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13. Muscle Wasting
It might come as a surprise to learn that high levels of cortisol can also lead to weakness and the wasting of muscles.
There are a few reasons that this process occurs. Firstly, cortisol actually reduces the production of testosterone. The more cortisol you have in your system, the lower the amount of testosterone you are likely to have. Of course, testosterone is what is often referred to as the ‘male hormone’ and is responsible for the differences between men and women when it comes to physical strength. Without it, it is common for the muscles to become weaker.
At the same time, increasing cortisol also causes an increase in another neurotransmitter/hormone known as myostatin. The job of myostatin is to encourage the body to break down muscle and to thereby conserve energy. This can, in turn, result in a much weaker looking physique.
Keep in mind that low testosterone also has a number of other symptoms in both men and women – including a decreased sex drive and potential impotence.