Cortisol

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone produced and released by your adrenal glands. Hormones are chemicals that communicate with your organs, skin, muscles, and other tissues to coordinate various tasks in your body. These signals instruct your body on what to do and when to do it. Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones. They manage metabolism in your muscles, fat, liver, and bones while suppressing inflammation in all of your physiological tissues. Glucocorticoids also have an impact on sleep-wake cycles. Adrenal glands, also known as suprarenal glands, are small, triangle-shaped glands that sit on top of each of your two kidneys. They are components of your endocrine system.

Cortisol – A stress hormone

Cortisol is commonly referred to as the “stress hormone.” Aside from controlling your body’s stress response, it has numerous other vital actions and functions throughout your body.

It’s also crucial to understand that, medically speaking, there are various types of stress, such as:

Acute stress consists of: Acute stress occurs when you face a sudden threat in a short amount of time. For example, narrowly missing a car accident or being hunted by an animal are both stressful scenarios.

Chronic stress: Chronic (long-term) stress occurs when you are confronted with conditions that cause you to be frustrated or anxious on a regular basis. Persistent stress might be caused by, for example, a challenging or tedious job or a chronic illness.

Traumatic stress occurs when you face a life-threatening situation that causes fear and a sense of helplessness. Traumatic stress can be caused by, for example, witnessing an extreme weather occurrence, such as a tornado, or by witnessing war or sexual assault. In some situations, these occurrences can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Sign of high cortisol

When cortisol levels remain too high, you may experience a variety of undesirable symptoms. Higher and longer-lasting levels of cortisol in the bloodstream (such as those associated with chronic stress) have been linked to a variety of unfavourable outcomes, including:

• Hyperglycemia is a type of blood sugar imbalance.
• Bone density has decreased.
• Muscle tissue deterioration
• Increased blood pressure
• Impaired cognitive function
• Abdominal fat accumulation
• Reduced immune and inflammatory responses in the body, as well as slower wound healing and other health effects
• Thyroid function is impaired.

These negative impacts frequently have their own implications. Increased abdominal fat, for example, is related with a greater number of health problems than fat produced in other parts of the body. Increased stomach fat is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, metabolic syndrome, higher levels of “bad” cholesterol (LDL), and lower levels of “good” cholesterol (HDL).

Chronically elevated cortisol levels can also result in Cushing syndrome. Adrenal tumours and long-term glucocorticoid use are two possible causes. High blood sugars with increased thirst and urination are also symptoms of Cushing syndrome, as are osteoporosis, depression, as well as more frequent infections.

Ways to control cortisol

Cortisol levels in the blood vary throughout the day, but they are normally greater in the morning when we get up and subsequently fall during the day. This is known as a diurnal rhythm. This pattern is inverted in persons who work at night, indicating that cortisol release is definitely linked to day activity patterns. Furthermore, additional cortisol is generated in response to stress to assist the body adapt effectively.

Cortisol secretion is primarily regulated by three interconnected parts of the body: the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal gland. The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis is responsible for this. When cortisol levels in the blood fall, a group of cells in the hypothalamus, a part of the brain, release corticotropin-releasing hormone, which triggers the pituitary gland to emit another hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, into the bloodstream. High amounts of adrenocorticotropic hormone are found in the adrenal glands and stimulate cortisol release, leading cortisol levels in the blood to rise. Cortisol levels rise and begin to inhibit the production of corticotropin-releasing hormone from the hypothalamus as well as adrenocorticotropic hormone out from the pituitary gland.

Conclusion

Cortisol is a naturally occurring steroid hormone that regulates the body’s stress response. While it is commonly referred to as “the stress hormone” due to its most well-known function, it also plays a part in many other bodily processes. It is produced by the adrenal glands and is involved in the control of the following functions, among others:

• Blood pressure control
• Glucose metabolism
• Immune system function
• Inflammatory reaction
• insulin secretion

Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands in response to stress or terror as part of the body’s fight or flight response. When faced with a threat in your environment, your body undergoes a series of near-instantaneous reflexes that prepare you to either stay and deal with the situation or flee to safety.