Protein: a cure for stress?

Stress is not just an emotion. It is a full-body event. When your brain perceives a threat it releases cortisol. 

Cortisol is designed to mobilise energy. 

It breaks down stored glycogen and fat. If needed protein from your muscles to fuel a fight-or-flight response. Left unchecked, this response depletes reserves and weakens your body over time.

One of the most effective, yet overlooked, ways to buffer this process is by adding protein to your diet. 

Before I go any further, let me say that social media is flooded with people asking you to have protein. There is such a thing as too much. If you keep loading your body with protein supplements, you run a real risk of damaging your body. 

But when used tactically, especially when you are stressed, it can help.

Protein provides amino acids. Amino acids are the raw materials used to make neurotransmitters. 

Serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. These chemicals regulate mood, focus, and calmness. Without adequate protein, your brain struggles to restore balance. You feel more anxious, fatigued, and irritable.

Take tryptophan, an amino acid found in eggs, dairy, and legumes. Your body converts it into serotonin, the molecule often called your “happiness hormone.” 

Similarly, tyrosine, found in beans, seeds, and fish, fuels the production of dopamine and norepinephrine. Both sharpen attention and resilience under pressure. 

By ensuring a steady supply of protein, you are giving your nervous system the tools it needs. 

Protein also stabilizes blood sugar. Stress tends to drive cravings for quick carbohydrates. While sugar can give a temporary lift, it leads to spikes and crashes. 

Adding protein slows digestion, flattens glucose swings, and keeps energy levels consistent. This stable internal environment is what your stressed body needs. 

Finally, protein protects your muscle mass. Chronic stress and elevated cortisol break down muscle to release amino acids for emergency fuel. 

By eating enough protein, especially coupled with exercise you rebuild your muscle. 

Maintaining muscle is critical because it is your largest reservoir for sugar. Muscle helps prevent insulin resistance. 

The next time you feel overwhelmed, don’t reach for comfort food. Reach for protein. Of course unless you are already eating too much because someone on social media told you so. 

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