When stress loses its protective role
Stress is not only a problem: it is first of all a survival mechanism. Faced with danger, the body reacts fast and without deliberation, through the autonomic nervous system. That response mobilises energy, heightens alertness, activates adrenaline and cortisol, then returns to baseline once the threat has passed.
According to Marion Perrot, the difficulty with modern stress is that it never lets up. It no longer looks like a one-off threat but like a continuous stream of demands: messages, mental load, tasks piling up, prolonged tension. In that setting the body no longer returns to rest quickly enough, and a response designed to be brief settles in for the long term.
From the alarm phase to the resistance phase
Acute stress mobilises two major systems: the sympathetic nervous system, which prepares the body for action, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which drives cortisol secretion. In the alarm phase, the amygdala and the hypothalamus trigger the release of CRH, then of adrenaline and cortisol.
This reaction shows up as a rise in heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate, blood redistributed towards the muscles, digestion put on hold, higher blood glucose and heightened alertness. Cortisol mobilises energy reserves, supports wakefulness and modulates the immune response in the short term. Once the situation ends, negative feedback shuts down cortisol secretion and the balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems is restored.
A cortisol curve that flattens
When stress persists, this axis loses its regulation: CRH and ACTH stimulate the adrenal cortex continuously, and cortisol stays present throughout the day. Its circadian rhythm (low at night, peaking on waking, then tapering off) flattens out. This desynchronisation contributes to persistent fatigue, to disturbances in lipid and glucose metabolism, to lower resistance to infection, and to problems with alertness and sleep.
The fall in magnesium and zinc
The stress response consumes magnesium heavily and draws on zinc. When magnesium falls, neuronal hyperexcitability rises; when zinc falls, the balance between GABA and glutamate is disturbed. The clinical picture often combines nervousness, poor concentration, disturbed sleep, headaches, spasms, cramp, palpitations and growing anxiety. A self-sustaining loop sets in: more stress, less magnesium, more excitability, and therefore greater vulnerability to stress.
Stress and neurotransmitters
Cortisol also acts on the neurotransmitters. When it stays raised over time, dopamine tends to fall, which shows up as mental fatigue, a loss of motivation and drive, brain fog, and difficulty with memory and with getting started on things.
With serotonin, the body may at first increase production, but an excess is not favourable either and may come with a form of fatigue, less initiative and a sense of apprehension. As inflammation sets in, serotonin eventually falls, which is associated with irritability, low tolerance of frustration, food cravings, unstable mood and disturbed sleep. Finally, the imbalance between GABA, which calms, and glutamate, which excites, leaves the terrain more reactive and more anxious, all the more so because falling zinc reduces the sensitivity of GABA receptors.
The gut-brain axis
Prolonged cortisol promotes low-grade inflammation that acts on both the central nervous system and the gut ecosystem. In the brain, inflammation steers tryptophan towards the kynurenine pathway rather than towards serotonin, which contributes to neuroinflammation, to greater permeability of the blood-brain barrier and to brain fog. In the gut, stress promotes dysbiosis and hyperpermeability, allowing pro-inflammatory molecules to spread. Gut and brain then feed one another, and a stressed terrain frequently comes with abdominal pain, altered bowel transit and food intolerances.
Supporting the nervous system through diet
A Mediterranean-style diet is a coherent base: oily fish and omega-3, nuts and seeds, a wide range of plants, wholegrains, pulses, polyphenols and micronutrients. Marion Perrot does add a practical caveat: in someone with dysbiosis, hyperpermeability and digestive symptoms, introducing fibre or nuts abruptly is not always appropriate. A phase of digestive rest, followed by gradual progression, is often preferable.
Chrononutrition: the right nutrient at the right time
The idea is to support each neurotransmitter according to the rhythm of the day. In the morning, a protein-rich breakfast supports catecholamine synthesis, and therefore dopamine. Late in the day, a serotonin-oriented snack (dark chocolate, fruit, a few almonds or walnuts, for example) helps support serotonin and re-establish a steadier rhythm. Keep an eye on glycaemic load, though: in someone who is very stressed, prolonged fasting and an absence of carbohydrate can act as additional stress and place further demand on cortisol.
The micronutrition levers
The micronutrition strategy set out in the webinar is built around three lines of work: correcting deficits, supporting neurotransmitter synthesis and supporting the gut ecosystem.
Correcting deficits
Magnesium is central: it is involved from the alarm phase onwards and is used up heavily under stress. Zinc contributes to the balance of the nervous system, in particular through GABA. Vitamins involved in energy metabolism and minerals that support enzyme systems complete the approach. Iron, which takes part in dopamine synthesis, is only supplemented after testing, where a deficiency is confirmed.
Supporting neurotransmitter synthesis
Tyrosine supports dopamine synthesis and sits well in the morning, alongside the protein-rich breakfast. Tryptophan supports serotonin, but where inflammation is marked it is diverted down the kynurenine pathway, so it is better considered once the inflammatory and gut terrain has improved.
Supporting the gut axis
Omega-3 supports the balance of the terrain and the gut-brain axis; glutamine and curcumin help support the intestinal mucosa; probiotics help rebalance the microbiota. Depending on the terrain, certain targeted supports stand out: theanine, GABA, ashwagandha, rhodiola or saffron. Ashwagandha and rhodiola are better suited to the resistance phase, while saffron fits a serotonergic terrain marked by irritability.
The role of lifestyle
Micronutrition is not enough on its own: the parasympathetic system deserves practical support. Diaphragmatic breathing and a lengthened out-breath have a calming effect; heart coherence breathing can help, though it does not suit everyone straight away. Smell and certain calming essential oils can accompany these exercises. Morning light helps reset the rhythm, and in the evening genuine sleep education (limiting screens and blue light, setting up a wind-down ritual) remains decisive. Physical activity is useful, provided it does not become one more obligation. Finally, where stress also stems from the meaning of the work, from how it is organised or from relationships, complementary support very much keeps its place.
In practice
Chronic stress is not just a passing feeling: it can disturb magnesium, zinc, cortisol, dopamine, serotonin, GABA and the microbiota. A coherent strategy combines an adapted Mediterranean diet, chrononutrition, correction of deficits, support for the gut-brain axis, and breathing and sleep tools. Restoring balance often starts with simple basics applied consistently.
Simplycure brings together webinars like this one and a documented catalogue to help practitioners build their protocols. Create your practitioner account to access the replays and the micronutrition resources.
