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Cortisol or Sex Hormones?

This is the choice your body faces during prolonged stress! Stresstriggers a cascade of biochemical reactions primarily controlled by cortisol, aptly named the stress hormone.

Imagine the hormonal system as a pyramid: at the base is cortisol, while at the top are the precious sex hormones. These hormones not only govern reproduction but also ensure vascular and connective tissue health, muscle strength, youthfulness, and skin beauty. All these hormones are derived from the same substrate. When it becomes insufficient, the body sacrifices the production of sex hormones and directs all resources towards cortisol production, crucial for survival.

If you’ve noticed increased fatigue, difficulty concentrating, sudden daytime drowsiness, constant loss of energy, hair loss, and a gradual decline in libido, these are clear signs that you’re dealing with stress syndrome or “adrenal theft,” as doctors call it.

Here’s how it works: all steroid hormones, including cortisol and sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen, and progesterone), are synthesized in the adrenal cortex. During stress, the body’s demand for cortisol increases, depleting cortisol reserves. To compensate, the body reduces the synthesis of sex hormones.

The reason is simple: the organism prioritizes survival over reproduction.

Cortisol is an essential hormone that performs the following functions:

• Participates in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.
• Stimulates the production of glucose from amino acids in the liver and breaks down fats for energy.
• Responds to inflammatory processes in the body.
• Helps regulate blood sugar levels.

If you experience frequent stress and chronic tension, cortisol is produced excessively, leading to depletion of reserves. This disruption affects every system in the body differently, but it universally results in a rapid decline in the quality of life and the emergence of related health issues. Consequently, it negatively impacts health, appearance, and overall well-being.