Today’s modern life is full of stress and when you are stressed, your hypothalamus, a small area at the base of your brain, activates an alarm system in your body. This causes nerve and hormonal signals that immediately activate the adrenal glands located above the kidneys, releasing a wave of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol. High cortisol levels lead to problems that we will mention in this article. Stay tuned to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for high cortisol.
What is cortisol and what does it do?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone, more specifically a glucocorticoid, secreted by the adrenal glands (a hormone is a chemical produced in one part of the body but enters the bloodstream and affects other parts of the body). There are two small adrenal glands above each kidney. We all need cortisol to survive and a small amount released into the body can have positive effects, including:
- It helps the body balance the effects of insulin to keep blood sugar at healthy levels and use sugar and fat for energy.
- Helps the body control and respond to stress.
- Helps regulate blood pressure.
- Help to adjust the safety device.
However, if your cortisol levels are consistently high, it leads to negative side effects. A condition in which cortisol levels in the body are too high for a long period is called Cushing's syndrome.
Some causes of Cushing's syndrome:
Chronic stress: Cortisol is also known as the "stress hormone."
Adrenal gland problems: Several adrenal gland disorders can cause high cortisol levels.
Steroid Medications: Some people take steroid medications that are similar to cortisol.
Excessive alcohol consumption
Acute depression
What are the symptoms of high cortisol (Cushing's syndrome)?
Mood changes such as irritability, depression, or more anxiety than usual.
It's normal to feel down or sad sometimes, but if you constantly feel sad and depressed or nervous and confused, you may be feeling the effects of cortisol's long-term effects on the production of serotonin and dopamine.
Digestive problems
High levels of cortisol cause the digestive tract to absorb energy and reduce the production of enzymes needed to digest food and absorb minerals and nutrients.
Heart disease and high blood pressure.
As we've learned, high cortisol levels can be caused by a stressful lifestyle. Too much stress can raise blood pressure and ultimately increase your risk of heart disease.
Sleep problems
Cortisol production is naturally high in the early morning to help you wake up and be alert. However, people who chronically stress their adrenal glands to produce excess cortisol change their cortisol levels; so when they wake up in the morning, the value is low instead of high.
Weight gain
Cortisol stimulates appetite and cravings for sugary, high-calorie, and carbohydrate foods. Because cortisol levels in the body are elevated for long periods, you are more likely to want to eat fatty, high-calorie foods.
Skin aging and wrinkles.
As if the damage caused by high cortisol levels in the body wasn't enough, water also dries out the skin. Dry skin means premature wrinkles.
Other symptoms:
- Pain and discomfort, especially back pain.
- Increased susceptibility to infections: Cortisol can weaken the immune system
- Facial hair growth in women.
- Purple/pink lines may appear on the body, similar to those seen in some pregnant women.
In most cases (except in cases caused by steroid use), symptoms develop gradually. Often, the diagnosis remains unclear for a long time, as the symptoms may be caused by other common problems.
It's worth noting that experiencing one or more of these symptoms does not mean that your cortisol levels are high. The symptoms mentioned may be due to other medical conditions. If you are concerned about how you are feeling, it is always best to consult your doctor.
If you feel like you're experiencing any of these symptoms, it might be time to review your lifestyle and make some changes to lower your cortisol levels. Here are the best tips to get you started!
How to treat high cortisol?
Stop consuming caffeine
200 mg of caffeine is said to increase blood cortisol levels by 30% within an hour. Try caffeinated drinks for two weeks and see how you feel.
Sleep deeper and longer
A good night's sleep relaxes your body and lowers cortisol levels.
Exercise regularly
Good exercise relieves stress naturally. When I'm feeling depressed or angry, I know that running clears my head. Scientifically, exercise is also useful for building muscle mass and increasing the production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These two hormones reduce anxiety and depression.
Keep your blood sugar stable
As delicious as doughnuts and cookies are, avoid eating too many of them and eat them occasionally for fun. Excessive consumption of refined sugars and simple carbohydrates suddenly increases insulin production. Try to eat small, frequent meals and enjoy balanced foods with protein, complex carbohydrates, and good fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Diets high in complex carbohydrates keep cortisol levels lower than low-carb diets.
Drink water
Make sure you stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water. Drinking a glass of water when you wake up and before you go to bed will help keep your cortisol levels low.
Take anti-stress supplements
B vitamins, minerals like calcium, magnesium, chromium, and zinc, and antioxidants like vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, grape seed oil, and coenzyme Q10 relieve stress.
Several herbs can be used to treat stress and anxiety, such as calendula, chamomile, and barley.
Meditate or listen to relaxing music.
When it comes to relaxing and lowering cortisol levels, resort to relaxing music or meditation.
It's easy to get caught up in a stressful lifestyle. We can't always improve our circumstances and what awaits us. However, with methods like the ones above, you can manage stress and keep your cortisol levels low. But for now, you don't have to do anything difficult. Just take a deep breath, light some scented candles, and stay calm. Life is too short to worry about trivial things.
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