Stress 101: Gaining Weight and Getting Wrinkles?

This is the second in a series of posts regarding the impact of stress on our bodies.  Today we will cover the impact of Cortisol.  One of the BIGGIES that I hear in the office from women is the inability to lose weight and the complaint of rapid aging.  No doubt hormones affect skin integrity and give us our "get up and go",   but what if your "get up and go, got up and went?" Cortisol can really help us adapt to the stressors that come up in life as a natural defense mechanism, but also needs to be looked at when the scale just won't budge or if the years are showing too quickly on the body.  If I have just described you, then I would suggest you consider a basic hormone and cortisol test. 

Here's a quick rundown of what Cortisol does under conditions of acute and prolonged stress.

The simple physiology:
Cortisol is released by the hypothalamus and pituitary
Cortisol is a precursor to progesterone
Cortisol is manufactured by the adrenal glands in response to stress.


Prolonged and excessive release of Cortisol results in:
1) Increased gastric acid secretion
2) Infertility
3) Reduction of collagen of the skin (greater than 10x over any other tissues) thus, more wrinkles!!
4) Stimulation of glucose production from the liver. (by as much as 6-10 x) Yikes!!
5) Stealing of protein from muscle tissue
6) Increased blood pressure
7) Insomnia
8) Agitation
9) Hypothyroidism
10) Poor digestion
11) A weakened immune system
12) Hormone Imbalances
13) Anxiety
14) Sudden blood glucose drops and states of hypoglycemia
15) Weight gain.  It's like being on constant steroids.

Cortisol production can fluctuate throughout the day and sometimes work schedules and circadian rhythm patterns can get a person out of sync.  Simply not sleeping at night can also throw Cortisol production off balance.  Interpreting the values according to time of day and symptoms, can be very enlightening to a patient and the way that they have been feeling. That's where I can help if you are concerned that the stress is getting to you.  Often patients come to me for what they think is hormone imbalance, but I always suggest an adrenal panel to determine if Cortisol is one of the contributors to the problems they are having. Is this you?

The testing is simple and affordable and can be done from your own home. Call my office and I'll take a look at your stress management from the inside out. 



To your good health,
Dr. Sonja