Losing weight is essentially a stress on the body, the response of which is to produce a lot of cortisol, which in turn can mess with testosterone and other hormones.
For me the caloric restriction leads to so much cortisol that I can’t really sleep properly no matter how much I try to exhaust myself.
Keto seems to be kinder (in week 3, of trying it for the 3rd time, previous times unsuccessful). But too early to say for sure.
Thanks for pointing out the relationship between caloric restriction and cortisol production. Your statements and anecdotes seem to be well supported by the literature.
> Starvation caused a rise in plasma cortisol [...] but no change in total urinary cortisol metabolites. [1]
> very low calorie diet (VLCD) did not alter plasma cortisol and markedly reduced cortisol metabolite excretion [...]. [1]
> Overall, caloric restriction significantly increased serum cortisol level in 13 studies (357 total participants). Fasting showed a very strong effect in increasing serum cortisol, while VLCD and LCD did not show significant increases. [2]
> The meta-regression analysis showed a negative association between the serum cortisol level and the duration of caloric restriction, indicating serum cortisol is increased in the initial period of caloric restriction but decreased to the baseline level after several weeks. [2]
Anecdotally: I also used to struggle to sleep when I was dieting. My sensation was intense hunger when I was in bed where I couldn't stop thinking about food in the kitchen.
For me the caloric restriction leads to so much cortisol that I can’t really sleep properly no matter how much I try to exhaust myself.
Keto seems to be kinder (in week 3, of trying it for the 3rd time, previous times unsuccessful). But too early to say for sure.