Effects of Cortisol Impact of Stress Hormone on Health
There are many effects of cortisol stress hormone on your health. Cortisol is produced in your adrenal glands and you secrete it as your body's response to stress. It has positive effects on your health when released in small amounts such as it metabolizes your sugar level. But if produced in large amounts, it harms your immune system.
What are positive effects of increased cortisol?
Cortisol is not all bad. It has good effects like...
Regulation of insulin levels,
Proper sugar metabolism, and
Regulation of blood pressure.
But when you don’t know how to remove stress, your body can’t go back to its normal state resulting in prolonged exposure to cortisol.
Being in constant contact with increased levels of cortisol has negative effects.
What are negative effects of cortisol?
Harmful health effects include...
1) Decreased bone density
Too much cortisol makes your once-healthy bones weak, brittle and fragile. Women, especially those who are in the menopausal stage, are more prone to bone thinning.
2) Depressed immune function
Have you ever noticed that when you are feeling stressed out; you catch a cold more easily?
Your immune system is like a guard ready to defend your body from attacks of pathogens and for prevention of cancer cells. But stress lowers your immune function thus, it helps promote tumors.
3) Changes in your detoxification system
When you have a deadline at work and you are not even half-way done with it, you are prone to changes in bowel movements or stomach disorders; either you experience constipation or diarrhea.
4) Reduced metabolism
When you are under a lot of stress, you tend to make unhealthy choices such as finish off a slice of cake by yourself and find yourself getting another slice.
Stress can make you hungrier than you really are and your cravings are so much worse. Your metabolism slows down and you gain weight especially on your midsection. Being overweight is a risk factor for many types of cancer.
5) Leads to inflammation
Why must stress prevention be a priority? It's because stress does a lot of things to your body. It affects your judgment, your choices and your decisions.
Some people turn to drinking too much alcohol just to ease whatever stressful moments they are having. Many smoke as a way to release their stress.
All these behaviors have negative effects on your health and later on, will lead to vicious inflammation.
It is now understood that a long-term body-wide inflammation lays the groundwork for the diseases that are plaguing the human race and this includes cancer.
6) Damages cells in the brain
Too much cortisol in frequent and increased doses can also damage the cells in your brain. It has adverse effects on the area needed for memory and learning.
Bottomline? Learn how to avoid stress because it is crucial in cancer prevention and in keeping the effects of cortisol under control.
