Endocrine Weight Loss Cortisol, Stress Hormones, and Body Composition 2

Question 1

Chronic high cortisol impairs weight management by antagonizing which anabolic hormone, contributing to muscle loss?

Accepted Answer

Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) / growth hormone axis

Answer

Glucocorticoids suppress GH secretion and impair IGF-1 signaling, reducing protein synthesis and promoting muscle catabolism (proteolysis) that contributes to the sarcopenia of chronic cortisol excess.

Question 2

Which 24-hour urinary test is used to confirm autonomous cortisol overproduction in suspected Cushing's syndrome?

Accepted Answer

24-hour urine free cortisol (UFC)

Answer

24-hour urinary free cortisol measures unbound cortisol excreted over a full day, reflecting integrated cortisol production and is one of the confirmatory tests for Cushing's syndrome.

Question 3

Adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) affects body composition by causing:

Accepted Answer

Weight loss, anorexia, and decreased muscle and fat mass

Answer

Adrenal insufficiency causes weight loss, anorexia, weakness, and reduced lean and fat mass due to deficiency of both glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids.

Question 4

Which stress management intervention has the most evidence for reducing cortisol levels and supporting weight management?

Accepted Answer

Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and regular aerobic exercise

Answer

MBSR and regular aerobic exercise have the strongest evidence for attenuating HPA axis reactivity, lowering basal cortisol, and supporting metabolic health in overweight individuals.

Question 5

Which pattern of fat distribution is most cardiometabolically dangerous and associated with chronic cortisol excess?

Accepted Answer

Android (apple-shaped) visceral fat distribution

Answer

Visceral (intra-abdominal) fat is metabolically active, pro-inflammatory, and associated with insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease; cortisol preferentially drives fat to this depot.

Endocrine Weight Loss Practice Test

Endocrine Weight Loss Practice Test

Endocrine Weight Loss Cortisol, Stress Hormones, and Body Composition 2