases of confirmed elevation and overtraining, but it is not a universal ergogenic aid. Medical guidance is recommended. Evidence: mostly mechanistic/practice-based, lacking strong human trials in this context.