Stress Hormones - Why Cortisol Is The Problem

I think we can all agree that the holiday season is one of the most stressful times of the year.

Maybe you have a *sense* that it affects your health, but do you actually know why or how?

If you want to train your body to be more resilient to stress (so it doesn’t have so much control over your life), it helps to understand stress hormones.

So let’s start there.

STRESS HORMONES - CORTISOL & ADRENALINE

There are 2 stress hormones I want you to know about:

Cortisol & Adrenaline (also called Epinephrine).

While both of these hormones are released in your body in response to stress, they work differently:

1️⃣ Adrenaline is released rapidly as an immediate response to stress, whereas cortisol is released in a daily rhythm regulated by the brain & the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis.

2️⃣ Adrenaline has fast effects to activate the body when in danger (think “fight or flight!”). Cortisol has slower effects that are not as obvious to track.

3️⃣ Whereas adrenaline increases the heart rate and can make you feel anxious during intense moments, cortisol has longer-term health effects related to metabolism, sleep, brain, and mood.

Bottom line - while the effects of adrenaline are felt immediately in response to stress, the effects of cortisol are less obvious and can have longer-term implications for many aspects of your health and well-being.

TOO MUCH CORTISOL IS A PROBLEM

Cortisol is a “stress hormone,” but it also influences metabolism, weight, inflammation, blood pressure, brain function, mood, and SO. MUCH. MORE.

Cortisol has a ripple effect on just about every aspect of physical and mental health, like…

🔥 Immune Function

Cortisol keeps inflammation in check, but too much can lower the body’s ability to fight off infections and illness.

🍪 Blood Sugar

Cortisol increases blood sugar (to help us respond to stress), but this can lead to insulin resistance and blood sugar issues over time.

👖 Belly Fat

Chronically elevated cortisol leads to weight gain—particularly around the middle.

💩 Bloating & Digestion

The gut is our second brain and responds to stress hormones too!

❣️ Emotional Health

Cortisol can contribute to anxiety, restlessness, apathy, and other mood changes.

Chronically elevated cortisol is one of the most significant root causes of health issues in so many of my clients. Stay tuned for the next article in this series where I will be sharing some surprising things that spike cortisol levels and food and exercise tips to manage your stress response.

Are you ready for a fresh perspective on your health? As a board-certified Integrative & Functional Medicine physician, I can help you “think outside of the box” and dig deeper with a variety of laboratory testing to help uncover the underlying root causes of your symptoms and create a plan personalized for you that goes beyond the prescription pad to incorporate diet/lifestyle change, nutritional supplements, holistic therapies, health coaching and more! Contact us to schedule an appointment or learn more.