Cortislim, if you haven't heard, is the new fat burner on the block. Cortislim features several ingredients typical to common ephedra-free fat burners, but its main focus is not "fat burning" as we have come to know it. Nope, Cortislim "apparently" works by controlling weight gain and accelerating fat burning by negating the effects of the hormone cortisol.

Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone, and is required for many vital purposes -- proper glucose metabolism, blood pressure, immune function and inflammatory response are a few. In times of stress, either mental or physical, the body can produce an excessive amount of cortisol. At these high levels, cortisol is a nasty little number indeed. It can negatively affect cognitive performance, suppress thyroid function, foster blood sugar imbalances and the subsequent deposition of body fat, decrease bone density, as well as other things. Athletes don't like cortisol, as it is catabolic -- i.e., muscle-wasting, rather than anabolic -- i.e., muscle building.

Bottom line?

Excess cortisol levels may indeed be somewhat responsible for excess fat deposition and weight gain, no doubt about it (you'll see why I say "somewhat" a little later on).

OK, now back to Cortislim -- can it really encourage weight loss by addressing the high cortisol levels tied to everyday stress? To answer that, let's look at a few of the ingredients in Cortislim...

The most important ingredient in this compilation is Magnolia bark, standardized for something called " honokiol". According to Supplement Watch...

"... a small dose of honokiol, or a magnolia bark extract standardized for honokiol content, can help to "de-stress" you without making you sleepy, while a larger dose might have the effect of knocking you out. When compared to pharmaceutical agents such as Valium (diazepam), honokiol appears to be as effective in its anti-anxiety activity, yet not nearly as powerful in its sedative ability."

This "anti-anxiety" effect appears to be backed up by numerous animal studies (that, of course, doesn't mean it will work in an identical fashion in humans, but it does look promising).

The other major ingredients in this formulation -- chromium, green tea, banaba leaf, and vanadyl all work well to stabilize blood sugar levels, and moderate insulin reaction. The only other ingredient of note is Citrus Aurauntium (bitter orange) standardized for synephrine -- ephedra's kinder, gentler cousin (unfortunately, there's not much evidence synephrine is good for anything!).

OK, let's get to the bottom line...

Cortislim may indeed be able to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol through the effects of Magnolia bark contained in its formulation. However, that's a far cry from saying you're actually going to lose weight with this stuff. Most people don't gain weight simply because they are stressed (although for some, stress does equate with overeating).

Nope, most of us gain weight because we are inactive and consume too many calories. Very simple.

The makers of Cortislim, however, have positioned their product perfectly to tap into one of the major issues with today's hectic lifestyle -- stress, and offer a "magic pill" solution to both it and weight loss. Smart product positioning! However...

While it is arguable that stress does play a role in weight gain, it is one that is secondary to sedentary lifestyles and excessive calorie consumption. It is a serious "oversimplification" to say, as it does on the Cortislim Web site, that "stress keeps us fat". It's also greatly misleading, since it does not take into account the other major factors that have contributed to the obesity crisis over the last several decades.

Perhaps what is even more disappointing is that at the time of this writing, you really have to dig to find any mention of the importance of proper eating and exercise on the Cortislim Web site. That, to me, is a big credibility killer. Cortislim, like many other supplements, continues to perpetuate the myth that weight loss is easy, and does not require getting off the couch. Nonetheless, it's an appealing scenario, and I have no doubt that they'll have no trouble flogging their products to millions of unsuspecting buyers -- buyer who will be disappointed once again.

Having said that, I must say that I believe Cortislim does have some merit. I personally would be interested in experimenting with magnolia bark extract for its anti-anxiety effects, and while Cortislim may be worthwhile purchasing for this reason alone, I'd be hesitant to recommend Cortislim as a viable fat burner.

Special Note: The Federal Trade Commission is currently suing the makers of CortiSlim for making false and unsubstantiated product claims.  Do a search on this at google or ask me for the link to the webpage stating this.

As a mother of 4 kids I too would like to find that "miracle" weight loss pill, but it doesn't look like this would be it.  I may make a few sellers of CortiSlim upset, but if I can prevent at least 1 person from wasting their money on something that more than likely won't work, well, it'll be worth making a few sellers mad!