In acute inflammation, cortisol is needed as part of the inflammatory healing response. The natural purpose of elevated cortisol is activation of the body's immune defenses and healing to eliminate the cause of pain and facilitate tissue recovery.
Cortisol is also a potent anti-inflammatory hormone; it prevents the widespread tissue and nerve damage associated with inflammation. In addition to its paramount role in normal daily function, cortisol is a key player in the stress response.
Suppressing inflammation: In short spurts, cortisol can boost your immunity by limiting inflammation. However, if you have consistently high levels of cortisol, your body can get used to having too much cortisol in your blood, which can lead to inflammation and a weakened immune system.
Cortisol, a hormone released during stressful situations, affects the immune system by preventing the production of inflammatory mediators. During chronic stress, cortisol is overproduced, causing fewer receptors to be produced in immune cells and inducing chronic inflammation.
According to a study in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, the link between elevated cortisol, stress and inflammation is not entirely understood — but indisputable. This is because stress over-activates your immune system, and disrupts the balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes within the body.
When the body has an overabundance of cortisol, the high levels interfere with the production of anti-inflammatory substances called cytokines. The result is that your injured area remains inflamed and is very slow to heal.
Your body needs much more cortisol than usual during times of physical stress such as illness, serious injury, or surgery. The severe lack of cortisol at these times can cause life-threatening low blood pressure, low blood glucose, low blood sodium, and high blood potassium.
High cortisol levels can cause several symptoms, such as weight gain, headaches, irritability, and others. In most cases, the symptoms are not specific to increased cortisol levels. You will need to see a doctor for a formal diagnosis, which often requires a blood, saliva, or urine test.
Stress-induced glucocorticoid production has been associated with delayed wound healing. In humans, greater awakening cortisol secretion the day following a punch biopsy was associated with greater perceived stress and delayed wound healing [10].
Too much cortisol can cause some of the hallmark signs of Cushing syndrome — a fatty hump between your shoulders, a rounded face, and pink or purple stretch marks on your skin. Cushing syndrome can also result in high blood pressure, bone loss and, on occasion, type 2 diabetes.
High levels of prostaglandins are produced in response to injury or infection and cause inflammation, which is associated with the symptoms of redness, swelling, pain and fever. This is an important part of the body's normal healing process.
“We do know, though, that when we teach people how to reduce stress in whatever form — stress management tips, classes, individual advice, yoga, deep breathing — we see decreases in some of these inflammatory side effects.”
Understanding the natural stress response
Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.
With each reduction in the output of cortisol, your body's inflammatory responses increase and inflammatory reactions such as pain, redness, heat, swelling and loss of function increase over time.
A combination of nerve and hormonal signals sends a message to the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and cortisol. The body is then able to boost its heart rate and energy supply. Cortisol allows an increase of sugar for energy and other substances that repair tissues.
Cortisol is ordinarily anti-inflammatory and contains the immune response, but chronic elevations can lead to the immune system becoming “resistant,” an accumulation of stress hormones, and increased production of inflammatory cytokines that further compromise the immune response [18].
With adrenal insufficiency, not being able to increase the amount of cortisol made as a result of stress can lead to an addisonian crisis. An addisonian crisis is a life-threatening situation that results in low blood pressure, low blood levels of sugar and high blood levels of potassium.
Cortisol acts on the liver, muscle, adipose tissue, and pancreas. In the liver, high cortisol levels increase gluconeogenesis and decrease glycogen synthesis.
Cortisol blockers are medications that decrease the amount of cortisol in your body. These medications are necessary to treat health conditions like Cushing's syndrome. However, some people use them as a dietary supplement for weight loss and muscle building.
Too little cortisol may be due to a problem in the pituitary gland or the adrenal gland (Addison's disease). The onset of symptoms is often very gradual. Symptoms may include fatigue, dizziness (especially upon standing), weight loss, muscle weakness, mood changes and the darkening of regions of the skin.
Addison's disease is a rare chronic condition in which your adrenal glands don't produce enough of the hormones cortisol and aldosterone. It's most often caused by an autoimmune attack. It's treatable with medication.
Initially severe pain causes a hyperarousal of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal system which results in elevated serum hormone levels such as adrenocorticotropin, cortisol, and pregnenolone.
Crying provides many benefits. Not only is it a signal for help during physical and emotional distress, but crying can also help relieve stress, decreasing the levels of cortisol in the body. Also, crying can present the opportunity for emotional bonding, attachment, and sincere authenticity.