What hormone is released during stress? How stress affects your hormones

Stress is the body's reaction to problems. Due to negative emotions, a person begins to become very nervous, and thus his unequal system and immune system become vulnerable. The more stress, the more the body's resistance to all diseases decreases. A person begins to get sick more often, becomes unbalanced, what is the reason for this? The stress hormone can have positive and negative effects on the body. Its task is to restore the nervous system and relieve stress in a person. So how are hormones and stress related? How do they affect a person’s life and is it possible to get rid of problems on our own?

Stress hormones can affect the body positively or negatively

What are the stress hormones?

Under the influence of stressful moments in the human body, the activity of important systems begins to change dramatically. At these moments, special hormones play a protective function. They appear from the internal glands and adrenal glands. During periods of stress, the adrenal glands produce hormones that are divided into 4 groups.

1. Glucocorticoids are cortisol and corticosterone together. It is cortisol that is released in large quantities during periods of nervousness. It also increases if a person is actively involved in physical activity and eats very little.
2. Mineralocorticoids are also a type of hormone; aldosterone is associated with it, which is responsible for the work of reabsorption, namely, drawing fluid back. When aldosterone levels increase, water retention occurs in the body and, as a result, human body parts become swollen.
3. Androgen and estrogen are sex hormones. If the level of estrogen increases, then a person feels severe pain, and with the help of the hormone he tolerates it much easier.
4. Catecholamines are also part of the hormones that act together. Norepinephrine, adrenaline and dopamine. They begin to be released by the adrenal glands and part of the brain. They are considered quite active biological elements.

It is caused by the adrenal glands, as well as the pituitary gland and thyroid gland.

Hormone cortisol

Cortisol appears in significant quantities only in extreme cases, if the body picks up useful elements during the work of all muscle groups, that is, exercise. Normal is if the cortisol level is 10 μg/dl. If a person is in severe shock, then the cortisol level reaches 180 μg/dl. Increased cortisol provides protection to the body, and a person recovers from stress much faster.

Prolactin is a hormone

Prolactin is a hormone that has assimilation and metabolic effects. Therefore, processes can change and protein synthesis can be active.

In addition, prolactin has an immunoregulatory effect. It controls water-salt metabolism, mental actions and reactions, and body behavior.

Adrenaline is a hormone

Adrenaline can cause panic, rage and great fear. The main job of adrenaline is to expand the bronchi; this hormone is also an antidiuretic. You can understand at what minute adrenaline will begin to be released in huge quantities using the pupil, which dilates. Adrenaline helps reduce breathing and relax.

Fear is accompanied by a surge of adrenaline

Result of elevated cortisol and prolactin levels

Hormonal levels begin to change if there is a huge amount of cortisol and prolactin in a person’s blood. If elevated levels cannot be reduced over a long period, the stress hormone cortisol causes:

• reduction in muscle weight;
• an increased degree of fat cells that are deposited in the body: when cortisol is elevated, a person wants to constantly eat sweets;
• enlarged when folds appear on the body;
• causes increased sugar in type 2 diabetes: under the influence of cortisol, insulin efficiency decreases, and at this time blood glucose increases, so blood sugar doubles;
• in men, testosterone levels decrease;
• develops heart disease: a large amount of cortisol gives the body constant work and does not allow it to rest, it is reboots that affect the condition of the heart and the condition of blood vessels;
• Osteoporosis is a process of processing calcium and collagen: stress hormones slow down the effect of regeneration, which leads to disturbances in bone tissue.

Prolactin is responsible for the appearance of progesterone in women. When a person experiences a stressful moment, prolactin affects metabolic reactions that control the state of water inside a person. When the hormone prolactin increases due to stress, it can become a factor in the development of many diseases and even cancer.

A large amount of stress hormone causes hormonal imbalances, a woman does not ovulate, and she cannot bear a child.

Prolactin is no less important for a man and his health. If there is not enough of it, a man’s sexual ability can suffer greatly. There are chances of adenoma formation.

For what reasons does the stress hormone increase?

Hormones increase when a person becomes nervous. Adrenaline rarely increases, only in cases where a person has experienced a strong shock, for example, an accident, injury, and much more. A constant increase in the hormone can be caused by the following circumstances:

• disease;
• parting with a loved one;
• monetary status;
• causes troubles in career;
• difficulties with the law;
• sexual difficulties.

For women, stress hormones may gradually build up after she becomes pregnant or after giving birth, so during such times you should take more time to yourself to avoid causing depression.

Lack of money also triggers the production of stress hormones

Signs of stress

The demonstration of stress depends on a couple of reasons - the mental state of the person, as well as the stage of the pathological process. Symptoms of stress are divided into physical and psychological. A person’s condition can be determined by psychological influence:

• causes anxiety for no reason;
• internal heat;
• frequent dissatisfaction;
• frequent bad mood;
• decline in performance and participation in life.

Physical signs can be determined if a person is often tired, sleeps poorly, or loses weight.

Women during pregnancy and after childbirth may not be able to hold in urine when they cough or sneeze. This is caused by hormonal imbalances and stress. This situation can also be seen in children.

Prolactin will definitely not increase in a girl’s body if she suffers from infertility, constant miscarriages, decreased sexual interest, disruption of the monthly cycle, increased appetite, which will lead to extra pounds. After such symptoms, you need to take the necessary tests and check your hormone levels.

With a long-term effect of prolactin, the structure of the cells that produce the hormone changes. As a result, this can lead to the formation of a tumor. The tumor can kill the optic nerve and negatively affect the state of the nervous system. The main signs are loss of vision, depression and poor sleep. You can think about a chronic increase in cortisol based on the following symptoms:

• weight gain, even if a person eats right and exercises;
• rapid pulse: blood vessels constrict, so the heartbeat increases;
• loss of libido;
• the appearance of nervousness for no reason;
• poor sleep;
• depression.

An increase in stress hormone can cause irreversible sad consequences. In many cases, people treat stress on their own. Treatment consists of alcohol, drugs and gambling. Of course, it is not advisable to get rid of stress in this way.

Decline in performance can be caused by stress

How can you lower your hormone levels?

There is only one method to restore hormonal imbalance during stress in the body and reduce the number of hormones - to minimize the impact of stress. To do this you need to follow simple steps.

1. Lead a healthy lifestyle. Sleep well, don't overwork, breathe fresh air.
2. Doing physical exercise. Training is carried out every day for 50 minutes.
3. Try to avoid stress. Learn to control your emotions. For this purpose, meditation and various relaxation techniques are used.
4. Make a proper diet so that the body can get all the nutritional components. Be sure to reduce your caffeine intake and drink more water.
5. Always be in a good mood. Read good books, watch comedies. Chat with friends, go for walks and relax more.

If standard methods do not help, you can choose a psychotropic drug that helps, so to speak, to survive difficult moments in life. But remember that self-medication is not recommended - it is better to contact a professional who will select the necessary remedies for you.

Conclusion

Stress will always be present. Any person faces situations every day that make him nervous. Each body can react differently to the release of stress hormones. Therefore, a person must help himself control his emotions and try to protect himself from nervous situations so that the stress hormone does not increase.

If you can’t do this on your own, you can seek help from a psychologist. A person should lead a healthy lifestyle, eat well, rest more, and then everything will be normal.

An example of the nonspecific participation of the endocrine system in the adaptive reactions of the body is changes in its activities under stress. State of stress occurs as a result of the action on the body of any strong, including extreme and damaging, irritants. When extreme factors act on the body, nonspecific stress reactions are primarily aimed at stimulating the energy supply of adaptive processes. Leading role in these nonspecific reactions play catecholamines and glucocorticoids, mobilized in significant quantities into the blood (Fig. 6.30). By activating catabolic processes, these hormones lead to hyperglycemia - one of the initial reactions of substrate energy supply.

As a consequence of hyperglycemia, the level of insulin in the blood increases for some time. Metabolic changes with such a hyperhormonal profile, they are associated primarily with activation of phosphorylase and glycogenolysis in the liver, and glucose entering the blood under the influence of insulin is intensively utilized by tissues, primarily skeletal muscles, which increases their performance and increases heat generation in the body. The fat-mobilizing effect of glucocorticoids and catecholamines contributes to an increase in the blood of the second most important energy substrate - free fatty acids.

However, such a “forced” mode functioning of the endocrine system due to limited functional reserves, it cannot last long; soon the insulin content in the blood decreases, which is called “functional transient diabetes”. This is a necessary condition for enhancing the fat-mobilizing effect of glucocorticoids and activating gluconeogenesis. Gluconeogenesis becomes the most important source of glucose as an energy material during this period, but scarce plastic material - amino acids - is consumed for the formation of glucose.

A necessary condition for long-term increased energy supply is the switching of energy metabolism from the carbohydrate type to the lipid type, especially since carbohydrate reserves in the form of glycogen quickly turn out to be almost exhausted. The production of glucocorticoids gradually decreases, and a new hormonal ratio is established: a slightly increased level of glucocorticoids with a more significant decrease in insulin levels. This new level of functioning of the endocrine system helps restore the balance between catabolic and anabolic processes, protein consumption for energy needs is reduced.

Fat-mobilizing effect hormonal changes and the formation of the transport form of endogenous fat - very low density lipoproteins - lead to an increase in the use of lipids as energy sources by cells. Fatty acids are intensively oxidized in skeletal muscles, myocardium and liver. The resulting ketone bodies are intensely oxidized in muscle tissue, kidneys, as well as the heart and brain. The consumption of carbohydrates by muscle and adipose tissue is especially sharply limited, which saves glucose for carbohydrate-dependent tissues - the brain, hematopoietic tissue and red blood cells, and to some extent - the myocardium. Thus, hormonal and metabolic changes that occur during stress provide a long-term nonspecific increase in the energy supply of adaptive processes.

Rice. 6.30. Scheme of the participation of the endocrine system in compensatory reactions under stress. Excessive, often damaging environmental influences, irritating receptors, cause a powerful flow of afferent impulses into the central nervous system, which leads to activation of the hypothalamic centers. A quick consequence of these processes is sympathetic activation and the entry of catechol amines into the blood from the adrenal glands, which causes urgent adaptive reactions. At the same time, neurosecretion of corticoliberin increases, causing an increase in the activity of the hypothalamic-adenopituitary-adrenal regulatory axis, which contributes to the implementation of compensatory reactions by activating their energy supply.

Stress How nonspecific reaction adaptation and compensation of impaired functions can, when severely expressed, be accompanied by activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system, leading to an increase in the level of thyroid hormones in the blood. Physiological stress, for example, emotional stress, on the contrary, is characterized by a decrease in hormonal activity of the thyroid gland. Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland in response to tissue damage is a nonspecific compensation reaction, since thyroid hormones, by stimulating protein synthesis, promote cellular regenerative processes and repair of damaged structures. Activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid system may also have features of specific compensation, for example, under conditions of cold stress, as compensation for thermal inhibition of metabolism.

Stress in extreme conditions is accompanied by activation of other hormonal systems - the hypothalamic-pituitary-androgenic and hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal. Increased activity of the GnRH-gonadotropins-androgens system (one of the manifestations is increased libido) and androgens excessively secreted due to the anabolic effect contribute to reparative processes.

For surgical and emotional stress Vasopressin secretion increases. The compensatory value of activation of vasopressin secretion is to facilitate the consolidation of memory processes, the formation of analgesia, potentiation of the effects of corticoliberin on the secretion of corticotropin, and restoration of hemodynamics impaired by blood loss. Excessive secretion of vasopressin during injury is an example of advanced restructuring of endocrine compensation mechanisms, implementing an excess hormonal signal to prevent the body from losing water during bleeding. The reaction of the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system may also be a specific compensation for water-salt and osmotic disturbances that have arisen in the body. homeostasis (osmotic stress).

What stress hormones does the body release?

Physiological processes in the human body are controlled by hormones. They are so important that as soon as one indicator deviates from the norm, there is a failure in the entire system. The normal functioning of the endocrine system is especially important for the fairer sex.

In the modern age, the problem of stress has become particularly relevant. This is explained by an increase in psycho-emotional stress, which in turn leads to disruptions in the functioning of the body. There are concepts of so-called stress hormones, which got their name due to the fact that their production increases in psychologically difficult situations.

What hormones are produced during stress?

Under the influence of stress, a whole chain of biochemical reactions is triggered. All of them are aimed at protecting the body from an unfavorable environment and ensuring adaptation to a stressful situation. Trying to answer the question of what the stress hormone is called, you can find a whole list of concepts.

Stress hormones and their effects on the body vary, but they still have some common features. Adrenaline is one of the main stress hormones. It is characterized by a complex effect on the body. On his shoulders lies the most important task of restoring muscles and returning them to their usual mode of operation. Thanks to adrenaline, the frequency of contraction of the heart muscle is regulated. It affects the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and blood vessels.

Note! An increase in adrenaline in the blood is observed in extreme situations when a person experiences fear, pain, or anger. In this way, the body prepares to withstand stress.

The person begins to act more actively. He reacts promptly to any stimuli. Its memory is mobilized, the load on the myocardium and central nervous system is reduced.

Beta-endorphin

This hormone is produced in the intermediate section of the pituitary gland. It is even responsible for allowing a person to experience stress. The effect it has:

Thyroxine synthesis occurs in the thyroid gland. Mental activity, activity and lightness of people directly depend on it. At a time when a person experiences severe stress, Thyroxine increases blood pressure. It speeds up the metabolic process, speed of thinking, and heart rate.

Accompanies stress and simultaneously increases physical activity. A classic example would be a situation where a person, being nervous, cannot sit still. The influence of norepinephrine is noted both on sensory perception and the degree of brain activity.

Experts note the pain-relieving effect of norepinephrine in extreme situations. It is a kind of analgesic that suppresses pain. That is why a person in a state of passion is able to forget about any injuries and poor health for a short time.

Responsible for the regulation of insulin and glucose, as well as their normal production. In a tense state, the level of the hormone increases noticeably. If levels remain consistently high, hypertension, elevated sugar levels and malfunction of the thyroid gland occur.

Long-term exposure to cortisol leads to negative consequences such as decreased immunity, increased bone fragility and tissue destruction.

The adverse effects of cortisol can be reflected in increased appetite and the appearance of fat folds. A person who wants to lose weight and has a high level of this hormone is unlikely to be able to get rid of the hated kilograms. First of all, he needs to normalize the functioning of the hormonal system.

A hormone produced in the pituitary gland. Directly responsible for the function of the genitourinary system. Regulates all existing types of metabolism. In case of stress, it immediately increases. Pathological processes in the form of hypothyroidism, anorexia, polycystic ovarian disease, cirrhosis of the liver are a direct result of hyperprolactinemia caused by regular nervous tension.

Classification

Stress is a condition in which the adrenal glands are activated. This reaction could be:

1. Positive. In this case, it is called eustress. An unexpected reason for joy appears, for example, as a result of meeting an old friend or after receiving an unexpected gift. The release of stress hormones is also observed during competitions in athletes, when they feel a thirst for victory. Such reactions do not have a negative impact on health. On the contrary, it was in a state of eustress that people accomplished most of their feats and significant discoveries.
2. Negative. This is already distress. This reaction can be harmful to your health.

Distress, in turn, are divided into:

Reasons for increased production of stress hormones

The synthesis of stress hormones begins in the human body in an unfavorable situation, from a moral and physical point of view. A sharp increase in adrenaline is mainly caused by critical situations. Examples include accidents, burns, and earthquakes. Extreme sports and skydiving can lead to excess adrenaline. As for the stress hormones cortisol and prolactin, their constant or prolonged increase is caused by:

• a long-term illness that is difficult for the patient;
• loss of a loved one, friend;
• divorce, separation from loved ones;
• financial problems and difficulties, debts;
• retirement;
• difficulties at work;
• the occurrence of sexual dysfunctions;
• problems with the law.

In women, stress hormones often accumulate during pregnancy. After the birth of the child, the situation may not improve. For some, this leads to postpartum depression. In severe cases, severe psychosis is possible. In men, stress often leads to decreased testosterone.

There are also chronically elevated concentrations of cortisol caused by strict diets and regular fasting. Unfavorable in this regard is the improper organization of work and rest schedules and caffeine abuse. A small mug of strong drink can increase hormone levels by 30%. The problem is aggravated if a person works a lot, does not get enough sleep and does not allow the body to rest.



The mechanism of action of stress hormones on the body

According to the generally accepted concept, stress means that the body is negatively affected. There is an adaptation syndrome, which was mentioned above. It is characterized by the following stages of stress:

• Anxiety reaction. The body stops resisting. This condition is conventionally called a state of shock. Next, the launch of protective mechanisms is observed.
• Building resilience. The body tries to adapt to new, not the most favorable conditions for it.
• Exhaustion stage. Defense mechanisms show inconsistency. Interaction and consistency in the regulation of vital functions is disrupted.

Symptoms of stress

The effect of stress on hormones is a proven fact. An acute reaction begins a few minutes after interaction with the provoking factor. Symptoms include the following:

• The person becomes disoriented; he seems to distance himself from what happened, but at the same time he is able to pay attention to details. He is characterized by inexplicable actions, devoid of meaning. It often seems to others that he has gone crazy.
• The expression of delusional ideas is noted. A person begins to talk about events and people that cannot exist in reality. This phenomenon can last for a few minutes, after which it ends abruptly.
• When contacting a person, he may not react in any way. It is common to ignore requests or to carry them out incorrectly.
• There is inhibition, both speech and motor. It can manifest itself so strongly that a person gives answers to questions in the form of a short sound or is completely silent, frozen in one position. There is also the opposite situation, when a person constantly says something. There is an incoherent flow of words, which is difficult to stop. This behavior is accompanied by motor restlessness. In severe cases, a person falls into severe panic and injures himself.
• Vegetative manifestations also occur. They are expressed in dilated pupils, pallor or redness of the skin, nausea, and problems with intestinal motility. Blood pressure may drop sharply. A person is overcome by the fear of death.

Often people under stress show confusion, despair, and sometimes aggressiveness. As you can see, the effects of stress hormones are largely similar.

Attention! If these phenomena continue for more than 3 days, this is no longer a chronic reaction to stress. Referral to a specialist is required.

A stress hormone test is usually prescribed for chronic stress. The doctor conducts differential diagnostics and prescribes a standard set of clinical tests.



How to reduce hormone levels?

How to control the stress hormone, how to reduce its synthesis? It is not difficult to answer these questions. The level of stress hormones depends on the psycho-emotional state a person is in. Substances are released in unfavorable situations, so it is necessary to minimize such exposure. What does this require?

Firstly, it is necessary to maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means that you need to work well and rest just as well, without critical shifts in one direction or another. Fresh air supplies oxygen, which is valuable for blood vessels, so walking should become a daily ritual.

Modern people rarely play sports. In the meantime, it is not necessary to devote most of your free time to any one type of time. It is enough to choose a set of exercises that a person finds easy to do and interesting for himself. After that It is necessary to designate a training schedule so that you can devote up to 50 minutes to such activity every day.

The hardest thing is to avoid stress. It is clear that it will not be possible to completely get rid of them. But you can train yourself to respond adequately to any negative loads. Yoga, meditation, and the use of various relaxation techniques help in mastering this skill. Particularly impressionable people are not recommended to view negative news or shocking content on the Internet.

To provide your body with additional strength, you will need to reconsider your diet. It is also advisable to reduce your caffeine intake by focusing on plant-based foods. You need to drink more water.

It is important to force yourself to look positively at everything that happens and smile more often. A person suffering from stress needs to find any available reason for joy. This could be watching a positive film, meeting good people, communication with whom gives positive emotions. The best cure for stress is sincere laughter. All this in combination prevents cortisol levels from reaching critical levels.

Stress hormone regulation



Recently, scientists have become increasingly interested in the stress hormone and stress resistance, since the activity and life of a modern person is continuously connected with emotions, mental and mental stress.




Another important organ is the thyroid gland; the concentration of hormones responsible for memory and attention (for example, thyroxine and triiodothyronine) depends on it.

Negative effects on the body

In a stressful situation, the adrenal glands release hormones into the blood, which are distributed throughout the body in the shortest possible time. With physical stress, norepinephrine usually begins to be released, and with mental stress, adrenaline begins to be released.

They both work as follows:

• Norepinephrine. It increases blood pressure without accelerating the heart rate, constricts blood vessels in the kidneys, increases the intensity of heart contractions, retains sodium ions, reduces the production of gastric secretions, and relaxes the intestinal muscles.
• Adrenalin. It has an antispasmodic effect, dilates the bronchi, leads to a disruption in carbon metabolism, and also reduces the respiratory rate. The released substances lead to relaxation of the walls of the internal organs and impair the activity of the stomach. Adrenaline is one of the few natural stimulants that affect all body systems.



• Cortisol. Processes amino acids into glucose, thereby saturating the body with additional energy and reducing stress. Cortisol also regulates blood sugar, blood pressure and is responsible for the body’s resistance to infections.
• Prolactin. Increases immunity and accelerates metabolic processes, and water metabolism and some mental functions also depend on it.

Any hormone begins to be produced in excessive quantities only under unfavorable conditions and situations; under normal conditions, they are an integral part of the endocrine system. During experiences, muscles begin to work in a completely different way, which leads to the immediate breakdown of carbohydrates and proteins and incorrect perception of hormones.

How to reduce their content?

The question is often asked: how to reduce secreted hormones? Experts say that first of all, a person needs to get rid of and begin to perceive the original source of the problem differently, otherwise the effect of medications will only be temporary. Typically, stress factors include:

• personal life;
• Job;
• health problems;
• financial difficulties.



If you are constantly worried and your general condition is deteriorating, you need to change your view of the situation; for this you can also sign up for a consultation with a good psychologist.

The concentration of the stress hormone can not only be reduced, but also prevented. To do this, you need to adhere to the following tips:

• monitor your diet and eat mostly “proper” food, rich in vitamins and various microelements;
• monitor your immunity and take a course of multivitamins a couple of times a year, which will protect the body from the adverse effects of the environment;
• strengthen the nervous system with the help of modern medications and various trainings;
• exercise at least 2 hours a week.

Many people forget that stress negatively affects not only the emotional state, but also the entire body as a whole. Experts have long proven that constant worries can provoke a variety of complications, including problems with internal organs and the formation of malignant neoplasms.


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What hormones are released during stress and their consequences?

The human body has a very complex, well-thought-out structure. As a result of a nervous breakdown, special hormones are released in our body (adrenaline, cortisol, etc.). They have a protective effect, but pose a health threat when their levels in the blood reach critical levels. This picture is observed under constant stress, which, in the literal sense of the word, can “kill” a person.

How to deal with stress constructively? Is it possible to manipulate stress hormones to suppress their destructive effects on the body? Let's try to understand these issues.

Role of the adrenal glands

The adrenal glands are a paired organ located directly on the kidneys themselves. One of its main functions is to help the body cope with stress and quickly recover from emotional stress.

Thanks to the adrenal glands, the body adapts to the main types of stress:

• Psycho-emotional (occurs with severe nervous tension and a feeling of fear);
• physical (manifests itself during excessive physical exertion);
• chemical (observed when exposed to aggressive irritant substances);
• thermal (develops against the background of overheating or hypothermia of the body).

The adrenal glands measure 35-70 mm, and both weigh about 14 g.

A healthy organ ensures rapid (within 2-3 days) recovery of the body after a stressful situation.

However, with diseases of the endocrine system and disorders of the adrenal glands, even a mild nervous breakdown or minor stress can provoke serious consequences.

What hormones are produced during stress?

Stress involves a whole chain of biochemical reactions in the human body aimed at adapting to a stressful situation. Hormones and neurotransmitters play a huge role in activating the body’s defenses.

The main “stress hormone”, which has a complex effect on the body and performs the most important tasks. With the help of adrenaline, “tired” muscles are restored and return to their usual mode of operation.
Adrenaline controls the strength and frequency of myocardial contraction, affects blood vessels and the functioning of the digestive tract.

An increased level of this hormone in the blood is observed in extreme situations associated with pain, anger, and fear. This is how the body prepares to withstand stress.

A person acts more actively, reacts faster to external stimuli, his memory is activated, and the load on the central nervous system and heart is reduced.

Produced by the intermediate section of the pituitary gland and helps to survive stress. It has an anti-shock, analgesic effect, and keeps the nervous system in good shape.

Synthesized in the thyroid gland. A person’s mental activity, mobility and energy depend on its level. When stressed, it increases blood pressure, affects the speed of thinking, metabolic processes, and heart rate.

Norepinephrine

A mental “accompanyer” of stress, which increases a person’s motor activity (a striking example of its action when, during emotional overstrain, we “cannot sit still”). In addition, the hormone affects sensory perception and brain activity levels.

Its analgesic effect in extreme situations is well known. This “pain suppressant” acts as a kind of analgesic. Therefore, people in a state of passion are able to not experience pain for some time due to physical damage and injury.

It is a regulator of glucose and insulin metabolism. The level of this hormone increases significantly in stressful situations. If cortisol concentrations remain persistently high, it can lead to hypertension, thyroid dysfunction, and hyperglycemia.

Under prolonged exposure to cortisol, negative consequences can be observed, such as a decrease in the body's immune forces, tissue destruction, and bone fragility.

The negative effect of this hormone is an increase in appetite and fat deposits. High cortisol levels make it difficult to lose weight.

A pituitary hormone that regulates the functioning of the reproductive system and affects all types of metabolism. Instantly reacts to stress with increased concentration in the blood. Hyperprolactinemia with frequent nervous strain triggers pathological processes in the form of anorexia, hypothyroidism, polycystic ovary syndrome, liver cirrhosis, etc.

Aldosterone

It is produced by the adrenal cortex and regulates the content of potassium and sodium salts in the blood. In stressful situations, it raises blood pressure, ensuring a rapid supply of oxygen and a number of nutrients to the body.

These include estrone, estradiol, estriol. These are “female” hormones responsible for reproductive function, as well as youth and beauty. Against the background of prolonged stress, the production of estrogen is suppressed, which manifests itself in the form of causeless anxiety, attacks of rapid heartbeat, severe anxiety, and decreased sexual desire.

Hyperestrogenism is fraught with consequences such as migraines, weight gain, increased blood pressure, painful menstruation, mastopathy, infertility, etc.

Adrenaline and norepinephrine

The body's resistance to stress, as well as resistance to various diseases, depends on the work of the small but important glands of adrenaline and norepinephrine. Hormones enhance the functions of the nervous system, increase blood pressure, heart rate and respiration, and maintain the level of sugar and fatty acids. When a stressful situation occurs (fear, shock, anxiety, physical trauma), adrenaline causes the following reactions in the human body:

• Increased heart rate.
• Pupil dilation.
• Constriction of blood vessels.
• Improving the functional properties of skeletal muscles.
• Relaxation of intestinal muscles.

The main task of adrenaline is to adapt the body to stress. However, in high concentrations, this hormone increases protein metabolism, leading to loss of energy and a decrease in muscle mass. Norepinephrine combines the functions of a hormone and a neurotransmitter.

The difference between these two hormones is that the capabilities of norepinephrine are limited only by the narrowing of blood vessels and an increase in blood pressure during stress or nervous tension.

The vasoconstrictor effect is not so long-lasting. When a stressful situation occurs, both hormones cause tremor - trembling in the limbs.

Cortisol mobilizes the body's internal resources to combat stress. Its main actions:

• Increased glucose levels;
• increased blood pressure;
• acceleration of metabolic processes;
• increased levels of stomach acid;
• anti-inflammatory effect (inhibition of inflammatory mediators).

In large volumes, the hormone can significantly harm health: develop depression, reduce immunity, promote the deposition of abdominal fat, reduce muscle tissue, and hyperglycemia.

The negative effects of cortisol on brain function have been proven. It destroys neurons in the hippocampus, a region of the limbic system of the “olfactory” brain, which is responsible for the formation of emotions and memory consolidation.

It is not for nothing that it is called the “hormone of death”, since an excess can provoke a heart attack or stroke.

This is a truly “female” hormone. One of its main functions is to control the production of progesterone and support the corpus luteum in the ovary, as well as control the production of milk during breastfeeding.

In conditions of emotional shock or nervous breakdown, prolactin has an intense effect on metabolic reactions, as well as the mechanisms of water regulation in the body.

It is important that the hormone level always remains normal. To do this, everyone needs to develop the correct response to stressful situations, try in every possible way to avoid conflicts and overwork, and observe a work-rest schedule.

With prolonged stress and depressive disorders, uncontrolled production of this hormone occurs. This situation threatens with dangerous consequences in the form of the development of cancerous tumors (especially if such a predisposition exists in the woman’s body).

What are the dangers of excess hormones?

These substances in natural quantities are necessary for the body to defend itself and maintain its functionality. However, exceeding the norm (especially adrenaline, cortisol and prolactin) leads to dangerous complications in the form of:

• Increased blood sugar and, as a result, the development of diabetes;
• bone fragility;
• occurrence of neuropsychic disorders;
• tissue destruction;
• disorders of the heart and endocrine system;
• development of diseases of internal organs (for example, renal failure).

There are currently no special medications to reduce the level of stress hormones. Doctors prescribe sedative medications. However, it is more important to restore hormonal balance by eliminating stressful situations.

A person must take care of his own health, controlling his daily routine, proper sleep, and diet. Yoga and sports, outdoor walks, and auto training are beneficial for the nervous system.

How to Reduce Cortisol Levels

If the amount of this hormone in the blood exceeds the permissible norm, a person experiences a constant feeling of hunger. Other symptoms and signs:

• Drowsy state.
• Deterioration of memory and concentration.
• Decreased immunity.
• Increased pressure.

Excess cortisol as a result of stress leads to suppression of estrogen production. This hormonal effect accelerates the aging process of the body. To reduce the amount of cortisol, you must adhere to a healthy lifestyle:

• Do exercises (active cortisol production occurs in the morning);
• eat right (include fish oil and plant products in your diet);
• drink enough water;
• get proper rest (get enough sleep);
• engage in physical education and sports;
• do not exceed the level of physical and psycho-emotional stress.

It is important to minimize television news viewing and strive for psycho-emotional balance. It is not recommended to consume energy drinks and coffee in large quantities. With elevated cortisol levels, medications based on the herb Rhodiola rosea help. With the help of this plant, it is possible to burn fat, restore energy after stress and lower hormone levels.

A decrease in testosterone, a decrease in muscle mass against the background of an accelerated increase in body fat are the consequences of increased cortisol levels. Recognizing and eliminating an excess of this hormone in a timely manner means regaining good physical shape and avoiding many health problems.

This hormone, also called stress hormone, helps the body mobilize energy in an emergency and difficult situation. Its action is based on an increase in adrenaline, which allows you to switch consciousness and fully focus on the source of danger, changing metabolism so that glucose becomes more available.

Fasting, excessive coffee consumption, stress and other negative factors are perceived by cortisol as a dangerous situation, as a result of which its level remains constantly high. A chronic excess of stress hormone exhausts the body, causing various problems with well-being and health.

Consequences of elevated cortisol levels

Against the background of a consistently high hormone level, the following changes occur:

1. Muscle mass decreases. The body begins to synthesize energy from muscle tissue, and not from carbohydrates and fats supplied with food.
2. Fat mass increases. Sugar can temporarily reduce cortisol. A person constantly craves sweets, which provokes overeating and weight gain.
3. The belly is growing. Elevated cortisol causes the accumulation of belly fat. These fats push forward the muscles under which they are deposited, forming a belly that gives the silhouette an apple shape.
4. Type 2 diabetes mellitus develops. Cortisol reduces insulin production and triggers the release of glucose due to the breakdown of muscle tissue. The result of these processes is a double increase in blood sugar.
5. Testosterone levels decrease. The higher cortisol, the lower testosterone drops.
6. The body's protective functions deteriorate. Cortisol exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect, the prolonged exposure of which begins to suppress the immune system.
7. The risks of cardiovascular pathologies increase. Against the background of high cortisol, the body works to the limit, which can cause a heart attack or stroke.
8. Osteoporosis develops. An increased concentration of cortisol impairs the absorption of calcium and collagen, slows down regenerative functions, and increases bone fragility.



There are four reasons for chronically high concentrations of the hormone in the body:

1. Starvation. When the body does not receive nutrients from the outside, glucose levels drop sharply and cortisol production increases.
2. Stress. Forces the body to use all available energy to get out of the current situation. Cortisol helps to cope with this. And if in the short term this has a positive effect, then over a long period of time it is simply exhausting.
3. Sports activities. Any manifestation of physical activity introduces the body into a certain stress. The longer and more often the workout, the higher cortisol rises.
4. Coffee. Drinking a cup of this drink for several hours increases the concentration of cortisol by about 30%. If coffee and similar stimulants are drunk constantly, the level of the hormone goes off scale to the maximum. Stress and constant lack of sleep make the situation worse.

Signs of elevated cortisol

The following symptoms allow you to recognize a high concentration of the hormone:

1. Weight gain. When fat mass increases even with a carefully balanced diet and regular exercise, it means that cortisol levels are elevated.
2. Rapid pulse. Constriction of the arteries due to high cortisol increases the heart rate even at rest.
3. Constant nervousness. Being a stress hormone, cortisol provokes nervous tension.
4. Decreased libido and problems with potency. They are the result of a decrease in testosterone concentration against the background of high cortisol.
5. Disturbances in the intestines. The stress hormone destabilizes the absorption of food, which causes colitis, bloating, and diarrhea.
6. Frequent urge to urinate and sweating. Cortisol not only increases urination, but also increases the excretion of minerals and salts through the sweat glands.
7. Insomnia with depression. Nervousness and excess weight gain caused by cortisol adversely affect sleep and can cause depression.



To keep stress hormone levels under control, you must:

1. Spend a maximum of 45-60 minutes training. An hour of physical activity is the optimal time to exercise to prevent a sharp increase in cortisol.
2. Consume carbohydrates withBCAAs. To minimize cortisol production, just drink a drink containing 5 grams of BCAA amino acids and 20 grams of any simple carbohydrates.
3. Eat a special diet. It is necessary to minimize the consumption of alcohol, coffee and other stimulants, and increase the amount of healthy fatty acids and low GI carbohydrates. This diet will reduce inflammation and the need for stress hormone synthesis.
4. Take supplements to lower cortisol levels. After anaerobic training, you can drink magnesium. Phosphatidylserine also reduces cortisol, but causes difficulties in determining the dosage.
5. Be able to withstand stress. Meditation and yoga allow you to develop this ability.
6. Laugh more. A great mood and laughter are factors that help significantly reduce stress hormone levels.

Conclusion

A high concentration of cortisol is fraught with the development of chronic depression, increased body fat mass, especially in the abdomen, and decreased testosterone. To reduce the concentration of the hormone, it is necessary to take a whole range of measures, which, first of all, involves combating stress.

Ecology of life. Health: Stress is an important element in our lives. A healthy dose of stress helps us wake up in the morning, avoid dangerous situations, be effective at work, and set and achieve goals.

Stress- this is an important element of our life. A healthy dose of stress helps us wake up in the morning, avoid dangerous situations, be effective at work, and set and achieve goals.

Therefore, small doses of stress in everyday life are simply necessary. Unfortunately, modern life is filled with all kinds of stressful situations, and our task is to learn to control stress, and not allow stress to be the master of our lives, depriving us of sleep and appetite, disrupting hormonal balance, thereby causing irreparable damage to our health.

As you know, stress is our body’s reaction to a situation, as a result of which hormones are released into the blood, which help us cope with the problem with the body’s reserve forces.

Cortisol is the main stress hormone.

Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands that regulates our ability to manage stress. It has a strong effect on many physiological processes in the body: digestion processes, the functioning of the cardiovascular system, blood pressure indicators. It affects your level of physical activity, quality of sleep, and can also stimulate irresistible cravings for sweets.

During an unexpected stressful situation (for example, while driving you did not notice a sign and broke the rules), your adrenal glands release a large amount of cortisol into the blood in a split second, as a result of which you feel a surge of energy and begin to quickly think about what this threatens you and what needs to be done to avoid problems. Having quickly assessed the situation and realized that you are not in danger (because no one saw you!), you leave the scene and return to normal life.

Unfortunately, for many people the problem is precisely to return to normal life - to live in the present moment, and not endlessly relive the dramatic experience of the past or paint pessimistic pictures of the future. In this state of consciousness (better, subconscious), the human body is constantly under stress, which gives rise to a series of various kinds of undesirable reactions: high blood pressure, excess weight, premenstrual syndrome, poor sleep, hormonal imbalance and much, much more.

To understand how cortisol interacts with all the other hormones, such as: progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, oxytocin, thyroid hormones, etc., imagine a fire truck speeding through the city with lights flashing and a loud siren. Along the route of the fire, all cars, giving way, stop.

The same thing happens with most hormones in our body under stress: in the presence of cortisol, their work is suspended or blocked altogether.

As a result– extra pounds on the waist and hips, sudden mood swings, irregular menstrual cycle, premenstrual syndrome, reduced immunity, digestive problems, poor sleep, benign and malignant neoplasms.

Sustained high levels of cortisol (days, weeks, months) in the blood lead to atrophy of the hippocampus (the brain structure responsible for memory), leading to loss of focus, depression, unstable mood and insomnia. Constantly producing megadoses of cortisol, the adrenal glands gradually become exhausted and begin to sharply reduce cortisol synthesis, which leads to chronic fatigue syndrome, muscle pain, bone demineralization and a complete loss of interest in life.

The biggest thing you can do for your health is to control your stress levels, and therefore the level of cortisol in your blood. The pharmacological industry offers a wide selection of antidepressants and relaxants to normalize well-being, but unfortunately, they all have side effects and develop persistent dependence. And, as practice shows, you can’t solve the main problem with pills. But conscious being, control and correction of one’s behavior and one’s own life leads to the desired and lasting results. Small changes lead to big changes, especially if done regularly.

So, how to control the level of cortisol in the blood:

1. Learn to monitor your condition every day and evaluate it on a 10-point scale, where 10 points is your ideal physical, emotional and energetic state. Notice what and who triggers negative emotions in you and leads to uncontrollable mental dialogue, which, in turn, triggers a physiological stress response and increases cortisol levels. Being in the position of an observer, you learn to manage your emotions and thoughts, preventing unwanted reactions from the body. Be patient with yourself and others. Several times a day, pause and breathe deeply for 1-2 minutes, helping to restore inner peace and tranquility.

2. Pray. Practice calm physical exercises - relaxing practices not only calm the nervous system, but also balance the level of brain neurotransmitters - serotonin and dopamine, which are responsible for a good mood. Smile more, laugh, watch humorous programs and comedies. Laughter increases serotonin levels and reduces cortisol levels. Take life lightly, with a healthy sense of humor, because everything is relative!

3. The morning is wiser than the evening - says a Russian folk proverb. A full night's sleep works wonders! It is advisable to be in bed before ten in the evening and sleep at least 8-9 hours daily. At night, try not to watch TV or work on the computer, since artificial light reduces the activity of the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for proper sleep. Sound sleep harmonizes the functioning of the nervous system and helps normalize cortisol levels.

4. Information for coffee lovers: Each cup of coffee stimulates the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands and, as a result, you immediately feel a surge of energy and an uplift in mood. Unfortunately, this effect does not last long, and you reach for a second cup of coffee... In addition to raising cortisol levels, caffeine constricts blood vessels and dehydrates the body. Even a small amount of coffee in the morning reduces the efficiency of your night's sleep.

Caffeine stimulates anxiety and causes muscle tension (especially in the jaw-facial area). In addition, to Opheine interferes with the normal absorption of many vitamins and microelements , leading to mineral and vitamin starvation of the body.

If you find it difficult to give up coffee right away, then at least reduce your consumption to one or half a cup per day. Adding cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg to coffee significantly reduces the negative effects of caffeine on the body.

Stress as a culprit of hyperhidrosis.

Nature itself made sure that the human body could regulate its own temperature. Sweating occurs when the air temperature rises indoors or outdoors, and during physical activity. In this way, the body cools itself and saves it from overheating.

Now the situation is different - everyone knows that under stress you can sweat literally in a second. Strong anxiety before exams or during an unpleasant conversation with your boss often causes increased sweating in the armpits, arms, legs, and back. Moreover, when a person has a tendency to excessive sweating since childhood, mental causes often come to the fore. So why does hypersweating of the body occur during excitement and stress?

Stress has been a protective function of the body since ancient times.

The human body reacts to stress in the way that has been inherent in it since time immemorial - by gathering all its forces into a single whole and going into full combat readiness mode. As a response to danger, our adrenal glands begin to produce an increased amount of hormones, thanks to which, in these difficult moments, everything in the body that was not mobilized before is mobilized.

The release of stress hormones (adrenaline, cortisol) into the blood is one of the most ancient reactions that we inherited from our distant ancestors. In their lives there were not so many stressful situations, but they were qualitatively different - either an enemy (or an animal) attacked, or they had to escape from a natural disaster, or the situation forced them to enter into a confrontation with a relative. The brain reacted to stress with a chain of certain chemical reactions, as a result of which large amounts of adrenaline and cortisol entered the blood - hormones that are responsible for the influx of blood flow to the muscles (so that a person can fight or run away) and the outflow of blood from all other systems.

Nowadays, we practically do not feel the need for such muscle activation - everyday conflicts in the 21st century are resolved mainly by peaceful means. However, the reaction remains - whenever it receives a signal of stress, the brain instructs the adrenal glands to produce stress hormones, which instantly reduce the activity of the immune system, inhibit cognitive functions, slow down the digestion process, but promote a faster breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates and activate muscles. That is why during periods of stress we easily catch colds or flu, lose appetite and sleep, rush from corner to corner and have difficulty thinking - all this is the result of the action of stress hormones - adrenaline and cortisol. And only when the brain receives a signal that the stress has passed, these hormones begin to gradually, with the help of special enzymes, be removed from the blood.

Why does a person start to sweat a lot when stressed?

Stress- this is the tension of the body associated with an unfavorable effect on it or the emergence of a situation that threatens the life or well-being of the individual. Simply put, stress is a protective reaction against dangerous influences. A stressor (factor that causes stress) can be both physiological and psychological.

The term “stress” was introduced into medicine by the Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye, who was the first to describe the symptoms of this condition. The first thing you should pay attention to when stressed is rise in blood pressure. Our blood pressure is regulated by the nervous system and hormonal mechanisms. Blood pressure can vary significantly throughout the day. Usually during sleep it is lower, and during wakefulness or stress it increases. Your emotional state also greatly affects your blood pressure. Emotions lead to the release of the stress hormone adrenaline, which is produced by the adrenal glands, into the blood. As a result, the heart beats stronger and more often, and the pressure in the blood vessels increases. In addition, another adrenal hormone, cortisol, also affects blood pressure. This hormone, unlike adrenaline, is an “anti-stress” hormone, but it also affects blood pressure levels.

It is known that hypertension (high blood pressure) is one of the main causes of death in modern society. Why is this happening? The cause of hypertension is frequent, prolonged neuropsychic stress, prolonged stressful situations to which people are subjected, voluntarily or unwittingly. Finding a job, raising children, the need to meet the standards accepted in society, endless disputes at work, the eternal conflict between fathers and children, difficulties in personal life, hassle over many kilometers of traffic jams and the state of horror from being late for the most important meeting in life - you never know today There are reasons why we turn from a cheerful person into a gloomy, hunted or aggressive creature. All this forces our psyche to constantly be in tension. Stress is especially harmful when combined with smoking and alcohol abuse, but such a combination of factors that provoke hypertension is quite common in everyday life. The most common complications of hypertension are damage to the heart, brain and kidneys.

What happens in the human body under stress and why does excessive sweating occur?

When a stressful situation occurs, adrenaline is released into the blood, which activates the autonomic nervous system, which, in turn, is responsible for regulating the functions of internal organs. A person’s blood vessels narrow, the number of heart contractions increases (tachycardia), blood pressure rises, and the blood thickens (so that a person does not lose a lot of blood in certain stressful situations associated, for example, with physical injuries to the body, the blood becomes thick), and To quickly supply tense muscles with oxygen, the heart begins to pump thick blood through the vessels at an accelerated rhythm. Working the heart in this mode always entails an increase in the level of sweating, since this causes the body to release a lot of additional energy. Therefore, the brain then sends appropriate neuroimpulses in order to reduce the heart rate and bring them back to normal, that is, to weaken the excessive autonomic reaction to the heart. To improve the heat exchange of an organism that is in a state of stress, sweating occurs - a person’s palms, armpits, or whole body sweat.

The dangers of chronic stress.

There is nothing wrong with short-term stress on all the body’s resources; it is much worse if stress “becomes a habit” and becomes chronic.

Strong anxiety over a long period of time has a detrimental effect on the functioning of internal organs. The effects of excess adrenaline and cortisol in our system are high blood pressure, decreased muscle tissue, decreased bone density, blood sugar imbalance (hyperglycemia), increased abdominal fat in the body, decreased immunity and increased inflammatory responses, suppressed thyroid function, slower healing wounds, impairment of cognitive functions (attention, memory, language, visual-spatial perception and executive functions). This can lead to big problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, stomach and duodenal ulcers, heart attack and stroke. Constant nervous overload leads to depletion of adrenal function - hypoadrenia. The level of sex hormones drops, hence impotence in men and early menopause in women.

To keep adrenaline and cortisol at healthy levels, the body's response to every sign of stress must be relaxation. It is important to learn to control stress. There are many ways, everyone has to find what works best for them.

Very helpful to relax the mind and body, and maintain stress hormone levels at proper levels are the following techniques:




The more cortisol is released into the body, the worse a person feels. Not only does muscle tissue, which serves as an ideal material for cortisol, break down, but bones also break down. With constant stress and depression, a person begins to seek solace in eating food, especially sweets and starchy foods. Due to the constant expenditure of energy, the body gives an urge to increase appetite in order to replenish reserves. In the end, if the adrenal glands constantly secrete cortisone or another stress hormone, they will simply refuse to work and the body will remain unprotected during stressful situations.

Other reasons for increased cortisol levels in the blood:

• disease of the genitourinary system, disruptions in the coordinated functioning of the reproductive function;
• dysfunction of the thyroid gland;
• taking steroid drugs;
• alcoholism;
• taking drugs.

Other stress hormones: adrenaline and norepinephrine

In addition to cortisol, the adrenal glands also secrete adrenaline and norepinephrine. These hormones are released during anxiety, minor fears, and shock. Adrenaline enters the blood and directs its action to the work of the heart, the heartbeat increases, the pupils dilate. Norepinephrine causes an increase in blood pressure and is called the rage hormone.

How to lower stress hormone levels

Cortisol and adrenaline decrease as stress and anxiety are gained control. Improving your emotional background and constant rest will lower hormone levels and improve your mood. A little physical activity and good nutrition are also necessary to restore the body's functioning.

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The influence of stress hormones on the general condition of the body

In conditions of constant stress, nervous tension, poor environment, lack of time, we pay less and less attention to our health. When experiencing discomfort, people prefer to “quickly” swallow a pill, without even thinking about the causes of the discomfort. As a result, the disease takes a chronic form, sometimes tormenting a person until death. I would like to understand this issue a little. Why does stress level affect our health so much? It is worth paying attention to our little defenders, who are called upon to save our lives in any extreme situations. When a person experiences stress, the hypothalamus acts on messenger molecules (corticotropin-releasing hormone). This, in turn, stimulates the activity of the pituitary gland. Next, the pituitary gland secretes adrenocorticotropic hormone, which sends a command to our adrenal glands. Substances similar in their action are released from the adrenal glands: adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol. Let's look at these hormones.

Stress hormones catecholamines - adrenaline and norepinephrine

In any situation where there is a threat, the adrenal glands begin to produce catecholamines, after which the heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, and nervous and muscle excitation increases. The body prepares for fight or flight. Adrenaline and norepinephrine enhance the functioning of the endocrine glands and brain. It is for this reason that, in danger, a person thinks faster and becomes more resilient. Norepinephrine in the body enhances the reaction of aggression, regulates the speed and volume of blood flow. Catecholamines are the heavy artillery of our body, designed to quickly cope with any dangers.

The stress hormone cortisol is a protective hormone

The hormone cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands, converts proteins into energy for the body. In extreme conditions, be it hunger, blood loss, cold, pain, physical stress, nervous stress - the level of cortisol rises sharply, helping a person survive. Its action is longer lasting than the action of adrenaline and norepinephrine. It is worth noting that cortisol is an insulin antagonist and increases the breakdown of fat. Since it is designed to protect a person from blood loss, it enhances tissue regeneration, therefore, promotes an increase in the number of red blood cells and platelets.

The production of cortisol depends on the time of day, and in pregnant women it also depends on the duration of pregnancy (increases 2-5 times). Long-term exposure to cortisol can cause:

- disturbances in the functioning of the heart and stomach;

― muscle flaccidity, sagging and aging skin;

- fragility of bones and much more.

This hormone turns on the human immune system at full capacity, mobilizing all the forces of the body. This is why prolonged stress can result in serious illness. And this is not a complete list of those hormones that are produced in our body in response to stress.

A lack of hormones, as well as an excess, is harmful to the body. An imbalance can lead to serious illness and, in some cases, death. Wise nature has created a stress protection system in our body. Man, through his inattention, turned this mechanism into his own killer. Every person has the power to reduce the number of stressful situations. It’s worth rushing less for time and relaxing more often, enjoying the moment “here and now.”

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Stress hormones. Part one. Adrenal glands

Under stress, the level of activity of the body's functional systems changes - cardiovascular, respiratory, immune, digestive, genitourinary. An important role in maintaining this new status is played by hormones, the release of which is controlled by the hypothalamus. The most active endocrine gland under stress is the adrenal gland.

Hormones released by the adrenal glands during stress:

Hormones of the adrenal medulla are catecholamines. Catecholamines are biologically active substances, including adrenaline, norepinephrine and dopamine.

Adrenaline and norepinephrine are produced not only by the nervous tissue, but also by the adrenal medulla (in the latter case, they act as hormones, entering the blood). Their effects in our body vary somewhat.

In humans, approximately 80% of adrenaline is synthesized by the adrenal medulla, and only 20% is norepinephrine. In rats, for example, these substances are synthesized in a 1:1 ratio. But with prolonged stimulation of the adrenal glands, the complete synthesis of the adrenaline molecule is disrupted, and norepinephrine is mainly formed and released into the blood.

Mechanism of action of stress hormones

• Norepinephrine causes an increase in systolic and diastolic pressure without accelerating the heart rate, increases the strength of heart contractions, by constricting the renal vessels, inhibits diuresis and retains Na+ ions in the blood, reduces the secretory activity of the stomach and intestines, relaxes the smooth muscles of the intestines, and increases salivation.
• Adrenaline has a bronchodilator and antispasmodic effect on the bronchial muscles, reflexively reduces the frequency and amplitude of breathing, is an antidiuretic, reducing the excretion of K+ and Na+ ions in the urine, inhibits the motor activity of the stomach, relaxes the walls of organs, but reduces the area of ​​the sphincters of the genitourinary and intestinal systems, inhibits digestive secretion, increases contractility of skeletal muscles.

Disturbances in the production of ovarian hormones and stressful circumstances can provoke a condition that a woman may not even be aware of. When the level of the hormone estradiol in her body decreases (this happens before or during menopause), a state of stress occurs.

When stressed, the level of the hormone cortisol in the blood increases, and other hormones - serotonin, dopamine, acetylcholine and norepinephrine reduce their beneficial effects.

Malfunctions of hormones

With increased doses of cortisol, the balance of other hormones in the body is disrupted, and weight becomes very difficult to control. After all, these hormones are responsible for normalizing weight, the amount of fat deposits on the sides and waist, as well as in the chest and back.

Muscle function is disrupted, muscle fibers are destroyed due to hormonal imbalances, sleep becomes restless, uneven, memory is poor, and libido decreases.

Stress makes food poorly digested

When we are under stress, food is very poorly digested, and this contributes to the deposition of fats in the body. Why is this happening?

The hormone cortisol, which is released in excess during stress, slows down metabolism. In addition, when we worry, the cells are very poorly saturated with oxygen, nutrients do not enter them, which means we do not receive enough vital energy.

A little stress creates more

If we do not pay attention to the hormonal background of our body at this time, the production of the hormone estrogen is suppressed by cortisol, which means that the state of stress is aggravated even more.

And the thyroid gland begins to work poorly. All this together constitutes a vicious circle, from which you can only escape through hormonal tests and consultation with an endocrinologist for treatment.

How does stress cause disease?

When hormones are playing havoc in the body, this does not at all contribute to our excellent health. On the contrary: stress can give rise to diseases that in a normal, calm environment would never bother us.

Hormonal disruptions in themselves are additional stress for the body, which aggravates and complements psychological stress. To escape from this trap and regain normal well-being and weight, the body works as hard as it can, adapting to all the changes that happen to us.

Of course, this requires additional vital energy from him. And if this energy is not enough, poor health only gets worse. Therefore, at the slightest sign of depression, mood swings, which are accompanied by the accumulation of kilograms, contact an endocrinologist for examination.

Why do cortisol levels increase?

We have already found out one reason - stress. What else provokes increased cortisol production?

• Malfunction of the ovaries, which produce less sex hormones
• Problems with the thyroid gland, which also reduces the production of autoimmune hormones
• Taking medications with steroids (most relevant to athletes working to increase muscle mass)
• Alcohol without any control
• Reduced resistance to infections
• Bad environmental background
• Narcotic substances
• Stressful conditions (physical or psychological stress, including increased workload, worry about family, lack of sleep)

A decrease in cortisol levels leads to suppression of the production of ovarian and thyroid hormones (we remember this). As a result, the hormonal cycle is disrupted, and a woman may suffer from irregular periods, too scanty or too heavy.

Stress and fertility

How does stress affect fertility? Natural protective mechanisms are such that pregnancy is extremely rare during times of severe stress. A mother who is worried cannot give birth to a healthy baby. Nature has provided for this. And this is true, because in this way a woman is less likely to give birth to a child with disabilities.

Why does stress reduce the ability to conceive and bear a baby so much? Because estrogen, a female hormone, is suppressed by male hormones. Then the hormone progesterone, the so-called pregnancy hormone, is almost not released in the female body. And without it, you won’t be able to get pregnant.

And so a woman who has once experienced stress runs the risk that her condition will only get worse without proper treatment and, as a result, can lead to infertility.

As for women who are in the precarious period between the onset of menopause and full menstrual cycles, they are also at risk. Earlier start of menopause.

What are the signs of loss of weight control?

No matter how weak and invisible these signs are, they can be identified. This way you can avoid gaining extra pounds, which will then be extremely difficult to get rid of. These are the bad symptoms.

1. You begin to love one product and eat it in large doses
2. Your favorite food is sweets or something richer
3. For no apparent reason, you experience moments of anxiety, worry, which are then abruptly replaced by a state of fun
4. Before your period begins, you feel that your heart is beating irregularly, rapidly
5. Your mood changes so quickly that you don't have time to keep track of it. Those around you, even more so
6. Do you have bouts of ravenous appetite?

Be careful and attentive: all these signs can be observed long (even a couple of months) before you begin to gain weight. Therefore, do not listen to those people who attribute your condition to life circumstances or something else.

Check your hormone levels, particularly thyroid and ovarian hormones. If there is an imbalance, start treatment immediately so as not to pay later with a blurry figure and poor health.

Remember or write it down!

When you're under stress, coupled with hormonal imbalances, medications can only aggravate the body's destructive processes and insidious fat storage.

The fact is that in case of stress and hormonal imbalance, sedatives will simply relieve anxiety for a short period. But if at the same time your attacks of brutal hunger and adoration for one product do not go away, sound the alarm: most likely, your level of the hormone estradiol is reduced, and cortisol is higher than normal.

Most likely, this is also accompanied by glucose and insulin intolerance, and even an increase in blood sugar.

Advice to “calm down with the help of tranquilizers” is bad advice, especially for women after 35. Your first priority should be to check your hormonal levels, and then everything else.

Other symptoms of stress and hormonal imbalance

Dream. What is supposed to heal and restore energy is now no longer enjoyable. Do you know the feeling when you wake up broken, as if you unloaded a car of coal? Or bricks - it doesn’t matter.

The important thing is that your sleep is disturbed, and it no longer saves you from overwork and bad mood.

This condition is explained simply. When there is more cortisol in the body than normal, estradiol levels drop. This further activates the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. And then a real nightmare begins: you are constantly hungry, you don’t sleep well, you have a headache and you hate others.

Without knowing it, you are setting yourself on a shaky path of fat accumulation and a nasty feeling of how disgusting you are with yourself. The picture is not the best. Therefore, do not associate a bad mood only with stress, take care of yourself and don’t be lazy about going to the doctor.