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Cortisol and Visceral Fat

Meaning

Cortisol and Visceral Fat describes the clinically significant, pathological relationship where chronically elevated levels of the glucocorticoid hormone cortisol promote the accumulation of metabolically active visceral adipose tissue, primarily in the abdominal cavity. Visceral fat, unlike subcutaneous fat, is highly inflammatory and is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease. This hormonal-adipose interaction establishes a dangerous feedback loop: stress elevates cortisol, which shifts fat storage to the visceral region, and the visceral fat itself increases systemic inflammation, further disrupting endocrine balance.