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Hormonal Update Volume 1 Number 9 Cortisol - The Stress Hormone Is there anyone in the world who hasn’t experienced stress? Stress seems to have become an integral part of our modern lifestyle. Stress related to job, family, money, and health have become all too familiar aspects of our lives. But did you know that stress is a hormonal event and can actually be measured? When you are experiencing stress of any kind, your body releases cortisol, one of your steroid hormones, into your bloodstream to help you cope. Cortisol is actually called the stress hormone and functions to help your body mobilize the energy you need to manage the stressful experiences in your life. Determining your cortisol level can be an effective barometer for identifying how the stress in your life is affecting you. In this Hormonal Update we are going to explain the function of cortisol and discuss the importance of knowing your cortisol level. The Stress Response In a continual state of regeneration, your body is constantly building itself up, breaking itself down, then rebuilding again. Cortisol is at the center of this process. When you experience stress of any kind, your body needs more energy. Whether it is something that excites you, frightens you, surprises you, or makes you angry, the stage is set for the release of cortisol into your system. Produced by your adrenal glands (a pair of small hormone- secreting glands situated on the kidneys), cortisol influences the breakdown and utilization of the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats from your diet. When cortisol is released into your bloodstream, it helps provide the nutrients your body needs to manage stress. It also assists your body in maintaining blood pressure and suppressing reactions like pain, allergy and inflammation. It is clear that cortisol carries out many critical functions. In a natural rhythm, your body produces much more cortisol in the morning than in the evening, giving you the energy you need to begin your day. In the evening your cortisol level should drop by approximately 90%. Evening is generally the time when the stresses of the day are behind you, the time when you can relax and unwind. Unfortunately, because stress is so pervasive in our society today, this is not always the case. Scientific data is showing that elevated cortisol levels are becoming more commonplace. As important and necessary as cortisol is, you can have too much of it circulating in your system. If you are constantly under stress, your cortisol level can remain elevated over long periods of time. Research now correlates chronically elevated levels of cortisol with blood sugar problems, fat accumulation, compromised immune function, exhaustion, bone loss, and even heart disease. Memory loss has also been associated with high cortisol levels. Continual stress can indeed have a negative impact on your health. A recent study found that women who work outside the home and have family responsibilities tend to have elevated evening cortisol levels. Men, on the other hand, have the expected lower cortisol levels in the evening. This difference may reflect the additional work that many women do after they get home from their jobs. Interestingly, differences between women and men in relationship to cortisol extend even further. One study, that examined the effect of harassment on cortisol levels, noted that recovery from stress was significantly different between men and women. Harassed men actually had the largest increase in cortisol levels, but once the stress was eliminated men returned to normal more quickly than women. In a scientific investigation of 30,000 women and men in 30 countries, women were shown to be more likely than men to report feeling stress. In response to issues of family, work and money, whether they are in a relationship or not, a parent or not, women are more stressed than men in the same situation. Working women with children were found to have the highest stress levels. Chronically elevated cortisol levels can stop a woman from ovulating and may lead to infertility. If a woman is not ovulating she may have lower estrogen and progesterone levels. Low estrogen levels can increase the activity of osteoclasts (bone breakdown cells) while low progesterone has been shown to increase PMS symptoms. Also, to provide the extra calcium needed when faced with intense stress situation, cortisol can directly stimulate bone breakdown cells. Unchecked over a long period of time, high cortisol levels can cause you to lose bone faster than you can rebuild it. Good Stress - Bad Stress Even though stress is a part of life, it is important to recognize that there is good stress and bad stress. Good stress can range from being excited about a new job to falling in love. Even preparing for a vacation can be a bit stressful. But these stresses are not generally long lasting. Bad stress is the anxiety or depression that comes from staying in a job or relationship that is not right for you and suffering day in and day out, year in and year out. Prolonged stress may be due to mental or emotional upsets, or a physical upset like malnutrition, surgery, chemical exposure, excessive exercise, sleep deprivation or a host of other causes. When stress goes on too long it often results in physiologic changes - chronically high cortisol levels, a decline in immune function and a disruption of gastrointestinal tract microflora balance. An inability to cope with long-term stress can lead to emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, and cognitive weariness, sometimes called burnout. Burnout has been associated with elevated saliva cortisol levels and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A recent study showed that burnout sufferers had higher levels of tension at work, were more irritable after work, had difficulty sleeping at night, and woke up feeling exhausted. These burnout victims had higher cortisol levels throughout their workday, which reflected their constant exposure to stress. Knowing Your Cortisol Level is Important An elevated cortisol level is not something you can immediately feel. If it is elevated for too long, over a period of months or years for example, you may begin to feel its effects because of the negative impact it has on your overall health. Besides impacting the immune system, fertility, and bone health, the list of the risks of high cortisol levels grows longer. New studies demonstrate that elevated cortisol levels can lead to abdominal weight gain, loss of verbal declarative memory (words, names, and numbers), insulin resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes. Managing stress is a very important part of your healthcare program. A saliva hormone test for cortisol can serve as a kind of stress barometer, warning you of continual exposure to stress, and therefore to potential disease. Saliva testing will let you know if you need to do something about your stress, such as taking action to change your circumstances, or making strides in new areas of relaxation and stress relief. Once you know your saliva cortisol level you can begin to take stress-reducing measures in your life and protect your long-term health. A well-balanced diet and nutritional supplementation plan can help counter the increased demands of your body when it is under stress. Sensible exercise has been shown to reduce stress hormone production, blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Relaxation, meditation, even finding an enjoyable hobby can help diffuse almost any stressful situation. Once you have begun incorporating stress management techniques into your life, monitoring your salivary cortisol level will tell you how well you are doing. Current scientific research on stress:
How do I know if I’m stressed?
So, what are some stress-busters?
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