Social media wants you to believe your cortisol is high, that's why you can't lose weight, and here's a supplement to fix it. But what if your cortisol is actually low? What if your body is producing a ton of it and immediately deactivating it so you can't use any of it? What if the reason you're waking up at 2am has nothing to do with stress and everything to do with what you ate yesterday?

In this episode — week two of the DUTCH test series — I'm clearing up the cortisol picture entirely. What it really is, what the DUTCH test actually shows us, and why guessing your cortisol is costing you years of trying everything and never feeling better.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL LEARN:

• Why "cortisol face" isn't real — and what the internet is actually selling you
• The three cortisol patterns I see most often on DUTCH tests (and how to recognize yourself in one of them)
• Why your body might be producing high cortisol and deactivating it so you can't use it — and what that looks like on a blood draw vs. a DUTCH test
• What late-stage adrenal burnout actually feels like from the inside
• Why you're waking up at 2 or 3am — and the blood sugar connection nobody is talking about
• The cortisol-muscle connection: why high cortisol breaks muscle down and low cortisol means your body won't invest in building it
• Why you cannot out-supplement your cortisol picture
• A real client story: how not eating enough was showing up as ADHD symptoms, anxiety, and total overwhelm — and what one simple change did

TIMESTAMPS:

00:14 Welcome & what we're covering today 

02:14 Why social media gets cortisol wrong 

04:27 What cortisol actually is and what your adrenal glands are doing 

06:51 Pattern 1: High cortisol your body is deactivating (cortisone) 

09:04 Pattern 2: Low cortisol — the late-stage adrenal burnout picture 

12:51 Pattern 3: Wrong timing — cortisol at 2am and the blood sugar connection 

14:06 The cortisol and muscle connection 

19:25 Why you can't out-supplement your cortisol 

21:43 Client story: ADHD, under-eating, and a cortisol picture that explained everything 

25:15 What to do next + the Complete Hormone Package

RESOURCES:

Book a Consultation — Complete Hormone Packagehttps:// l.bttr.to/EfG9n  — Not sure if this is right for you? Schedule a 20-minute consultation. I'll review your full health history and give you an honest answer on whether this is the right fit.

Ready to get started? https://l.bttr.to/xPtJZ  — Complete Hormone Package is $899 (or 3 payments of $299/month). HSA and Flex spending accepted. Available through May 31st only.

DM me the word DUTCH on Instagram @melissa_eich — I'll send you everything you need to get started or ask questions.

📖 Related Episodes:

• Episode 176: Perimenopause, Weight Gain & Detoxing Your Hormones — The DUTCH Test Series Part 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/176-perimenopause-weight-gain-and-the-dutch-test/id1650475536?i=1000767363294

CONNECT WITH ME:

📱 Instagram: @melissa_eich 🌐 Website: www.melissaeichwellness.com 💌 Email: melissa@melissaeichwellness.com

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Hosted by Melissa Eich — nervous system, hormone, and somatic coach — this podcast is for women in midlife who are doing everything right and still not feeling like themselves. We go beyond the surface and into what's actually happening inside your body, so you can stop guessing and start feeling better for real.

LEAVE A REVIEW:

If this episode helped something click for you, I'd be so grateful if you left a 5-star review. It helps more women find this podcast and finally get the answers they've been looking for.

Keywords: cortisol and weight gain, DUTCH test cortisol, adrenal fatigue symptoms, low cortisol signs, perimenopause hormones, cortisol and muscle loss, waking up at 3am cortisol, hormone testing midlife, cortisol supplement truth, complete hormone package