Cell-Metabolism: Long-term stress or night shifts can lead to obesity.

A scientific study published In the American Journal of Cell-Metabolism 3 found that long-term stress or night work can lead to the body's glucocorticoids at inappropriate time mass secretion, resulting in an increase in the number of fat cells, making people fatter.
previous studies have found that stress increases levels of glucocorticoids in the blood, which convert precursor cells into fat cells, so there is a link between stress and obesity.
but researchers have not previously been able to understand why short-term stress, such as physical activity, does not lead to obesity, but longer-term stress, such as jet lag and night shifts, are often associated with obesity.
new study by Mary Trull of Stanford University and others in the U.S., says this is because the point in time at which glucocorticoids are secreted is important.
healthy people's glucocorticoid levels rose and fell within 24 hours, peaking at 8 a.m., low at 3 a.m. the next day, and peaking five hours later.
But if due to time difference, night shift and other reasons, this should be the low level of glucocorticoids, due to stress and secretion of too much glucocorticoids, will lead to more precursor cells become fat cells.
animal experiments showed that mice doubled their fat and became obese after disrupting the physiological rhythms of their normal secretion of glucocorticoids.
But if you follow the rhythm, even if you inject 40 times the usual amount of glucocorticoids at a time when hormone levels are already peak, it doesn't cause an increase in fat. "The point in time when stress is most important, and if you're stressed or use glucocorticoids to treat rheumatoid arthritis, you don't necessarily get fat, as long as it happens during the day,"
. Trull said.
weight increases significantly if you experience long-term persistent stress at night or use glucocorticoids.
" researchers believe the findings could be used in medical matters, as long as the right time is chosen, some hormone therapy can not produce side effects such as getting fat.
.