Cortisol
What is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a natural steroid hormone which is produced by adrenal cortex, a
part of the adrenal gland. It is commonly know as “stress hormone” because human
beings produce more cortisole while doing stressful jobs. Cortisol has the power
to increase blood pressure, blood sugar level and decrease immune responses. It
is directly linked with the functions of liver. Cortisol plays an important role
in controlling inflammation. The chemical reproduction of this hormone named
hydrocortisone is commonly used in the treatment of inflammatory skin. This
hormone always helps to make sure that the body maintains the required volume of
sodium and the liver remove toxins from the body.
Coffee, Caffeine and Cortisol...
Daily use of coffee results in the secretion of more cortisol which increases
the production of lactate. Studies so far suggest that high level of cortisol
shrivel the division of the brain that is responsible for memory. High volume of
this hormone affects your immune system and decreases your body’s power to
resist infections. If you take more than 3 cups of coffee daily then it will
result in the depletion of your adrenals. If the adrenal gland is over
stimulated, it may result in fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, depression and a
weakened immune system. Usually, caffeine stays in people’s system for about
eight to thirty hours. The presence of caffeine in the system leads to the
release of more glucose in to the blood stream followed by a stern fall in blood
sugar. Coffee also provides more stress on your kidneys.
Recent studies proved that there are some major health benefits in using tea
daily. Green and black teas have 8 to 10 times antioxidant capacity when
compared to fruits and vegetables. The possibility for heart disease and stroke
is very less in people who use two or more cups of tea on regular basis. Black,
green, iced and oolong teas are good for health. Adding too much of milk with
tea is not good because this will reduce the antioxidant capacity.
Symptoms of High Cortisol
You do not feel any changes immediately because of the increase in cortisol
level. If the increase in cortisol level remains same for a period of several
months or years, you will start feeling the negative impacts. Conditions like
weight gain (particularly around the abdomen), depressed immune function,
accelerated aging and stomach ulcers are commonly found in patients with high
cortisol level. High cortisol level make bad impact on the immune system,
fertility, bone health and the list grows longer. Some new research also proved
that high cortisol level results in abdominal weight gain, loss of verbal
declarative memory, insulin resistance, and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.
Some of the High Cortisol Symptoms Include:
Constant Fatigue
Brain Fog
Cold Hands & Feet
Depression
Poor Mental Clarity
Sweet Tooth
Eyelid Twitching
Weak Sexual Desire
Low Zinc
Low Magnesium
Low Cortisol
Usually, low cortisol levels occur due to the adrenal fatigue or the fatigue
phase of the stress response. Low cortisol level leads to slow glucose
production and high insulin level. If you do not have enough cortisol production
in your body, it often results in Addison's disease. Very low cortisol level in
your body is a life-threatening condition.
Cortisol Deficiency
Also know as adrenal insufficiency, Cortisol deficiency is a condition which is
either inborn or acquired. Congenital adrenal hyperplasia is the common genetic
cause of cortisol deficiency and Addison’s disease and hypopituitarism are the
main causes of acquired cortisol deficiency. But the symptoms of this deficiency
disease are similar in both cases.
Some of the most common symptoms include:
Muscle weakness and fatigue
Weight loss and decreased appetite
Low blood pressure and fainting
Low blood sugar
Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
Foods that lower Cortisol
Low glycemic index food items can lower cortisol volume in your body. It is
recommended to take food items such as egg, meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables
to lower the cortisol level. High glycemic index food containing huge volume of
sugar or starch is not good for reducing this hormone level. High glycemic index
food needs utilization of almost an equivalent mass of animal protein to keep
glycemic balance. It is better to avoid taking very low calorie diets daily. Low
calorie dieting is a main stress to the body and it increases cortisol
production while declining testosterone.