There are some substances or elements that we often come across now in health and nutrition, but we don't know what they mean or what their functions are exactly. One of them is cortisol. Here we will see what cortisol is, what its functions are and what its presence means to our body.
What is cortisol and how is it produced?
It is a steroid hormone that our body releases mainly in stressful situations, but not only. Specifically, it is produced by the adrenal glands, but production is regulated by the pituitary gland of our brain. In other words, the command is given by the pituitary gland, which reacts to an impulse, such as waking up, practicing or a stressful event.
Cortisol circulates in our blood and can thus act on many different parts of our body. In particular:
- helps our body respond properly to stress or stress situations
- Increases glucose metabolism
- helps to control blood pressure
- plays a role in reducing inflammation
This hormone contributes to a number of important functions for our body, but the amount of it in our body should not be uncontrolled. Its balance has a key role in our health. For example, there are syndromes in which either little or too much cortisol is produced, with the consequence for the body.
What are the normal levels?
In the morning, cortisol is elevated in our blood, which explains in part why people are better at meeting their obligations in the morning. As time goes on, the levels of the hormone in our blood decrease, which leads us to bed at night.
However, a number of stressful conditions and substances can affect the secretion of the hormone, thus causing disturbances in sleep, exhaustion, sleep that does not rejuvenate the body, etc. Among the substances associated with these disorders are caffeine, alcohol as well as substances released from the burning of cigarettes.
What happens when the body cannot maintain the right levels?
One of the main factors that cause adrenal malfunction is long-term stress. Specifically, what happens is the depletion of cortisol stocks, which leads to adrenal deterioration.
The first symptoms of adrenal exhaustion are:
- bad mood
- Sleep Disorders
- anxiety
- reduced sexual mood
- irritation
- headache
- fatigue
- sensitivity to loud noises
- strong appetite for savory and sweet
- reduced tolerance to cold et al.
It is very important that stress is regulated at the first stage, otherwise the long-term pumping of the adrenal glands reaches a point where no further cortisol is produced. If the quantity is low this means for the body that there is a great deal of fatigue in the morning, and even more advanced people are not able to handle daily tasks.
In short
Symptoms of inadequate cortisol
- constant fatigue
- nausea and vomiting
- weight loss
- muscular weakness
- stomach ache
Symptoms of excessive cortisol
- weight gain, especially around the abdomen
- brittle skin
- irregular menstrual periods for women
- increase in blood pressure and sugar
- Reduce sexual desire
- immune suppression
information: NaturaNrg #94
By Dr Angel,
Aggeliki Koskeridou
Holistic Doctor – Counseling Psychotherapist
Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine
MSc Health Psychology
insta: dr_aggelikikoskeridou_official
