How Do Adrenal Hormones Affect My Health?

How Do Adrenal Hormones Affect My Health?

The adrenal glands have one of the highest blood flow rates of any tissue in the body--so the hormones they produce can trigger reactions in all parts of your body. One major adrenal hormone is cortisol--a powerful anti-inflammatory. Cortisol levels rise dramatically with stress, prolonging your body's "fight or flight" response. If your body is producing too much or too little cortisol, you may feel some of the following symptoms.

* Weakness and Fatigue - Cortisol imbalances can throw off the body's blood sugar metabolism, making you feel weak, tired, and run-down. Too much cortisol can also interfere with sleep patterns and produce a "wakeful," unrelaxing sleep state. So you may feel worn-out even after a full night's sleep.

* Muscle and Joint Pain Excess - cortisol in the bloodstream accelerates the breakdown of body tissue and prevents proper tissue repair, leading to muscle and joint injuries and chronic pain.

* Obesity - Cortisol imbalances can stimulate fat deposits in various parts of the body, resulting in weight gains in the trunk, chest, neck, and face.

* Poor Skin - High levels of cortisol can reduce the skin's ability to regenerate, resulting in an unhealthy skin appearance. Over time, cortisol imbalances can take a heavy toll on your health, wearing down your immune system, triggering premature aging, and setting the stage for chronic illness. Anxiety, depression, heart disease, AIDS and osteoporosis have all been linked with elevated cortisol lev