Low-carb and Hormones
Okay, so I'm no scientist and can only go off of what I've read in various articles.
It is my understanding that very low-carb diets, like under 50 grams/day can raise cortisol and hamper growth hormone and testosterone production. But it's been awhile since I read any of this.
A) Any consensus on this?
B) Is it of any significance? When trying to lose fat? Irrelevant within a certain, short time frame?
C) Any ways to counter it while remaining very low-carb?
Perhaps you will find this relevant to some of your questions...
[url=http://paleohacks.com/questions/130882/new-study-low-carb-diet-linked-to-increased-inflammation-cortisol-crp#axzz2Dxi9TVM0]New Study: Low-carb diet linked to increased inflammation, cortisol & CRP? - PaleoHacks.com[/url]
The consensus was in general... "no" if you read through the paper and the reviews of the material found int he paper.
Testosterone is made from saturated fats and cholesterol. If anything, my libido has gone up since increasing my consumption of these substances. I can tell, because my libido is ten times what it was on the high carb diet I was eating before. I've also read that high blood sugar can temporarily suppress testosterone production, but this is, as I said, temporary.
Low carb diets can increase cortisol production a little bit, but it's not an extremely significant amount and your body tends to adjust to increased cortisol levels over time which decreases the effects somewhat. You might notice the effects quite a bit at first, but they should lessen over time as your body adjusts.
Oh, and just for your interest:
[url=http://www.ucl.ac.uk/media/library/tea]Black tea soothes away stress[/url]
[url=http://addictedtotea.com/tag/black-tea-and-cortisol/]Black Tea and Cortisol |[/url]
[url=http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/53459.php]Black Tea Really Does Help Alleviate Stress[/url]