Is Cortisol Hurting You or Helping You?

About this episode

Dr. Sanjay Gupta discusses the complexities of cortisol and its effects on health with Dr. Robert Sapolsky.

Cortisol gets blamed for everything from sleepless nights to stubborn belly fat, but the real story is far more complicated. Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Dr. Robert Sapolsky, a neuroscientist, biologist, and Stanford University professor, and author of Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers, about what this stress hormone actually does and why it matters. Sapolsky explains how chronic stress affects sleep, metabolism, mood, and long‑term health, and shares what we can learn from creatures who manage stress far better than we do... including how you might do the same. Our show was produced by Jennifer Lai. Medical Writer: Andrea Kane Showrunner: Amanda Sealy Senior Producer: Dan Bloom Technical Director: Dan Dzula Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta

Guest: Dr. Robert Sapolsky

Topics covered

• cortisol
• stress
• health
• sleep
• metabolism
• mood
• chronic stress

Keywords

• cortisol
• stress hormone
• chronic stress
• sleep
• metabolism
• health

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford University

Books & works: Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers

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