Cortisol is an important Hormone for Regulating Body Resources

When we experience or feel stress, our bodies respond by stimulating the hormonal (endocrine) glands throughout our body to release hormones, including epinephrine and norepinephrine that trigger the fight or flight response, as well as adrenaline and cortisol.

Cortisol is an important hormone in the body responsible for regulating the manner in which our bodies use our fuel resources. It is secreted by the adrenal glands and involved in the proper glucose metabolism, regulation of blood pressure, insulin release for blood sugar maintenance and rapid fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Cortisol also provides for immune system balance and inflammatory response.

Known as a glucocorticoid, Cortisol is secreted by the adrenal cortex (corticoid) and because it increases levels of blood sugar, or glucose (thus glucocorticoid).

Glucocorticoids are essential to life. They enable the body to adapt to external changes and stress. They also maintain fairly consistent plasma glucose levels even when we go for long periods without ingesting food. Cortisol is the major corticosteroid. It is responsible for about 95% of all glucocorticoid activity in the body.

Cortisol is the body's chief stress fighting hormone

Cortisol is the body's chief stress fighting hormone produced by the adrenal gland and is high during periods of stress and low when relaxing. When levels of serotonin and dopamine are low, mood may dip, leaving us ill equipped to cope with stress. It is important to balance blood sugar levels because when these are low, serotonin and dopamine fall. Unnaturally high levels of cortisol can result in blood sugar irregularities creating fatigue, immune system deficiencies, anxiety, panic attacks, depression and increased risk of associated diseases. Even if the original stressor disappears, the body may remain in continuous or “hyper” state of anxiety.

During periods of ongoing stress, the overproduction of adrenaline and cortisol interferes with the delicate balance of hormones in the body. Cortisol appears to interfere with how much serotonin and dopamine are produced. These are neurotransmitters, which affect mood and our sense of well-being.

Increased levels of cortisol can break the body down and increase the risk of disease

If stress puts the body out of balance, then our bodies will go through a series of actions (stress response) to help the body regain its balance. The struggle to maintain this balance is referred as the general adaptation syndrome . It is the body's way of reacting to a stress and to bring the body's system back in balance.

Phase one of the response is termed the alarm phase, characterized by an immediate activation of the nervous system and adrenal glands. Next comes the phase of resistance, which is characterized by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is the coordinated system of the three primary endocrine tissues (glands) that manages our response to stress.

The HPA axis is a major part of the neuroendocrine system that controls reactions to stress and has important functions in regulating various body processes such as digestion, the immune system and energy usage. Species from humans to the most ancient organisms share components of the HPA axis. It is the mechanism for a set of interactions among glands, hormones and parts of the mid-brain that mediate a general adaptation syndrome, which will be discussed later.

Small increases of cortisol have some positive effects including bursts of energy for survival reasons, heightened memory functions, bursts of increased immunity and lower sensitivity to pain.

The problem occurs when we ask our body to react too often or with excessive resistance – both of which can lead to elevated cortisol levels. When stress is repeated, or constant, cortisol levels increase and stay elevated – causing a third phase of the general adaptation syndrome that is appropriately referred to as overload. In the overload stage, body systems start to break down and the risk of chronic disease increases significantly.

It is known that in normal people the level of cortisol in the bloodstream peaks in the morning and decreases as the day progresses. Cortisol secretion varies among individuals. People are biologically ‘wired' to react differently to stress. One person may secrete higher levels of cortisol than another in the same situation. Studies have also shown that people who secrete higher levels of cortisol in response to stress also tend to eat more food, and food that is higher in carbohydrates than people who secrete less cortisol.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
 VitaLife is an all natural remedy that can help eliminate the damaging effects of
stress and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.