But while significantly high cortisol levels can be disruptive, cortisol in itself is not inherently bad. However, maintaining balanced cortisol levels is essential for overall health and well-being,” says Rajani. “Identifying the impact of high cortisol can be hard because symptoms may overlap with other health issues,” says Rajani. That said, high cortisol levels might make exercising more difficult. For some guys, supplements can be a great way to amp up your diet and keep cortisol levels lower.