Can you outrun stress hormones with exercise? New clues from a clinical trial

In the first clinical trial of its kind, published online in the Journal of Sport and Health Science on March 17, 2026, researchers conducted a one-year randomized clinical trial to examine the long-term effects of aerobic exercise on the biology of stress and emotion. The study was led by Dr. Peter J. Gianaros, Director of the Center for Mind-Body Science and Health and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, and Dr. Kirk I. Erickson, Director of Translational Neuroscience and the Mardian J. Blair Endowed Chair of Neuroscience at the AdventHealth Research Institute, USA. They and their research team examined how meeting the physical activity recommendations of the American Heart Association can influence biological measures of stress and emotion, with a particular focus on the body’s main stress hormone, cortisol.

The study included 130 adults who were 26 to 58 years old. The participants were split into two groups: one group engaged in 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic activity every week for a year, while the other group received general information about health habits, but they did not change their physical activity levels. Over the course of the year, researchers monitored changes in cardiorespiratory fitness, cortisol, and several other measures of stress and emotion using brain imaging and other state-of-the-art techniques.

One of the standout findings was a significant reduction in long-term cortisol levels among participants who were in the exercise condition of the clinical trial. Cortisol is the body’s key stress hormone that plays a role in many functions, including metabolism, immunity, sleep, memory, and mood regulation. High levels of cortisol are also linked to heart disease, metabolic disorders, and mental health conditions.

As Dr. Gianaros explained, "The effect of exercise on long-term cortisol levels could be one of the mechanisms or benefits of exercise that protect against several diseases and some mental health conditions, but more research is needed to fully explore this possibility."

The implications of this new clinical trial are significant, particularly because most of the research in this area is correlational and cannot establish cause-and-effect. The trial is also unique because no study has examined exercise and these measures of stress biology for a full year. Regular physical activity, as recommended by health guidelines, may be a simple yet effective behavioral strategy to mitigate the adverse effects of stress and improve quality of life.

A prior publication from this clinical trial also documented the benefits of exercise beyond cortisol levels. Using advanced brain imaging techniques, the trial showed that exercise may also slow the pace of brain aging.

Dr. Gianaros and Dr. Erickson hope that these new findings will draw more attention to the ways in which meeting the recommended goal of 150 minutes of physical activity per week may benefit mental resilience and overall health.

***

Reference
DOI: 10.1016/j.jshs.2026.101135

About Authors
About Dr. Peter J. Gianaros from the University of Pittsburgh, USA
Dr. Peter J. Gianaros is the Director of the Center for Mind-Body Science and Health at the University of Pittsburgh, where he was recently appointed as Distinguished Professor of Psychology, Psychiatry, and Clinical Translational Science. He earned his Ph.D. from the Pennsylvania State University and completed postdoctoral training at the University of Pittsburgh in neuroscience and health psychology. His research examines the connections between psychological stress and health, with a focus on brain and heart health. Dr. Gianaros has published over 180 articles and chapters, led several studies funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, and served as President of the Society for Biopsychosocial Science and Medicine.

About Dr. Lu Wan from the AdventHealth Neuroscience Research Institute, USA
Dr. Lu Wan is a Data Scientist at AdventHealth in Orlando, Florida, since June 2024. She previously worked as a Data Engineer at the University of Pittsburgh and as a Biomedical Engineer at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Dr. Wan holds a Ph.D. and completed graduate research training at the University of Florida. Her research interests include brain aging, physical activity, and cognitive health across adulthood. She is affiliated with the AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute, a nationally recognized center for brain research and care.

About Dr. Kirk I. Erickson from the AdventHealth Neuroscience Research Institute, USA
Dr. Kirk I. Erickson is the Director of Translational Neuroscience Research and the Mardian J. Blair Endowed Chair of Neuroscience at the AdventHealth Research Institute. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and completed postdoctoral training at the Beckman Institute. Formerly a Professor at the University of Pittsburgh, his research examines how physical activity influences brain health across the lifespan. Dr. Erickson has published over 350 articles, led major NIH-funded trials, and served on the U.S. Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee.

Funding information
This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (grant number: P01 HL040962) awarded to the University of Pittsburgh.