Rothstein Discusses Exercise and Cortisol

Alexander Rothstein, M.S., coordinator and instructor for the Exercise Science, B.S. program, was quoted in a Runner’s World article about the impact of exercise on cortisol levels. Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone” because the body releases it in response to stressors, including exercise. However, as Rothstein explains, that can actually be a good thing. 

“The issue with the nickname ‘the stress hormone’ is that it creates a negative association with cortisol, and this could not be further from the truth,” he says. “Stimulating the release of cortisol through regular exercise is an excellent and healthy way to regulate your stress response. It’s a dose-response relationship: the body learns the appropriate amount of cortisol to release in response to various levels of stress by experiencing various levels of healthy stress.”

The article also appeared on Yahoo.com.