Hydrocortisone, or cortisol, is a hormone produced in the adrenal gland. And, high cortisol levels can affect your health.
After all, cortisol serves to increase our blood sugar levels but can also reduce bone formation and cause diseases such as obesity.
When you have high cortisol levels, this is known as hypercortisolism or Cushing’s syndrome. This disease leads to the buildup of fat, high blood pressure and great bodily stress.
Signs and Symptoms of High Cortisol Levels
These signs will help you to know if you have too much cortisol in your body:
1. Sudden weight gain
Weight gain is one of the first symptoms of high cortisol.
This is especially noticeable in the upper part of the body, since fat begins to accumulate in places like the shoulders, chest, and back.
The strangest thing about this is that the arms and legs of this person will continue to be thin.
2. Skin symptoms
The skin is also affected by hypercortisolism.
It can cause the development of:
- Acne
- Purple lesions on the breasts, abdomen and thighs
- Bruising
- Increased facial and body hair.
3. Musculoskeletal symptoms
High cortisol levels can also affect the muscles and bones. The bone structure becomes weak and leads to an increased risk of fractures, especially in the ribs and spine.
4. Immune system deficiencies
The thymus gland, which regulates the human immune system is also affected by high cortisol.
High cortisol can cause the death of cells and cause the immune system to attack the tissues of the body instead of the virus.
The most common symptoms of an immune system failure are asthma and allergies.
However, the problem may become even more serious: it may cause lupus, Crohn’s disease, or fibromyalgia.
5. Depression and mood swings
Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms that usually appears when someone is under a lot of stress.
This is accompanied by continuous and sudden mood swings throughout the day, and in some cases, signs of serious depression can be seen.
There are studies that demonstrate that high cortisol levels reduce blood flow and the supply of glucose to the brain.
This interferes with the ability of our brain cells to absorb glucose and can cause some cells to die.
6. Fatigue and insomnia
The energy provided by cortisol can be counterproductive for the body.
In this case the body is excessively active during day and doesn’t rest. Overnight, the excess hormones don’t allow the person to relax and they struggle to sleep.
- Under normal conditions, cortisol levels in the body rise at about 8am in order to provide energy.
- But in the case of hypercortisolism, the situation is reversed, and the hormone is active at night and in the morning, is depleted.
How to reduce the levels of cortisol in the body?
Here we shall introduce some tips for decreasing cortisol levels in the body so that you can lead a healthier life.
Say goodbye to coffee
Caffeine tends to increase the level of cortisol in the blood by at least 30% within an hour. However, in some cases the effects can last for 18 hours.
If your intention is to lower your catabolic metabolism and increase your anabolic metabolism, do not drink any more coffee.
Try to sleep more
Improve your sleep cycle by drinking infusions like chamomile or valerian tea before sleeping. This will make your body fall asleep quicker and for longer.
Apart from lowering the levels of cortisol in your body, you will look younger and healthier, and it will minimize the impact left by the passing years.
Exercise
The known benefits of having a regular exercise routine, through gaining muscle mass and increasing the production of serotonin and dopamine, will lower the risk of developing anxiety or depression.
Not only that, but you burn more of that excess energy which accumulates in the body and will blow away your cortisol levels.
Keep your sugar levels stable
Eat full meals full of carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to keep control of your sugar levels.
It’s also recommended that you take supplements like vitamin B, calcium, magnesium, chromium, zinc, vitamin C and alpha-lipoic acid (ALA).
Via: HealthCentral | LissaRankin
