We all experience stress in our lives, don't we? Whether it's office work, exams, family problems, or financial problems , there is something inside our body that prepares us to face that situation, like an inbuilt 'Alarm System'. That's what we call the 'Stress Hormone', or Cortisol . Today , let's talk a little more about this important friend in our body.
What is cortisol and what does it do to the body?
Simply put, cortisol is our body's main stress hormone . It is produced in the two triangular glands located above our kidneys, the adrenal glands . This hormone works with parts of our brain to help control things like our mood , motivation, and fear.
Cortisol isn't just related to stress. It contributes to many important processes in our bodies. For example:
- It manages how our body uses carbohydrates, fats, and proteins .
- It controls inflammation in the body, which means swelling and redness.
- It helps keep our blood pressure at the right level.
- Blood sugar ( glucose ) levels are raised when needed.
- It controls our sleep/wake cycle .
- It provides the necessary strength to cope with stress or an emergency, and then restores the body to its normal state (balance) after the event has passed.
How does this hormone work in the body?
This is a very amazing control system. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland in your brain.These two parts are constantly monitoring the level of cortisol in your blood. Imagine that the level of cortisol in your blood is low. At that time, the brain recognizes that signal and releases other hormones in response. When our adrenal glands receive this signal, they produce the required amount of cortisol and add it to the blood.
Imagine that you suddenly feel a great fear or emergency. It's like a car suddenly approaching you while you're walking down the street. At that moment, cortisol comes in and temporarily sets aside some things that aren't essential at that moment. Like, your digestive system and immune system slow down a bit and focus all your energy on escaping the danger.
Almost every cell in our body has special receptors to accept this cortisol. Therefore, the function of cortisol changes from day to day depending on the need.
What happens if stress continues?
Normally, after the stress or dangerous situation we talked about earlier has passed, cortisol levels should decrease again, and everything like heart rate and blood pressure should return to normal.
But imagine, what if your stress doesn't go away in a day or two? What if you're constantly under stress? Then it's like having that alarm button on all the time . Having high cortisol levels for a long time like this can disrupt the most important processes in our body. And, it can also cause a number of health problems.
- Anxiety and Depression
- Frequent headaches
- Heart disease
- Memory and attention problems
- Digestive problems
- Insomnia problems
- Weight gain (especially around the abdomen)
Can cortisol levels change for other reasons?
Yes, it is possible. Sometimes, cortisol levels can become unbalanced not only due to stress, but also due to other medical reasons. These can be mainly divided into two categories. That is, an increase in cortisol levels and a decrease.
Let us clearly understand these two conditions from the table below.
| Increased cortisol levels (Cushing Syndrome) | Low cortisol levels (Addison's Disease) |
|---|---|
This can be caused by the body producing too much cortisol, such as a tumor in the adrenal gland or the pituitary gland in the brain. Main symptoms: Rapid weight gain (especially in the face, back of the neck, and stomach area), thinning skin that bruises easily, muscle weakness, risk of diabetes, and high blood pressure. | This condition occurs when the body is unable to produce enough cortisol. Symptoms usually appear gradually, over time. Main symptoms: Skin discoloration (especially darkening of scars and skin folds), constant feeling of extreme fatigue, muscle weakness that increases over time, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and weight loss, and low blood pressure. |
If you have these symptoms, don't just assume, "It's probably stress." These are conditions that require medical attention. So, definitely see your doctor and talk about it. Then, they can run the necessary tests to find out exactly what's causing it. Your doctor may prescribe medications like Dexamethasone and Hydrocortisone to treat low cortisol levels (Addison's disease).
Take-Home Message
- Cortisol is the main 'stress hormone' naturally produced in our body.
- While this is essential for dealing with short-term stress, prolonged stress can lead to a number of health problems, such as anxiety, weight gain, and sleep problems.
- Cushing's syndrome, which is increased cortisol, and Addison's disease, which is decreased cortisol, are two conditions that should be addressed by a doctor.
- If you have any of the symptoms mentioned in this article, do not ignore them and definitely see your doctor for advice.
👩🏽⚕️ Additional questions (FAQs)
💬 What is the hormone Cortisol?
Cortisol is a major hormone produced by the adrenal glands, located above our kidneys. Many people also call it the 'stress hormone'. It is important for controlling our body's sugar levels and for everyday bodily functions.
💬 What are the symptoms of high cortisol levels?
If this hormone is high in the body for a long time, it can cause weight gain, a moon face, thin skin that bruises easily, and high blood pressure. This condition is called Cushing's syndrome.
💬 What happens if the amount of cortisol in the body decreases?
Low cortisol levels can cause fatigue, weight loss, muscle weakness, and low blood pressure. This condition is also known as Addison's disease.
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