Question

Stress kicks the endocrine system into high gear. Justify.

Answer 1

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The endocrine system can become fatigued just like a muscle that is continually overworked. At some point it just can’t produce the stress hormones as it should. A tired ( but not damaged ) muscle may recover in 24 to 48 hours, but it takes an overused endocrine system weeks to recover. The stress of running an ultra requires a major response from the endocrine system, but that system requires time to recover. Hormonal levels start to normalize in the hours after the run, but it may take days before excess hormones have cleared the system. It is not unusual to feel really high from adrenaline and endorphins for 24 hours after an ultra, but then depression often sets in. During the ultra, cortisol serves the body well by mobilizing energy stores and reducing inflammation. Afterwards, it temporarily blocks the desirable effects of insulin, and repair of the body is slowed. Even when the cortisol levels fall to normal after a few days, there are lingering effects from the disturbance of the endocrine system. Symptoms may include: apathy toward work or training, inability to concentrate, changes in sleep patterns, appetite suppression, reduced libido, increased thirst, diarrhea, susceptibility to colds, and menstrual disturbances in women. If the body is called upon to respond to stress again, adequate levels of cortisol cannot be produced, resulting in a crash after too much running. The varied nature of these symptoms points to suppression at the level of the central nervous system hypothalamus/pituitary axis. That is, it isn’t just one gland that isn’t working right nor is it some simple nutrient deficiency. The driving force for the suppression is not currently known, but could be related to reduced blood flow, desensitization of the hypothalamus or pituitary caused by leg muscle breakdown byproducts, or a down-regulation of axis function brought on by prolonged, abnormally high cortisol levels. Since the mechanisms are not known, there is currently no magic-bullet that can be used to recover in a short time. With rest from stressful situations recovery times can range from three to twelve weeks. Note that this is longer than the time required for adequate muscle repair; the two may in fact be related. It makes no sense to have a strong endocrine response when damaged muscles are not prepared for an ultra effort. The best way to limit endocrine recovery time is to not stress the system too hard in the first place. That implies being fully trained and rested for the event one is about to run, then minimizing stress during the run. It is obvious that those who have properly trained with long runs, speed work, and weights are able to withstand the stress of an ultra better than those who run with minimal training. During the run, one cannot avoid the course and its challenges, but one can reduce stress by good pacing and by maintaining hydration, caloric and electrolyte status. Stress hormones are low when one is at the starting line. It’s when one runs short of water, short of blood glucose, and has electrolyte disturbances that the level of stress hormones increases dramatically. There is a mental component as well: We are less likely to be stressed if we treat our run as a joyous adventure instead of a life-and-death struggle. We will get plenty of challenge from the course; let’s not add unnecessary excess baggage.