Weight gain, anxiety, fatigue, overwork, low libido, acne, even a puffy face... What if the culprit was cortisol, whose secretion is encouraged by the stress of our modern lives? A few minutes on the Internet and you're convinced that your cortisol level is too high! That's the rumor that's been circulating for the past few months on the social networks TikTok, Instagram, ...posting numerous videos and hashtags linked to the effects of cortisol and proposing solutions to reduce its levels. But what is it really?
1.What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone, secreted by the adrenal glands, which plays an essential role in most of our body's physiological processes:
- Stress response: high concentrations of cortisol are secreted into the bloodstream in response to stressful situations, giving it the name stress hormone. Cortisol, released just after adrenalin, is designed to prepare the body to react to danger. The result is a momentary increase in energy availability and muscle strength, as well as in blood pressure and glucose levels. The increase in blood sugar and the acceleration of the heart rate are essential in a moment of fight or flight.
- Metabolic regulation: Cortisol helps control how the body uses fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
- Modulation of inflammation and immune response: Cortisol may also be secreted to boost our immunity, but, at the same time, persistently high cortisol levels can generate inflammation and immune collapse.
- Blood pressure regulation: Cortisol helps maintain normal blood pressure by influencing the balance of salts and fluids in the body.
- Regulation of the sleep-wake cycle: our cortisol levels are at their highest in the morning to facilitate wakefulness, and at their lowest in the evening.
3.How can cortisol imbalance affect our health?
Dysregulation of the stress hormone axis (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), which controls both the production and secretion of cortisol, can lead to a variety of disorders linked to cortisol excess or deficiency:
- The case of Cushing's syndrome
A rare hormonal disease, linked to an excess of cortisol, affecting only one to three people in a million1, and requiring highly specialized care. This excess of cortisol, caused by the tumoral secretion of corticotropin in the majority of patients, or the prolonged use of cortisone-based medication, generates fairly intense symptoms: extreme fatigue, reduced immunity, increased hair growth, changes in the volume and distribution of body fat, generally making the bust appear thickened, the face puffy and rounded (moon face), and the arms and legs thinner, irregular menstrual cycle in women...On social networks, these symptoms are associated with a simple “high cortisol level”. But these are the symptoms of Cushing's syndrome. So, if you're experiencing any of these symptoms and have any doubts, talk to your doctor.
- Chronic stress
In stressful situations, cortisol levels rise rapidly, returning to normal levels once the stress has passed. But for people in situations of excessive, repeated, chronic stress, the process can repeat itself several times a week, or even daily. Chronically high cortisol levels can lead to a variety of disorders, from hyperglycemia and type 2 diabetes, to a potbelly, appetite deregulation, insomnia...
- Cases of overwork or adrenal exhaustion
Insufficient cortisol production by exhausted adrenal glands can lead to more frequent than normal fatigue, weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, low blood pressure, dizziness and other symptoms. Cortisol levels drop, leading to drowsiness during the day. However, these symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare professional to identify the cause.
3.How can you tell if your cortisol level is high?
The only way to find out is to have urine, blood or saliva tests carried out in a laboratory - tests which doctors rarely prescribe, only in cases of strong suspicion of symptoms such as Cushing's syndrome.
Cortisol levels vary considerably according to the time of day and night, but generally speaking, cortisol levels peak early in the morning between 6 and 8 a.m. This level decreases throughout the day. Cortisol levels fall throughout the day, as its secretion is inhibited during the first few hours of nocturnal sleep 2, but is not suppressed by daytime sleep3 .
In the event of high stress for a few days or weeks, such as during a professional project, bereavement or the birth of a child, cortisol levels may take a few weeks to return to normal.
Stay tuned, part two of the blog is coming soon!
References :
- « Qu'est-ce que le syndrome de Cushing ? », Société Française d’Endocrinologie.
- Cortisol Secretion Is Inhibited during Sleep in Normal Man*. ELLIOT D. WEITZMAN, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 1983
- R Pietrowsky, R Meyrer, W Kern, J Born, H L Fehm. Effects of diurnal sleep on secretion of cortisol, luteinizing hormone, and growth hormone in man Get access Arrow. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 78, Issue 3, 1 March 1994, Pages 683–687, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.78.3.8126142
The Adrien Gagnon team.