Cortisol is a hormone produced by the body in response to stress. It has benefits such as reducing inflammation and helping the liver remove toxins, but can also have negative effects such as raising blood pressure and reducing immune response. Abnormal levels can cause Cushing’s or Addison’s disease. Stress reduction methods can help regulate cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a type of hormone, called corticosteroid hormone, produced by the body. It is sometimes called the “stress” hormone as people produce higher levels of it when under significant stress, especially during a “fight or flight” reaction. The adrenal gland, which is responsible for producing this hormone, creates it at varying levels throughout the day, but people tend to have it most available in the morning and it decreases as the day progresses.
There are some things this stress hormone does that are very good. It helps reduce inflammation and can be manufactured as a drug called hydrocortisone. Hydrocortisone can be used topically to treat the inflammatory skin condition, or it can be used in injectable form to reduce the inflamed tissue. It is a very useful treatment in many circumstances.
Additional benefits of cortisol include its ability to make sure needed sodium is not lost. It can also be useful for boosting short-term memory and helping the liver remove toxins from the body.
However, this hormone also does very unnecessary things. Chief among these is that it raises blood pressure, lowers bone density, reduces the immune response, and has a potential effect on serum blood glucose levels. When cortisol is regulated enough and not produced in high amounts, these effects tend not to harm a person’s health. For those with high stress levels, extra amounts of this hormone can be very problematic and can even deplete serotonin, which helps provide a sense of well-being and calm.
Abnormally high or abnormally low levels of this hormone are called hypercortisolism and hypocortisolism, respectively. Hypercortisolism can cause Cushing’s syndrome, which results in ultra-rapid weight gain, excessive sweating, easy bruising, and can cause psychological disturbances. Hypocortisolism causes Addison’s disease, which can result in dramatic weight loss, significant muscle pain, mood instability, and fatigue. Oral hydrocortisone can be used to treat a deficiency.
Unless Cushing’s or Addison’s disease is suspected, people usually don’t have tests for this hormone, especially if they don’t show any symptoms that would suggest high or low levels. There are some studies on the merits of watching for these hormone levels if a person has significantly reduced bone density. Sometimes people produce the hormone in larger quantities. Many pregnant women have higher levels, and of course illness and high stress can increase production.
Due to the fact that this corticosteroid hormone can be produced in unhealthy amounts when individuals are under stress, it makes sense to try to reduce stress. Learning to relax through a variety of methods, avoiding high-stress situations when possible, and even getting therapy can potentially help people be less anxious. Exercising regularly may also help reduce levels, provided these levels are not abnormally high due to a malfunctioning adrenal gland.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
