I’ve often shared my concerns, based on both science and real-world experience, about the long-term use of low-calorie diets. While they may seem like a quick fix, consistently eating far below your body’s needs can create a cascade of negative health effects. One major issue is the rise in cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone.
A study published in the Psychosomatic Medicine journal examined the effects of severe calorie restriction on stress levels. Researchers found that individuals following low-calorie diets showed significant increases in cortisol, demonstrating that restrictive eating places measurable stress on the body. Elevated cortisol over time can impact metabolism, sleep, immune function, mood, and fat storage, especially around the midsection.
This is just one of many reasons why repeated cycles of extreme dieting or staying on very low calories for too long can lead to unwanted and sometimes serious health consequences.
If you’d like to explore the research yourself, the study is available here:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2895000/
By Mauro Simonetti ND
