Mucho más que el cortisol: La nueva ciencia de las hormonas del estrés, los picos de glucosa y el metabolismo que transformará tu salud

by Richard Mackenzie (Dr), Peter Walker, Silvia Alemany (Translator)

Why do we feel stress? And how can we change things?

Stress Tested is a pioneering collaboration between leading researcher Richard Mackenzie and journalist Peter Walker. Investigating the science of stress hormones, real-life case studies, the history of stress, societal factors and how they interact with stress, Mackenzie and Walker explain exactly how stress works, and what we can do to mitigate its long-term health impact. This is the book exploring the nuances of stress and how it affects you.

You’ll learn how stress impacts and interacts




Your hormonesWeightType 2 diabetesYour work and socio-economic statusFertility and pregnancyEarly childhood and upbringingPlus some strategies for coping with stress
It is packed with conversation-starting science and stories. Did you know that low-carb diets can increase cortisol levels, as can HIIT exercise, causing insulin and glucose surges? The opposite of what we have been told in recent times. Or how stress hormones can affect fertility for all genders? Mackenzie and Walker dive into society and stress, considering if the higher rate of type two diabetes in disadvantaged communities is entirely due to lack of healthy food and exercise – or is the stress of poverty itself a major factor?

One thing is stress is complex and personal, with many contributing factors. In Stress Tested, the authors present the view that much (if not most) stress is caused by factors outside of your control. It’s not your fault if you’re stressed. But having the knowledge and understanding of what is happening in your body when stress occurs is a powerful step towards minimizing it.

Genres: Nonfiction

288 pages, Paperback

Published November 26, 2025

About the author

Dr Richard Mackenzie is one of the UK's foremost experts on glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and their interactions with stress hormones. Dr Mackenzie is a leading researcher at Research Centre for Health & Life Sciences (Coventry University) and the Institute of Cardio-Metabolic Medicine (University Hospital Coventry and Warwick NHS Trust) and is internationally recognized for his work. He leads on metabolic health at a distinguished Harley Street clinic and has published more than 40 journal articles, mainly on insulin resistance and diabetes.

Reviews

[readingmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read and a likeable tone from joint authors. I’m interested in how stress hormones work and how they intersect with insulin resistance. The book deals with this theme and a number of others, including how early childhood experiences affect one’s cortisol production later in life. It was an interesting read - although some of the science content was a bit hard to grasp in full detail, even though I’m reasonably familiar with some of these terms and concepts. I think the book prioritises being concise and readable, and that’s absolutely fine for my purposes. I’d recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the state of science/research on stress.

[Farrells Bookshop · Rating 3 out of 5]

A readable look at the science behind stress and the effects on the body. Also includes ideas for working through stress.

Read by Suzie

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating. Eye-opening. Highly recommended.

[Gabe Fishbein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent popsci book about stress. Somewhat meandering, didn’t really revolve around any kind of thesis. Didn’t have anything particularly forward looking. Probably wouldn’t recommend.