- Cortisol is a stress hormone produced by the adrenal gland to boost energy and focus
- Chronic high cortisol causes belly fat storage by increasing appetite for sugary foods
- Elevated cortisol raises blood pressure and heart rate, increasing cardiovascular risks
Cortisol is a hormone that is made by the adrenal gland. It is your body's main stress hormone which gets triggered during tough times like rushing to meet a deadline or facing a sudden scare. Cortisol helps to sharpen your focus and boost your energy by releasing sugar into your blood. It is your body's 'fight or flight' mechanism which helps you survive during tough situations. In the short-term, this hormone can be beneficial as it helps to keep you alert and ready to act. However, if you have elevated cortisol in the long-term, it can turn out to be problematic for your overall health and well-being.
When you have high cortisol constantly, your body signals that you're in an endless danger mode. This can lead to fat storage around the belly, weaker muscles, blood sugar spikes, heart strain, and poor sleep, among others. Read on to know how high cortisol levels impact your health.
Impact Of Cortisol On Your Health
1. Abdominal Fat Storage
Excess cortisol in the body leads to storage of visceral fat. The body does this by increasing your appetite for comfort foods that are loaded with sugar and fat. It also signals your body to prioritise fat deposition around the belly. Over time, this creates a stubborn 'cortisol belly,' even if you're eating right or exercising. Muscle breakdown also slows your metabolism, trapping calories as fat rather than burning them for fuel. Stress-eating after a tough day fuels a vicious cycle where belly fat itself produces more cortisol locally, increasing the problem. For many, this shows up as a protruding waistline despite no major diet changes.
2. Cardiac Health Risks
Your heart also bears the brunt of prolonged cortisol surges. Cortisol increases your blood pressure levels and leads to plaque buildup in arteries. By increasing heart rate and constricting blood vessels, cortisol strains the cardiovascular system daily. It also leads to insulin resistance and unfavourable cholesterol shifts, paving the way for metabolic syndrome. In extreme cases, this increases the risks for hypertension, heart attacks, and strokes. Regular stressors quietly increase the risk without any obvious symptoms.
3. Blood Sugar Imbalance
Cortisol prompts your liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream for quick energy during stress. In the short-term, this can be helpful. However, in the long-term, it desensitises cells to insulin, leading to spikes and crashes that are similar to prediabetes. You might feel constant hunger, fatigue after meals, or unexplained weight gain. This metabolic change leads to fat storage over efficient use of energy. It's common in high-stress jobs where mid-afternoon slumps hit hard and your body is running on cortisol-fueled sugar highs.
4. Weakened Bones
Bones keep changing all the time, they break down old parts and build new ones. However, too much cortisol can impact this mechanism, favouring breakdown over growth. It blocks your body from using calcium, boosts cells that break down the bone, and slows cells that make fresh bone. This leads to thinner and weaker bones that break easier. It also increases the risk of osteoporosis, especially in women after menopause or anyone with long-term stress.
5. Digestive Problems
Stress via cortisol disrupts the gut-brain axis, increasing intestinal permeability, also known as 'leaky gut', which lets irritants slip through and cause inflammation. This shows up as bloating, cramps, IBS-like symptoms, or erratic bowel habits. Appetite changes are common as well; some people may lose hunger entirely, others may crave junk that worsens the cycle. Enzymes for digestion also get impacted and nutrient absorption also reduces. One tends to feel uncomfortable after eating.
6. Immune Suppression
Acute cortisol lowers inflammation to prevent overreactions, however, chronic increase in cortisol can suppress white blood cells, slow wound healing, and lower vaccine responses. This makes you more susceptible to colds, infections linger longer, and skin that heals sluggishly from cuts or acne. It also leads to low-grade body-wide inflammation. During flu season, people with high cortisol often bear the brunt as their body isn't able to fight the virus.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
