‘Stress hormone’ cortisol is blamed for infertility, but major new study hints that could be wrong

Cortisol is a reproduction friend, not enemy

A major international study of the role cortisol plays in reproduction has found it may not be the villain it has been depicted as, and it may actually promote healthy reproduction.

‘Stress hormone’ cortisol is blamed for infertility, but major new study hints that could be wrong

engin akyurt/UnsplashThere’s arguably no single hormone that has grabbed hold of the collective consciousness as much as cortisol. Social media is overflowing with information about the evils of cortisol: it messes with your face, your belly, your sleep, your skin, and, perhaps most concerning, your fertility. There’s no shortage of gimmicks available to help fight this hormone: cortisol masks, cortisol diets, cortisol watches, cortisol-suppress…