What Are the Effects of Cortisol
and How Does It Affect My Health?
Cortisol is called the stress hormone, and for good reason. The effects of cortisol are behind a multitude of health related problems brought on by chronic stress and the body's response to it.
Although high cortisol levels aren't entirely responsible for all the ill effects of living in crisis mode, they do play a major role in the relationship between stress and health.
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It is often referred to as the stress hormone. Even though it is produced and released by the adrenal glands, this hormone is primarily controlled by the pituitary gland.
The stress hormone cortisol is present in the body in varying amounts. Under normal conditions levels are highest in the morning and lowest a few hours after going to sleep. Problems caused by high cortisol levels has given this hormone a bad reputation. Yet it has many important, helpful functions in the body when it is released at normal levels. It only becomes damaging when levels stay elevated due to malfunction or chronic stress. This is a great example of the cloud having a silver lining. Have you ever noticed that you may only feel little if any pain during or shortly after an accident or fight, while you're still stressed? But then after you relax and the inflammatory process begins, the pain intensifies? This is in part due to the positive effects of cortisol.
Negative Effects of Cortisol
One of the functions of this hormone is to reduce inflammation, an initial part of the healing process. Inhibiting this process allows the tissues to continue receiving their full blood supply. This, and the other effects of cortisol, only become a problem when prolonged stress requires the body to sacrifice its balance and maintain high cortisol levels.Healing is not a priority when in flight-fright. The body reduces inflammation by suppressing the immune system. Even a twenty minute episode of stress has been shown to reduce natural killer cell activity, our primary defense system, for up to three days. As a result of repeated and prolonged high cortisol levels, the negative effects become apparent. Blood pressure rises. Blood sugar levels increase as insulin is blocked from doing its job leading to unhealthy fat building up in the abdomen. Gastric acid production increases in the stomach. Bone formation is hindered.
The cells in your body fall victim to prolonged high cortisol levels. Telomeres, the "end caps" that protect your cells as they reproduce shorten, causing your cells and immune system to age faster.Long-term exposure damages and reduces the number of cells in the hippocampus, the brain's primary memory center. This damage results in memory loss and impaired learning. Another major negative effect of cortisol is that it inhibits collagen formation. Collagen is a molecule that makes connective tissue. It's vital for structural support and is found in muscles, tendons and joints, as well as throughout the entire body. Stress studies done on rats show that collagen loss in the skin was ten times greater than in any other tissue. Remember that during stress the body prioritizes what is important for fight or flight. Wrinkle-free, young looking skin is not one of those priorities. Adrenaline and cortisol work together during stressful times to create memories of emotional events. You've probably experienced an event that felt so emotionally charged that it seems forever burned into your memory as if it just happened. This is called a flash bulb memory and probably serves as a protective device - a powerful reminder of what you want to avoid.
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Cortisol and DHEA
The effects of cortisol extend beyond its direct impact on the body. Another problem with continually maintaining high cortisol levels has to do with another vital hormone produced by the adrenal glands. When the adrenal glands release stress hormones, they are not releasing the DHEA hormone responsible for cell repair. The adrenals are making one of these hormones or the other at any given moment. When DHEA hormone levels are low, the body does not have the biological resources to repair itself. The body can't function properly and is more vulnerable to disease. DHEA also protects us from stress and the effects of cortisol. It slows aging, strengthens the immune system and improves mood. If you are concerned about being healthy, you need to create conditions that favor the production of the DHEA hormone. It takes about thirty minutes after a stressful event for the body to break down cortisol molecules. They are reassembled into the necessary building blocks for DHEA. If you keep thinking stressful thoughts, these thoughts trigger the stress response, not an opportunity for healing and repair. A little stress now and again provides an energy boost to help you achieve your goals. Chronic stress has short and long-term health consequences that can permanently compromise your health and cause you to age faster. Don't kid yourself into thinking you can compartmentalize your stress and keep it in your head.
The brain communicates to the body with lightning speed, and the entire body gets the message to activate the stress response.
Understanding how the stress response works, and how we can limit the harmful effects of cortisol and stress, will keep us healthier and enjoying a better quality of life.
Additional Resources:Conquer Stress, Depression and Anxiety - Feel calmer, happier and healthier with increased levels of energy and greater self confidence. Find natural relief from stress, depression and anxiety without drugs quickly and naturally.
Return from Effects of Cortisol and Stress to the Natural Stress Relief Primer to learn about how to reduce stress.
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