Cortisol hormone is also known as stress hormone, it helps the body to respond adequately to stressful situations. It is generally believed that if your cortisol remains elevated then you may also be more prone to problems like anxiety disorders, stress, and depression. Even though cortisol is known as the stress hormone, it has many other functions in the body. That is, both its excess and deficiency conditions can have harmful side effects on the body.
Medical reports suggest that our body produces it continuously like other hormones. It affects almost every organ and tissue in the body.
It also has a role in controlling the body's fat, protein, and carbohydrate utilization, metabolism, salt and water balance, weight, and memory, as well as controlling the stress response.
Know about the cortisol hormone
The hormone cortisol is produced by the adrenal gland. In a healthy person, cortisol increases and decreases at different times of the day. Lifestyle and certain physical conditions can affect cortisol levels, such as hypothyroidism, infection, and lack of exercise. If you think that uncontrolled levels of cortisol only increase stress, then here you need to understand that there is a risk of many other types of side-effects on the body.
Let's know about this.
Increased levels are problematic for the heart
For people in whom the level of cortisol hormone is often increased, the risk of heart disease is also increased as compared to other people. The hormone cortisol is secreted in response to stress. Studies show that prolonged stress or high levels of cortisol also increase blood cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and blood pressure, which are risk factors for heart diseases.
There is also a risk of weight gain
An increased level of the hormone cortisol greatly increases your desire to eat sweet, fatty, and salty foods. This is the reason why a stressed person has a strong desire for these things. This also means that you start consuming more of those things than a balanced diet, due to which the risk of increasing fat in the body is high. Due to this, your weight starts increasing rapidly in no time.
It is also worth noting here that the problem of excess weight can also cause the level of cortisol to increase.
Also, know about these symptoms of high cortisol
In the event of an increase in the level of cortisol, it can affect the whole body. Several signs and symptoms indicate that you may have elevated cortisol levels in your body. Swelling of the face, mood swings, fatigue and poor sleep, irregular periods, high blood pressure, and excessive thirst are also signs that your hormone levels are not right. In such situations, do consult a doctor.
(PC: Freepik)
