Cortisol - One Hormone That Can Cause Poor Digestion, Food Sensitivity, Memory Loss, And Inflammation

Cortisol or glucocorticoid, known as the master stress hormone is secreted by the adrenal glands as soon as the body encounters danger or a stressful situation. The secretion of this hormone pushes the body to respond in a fight-or-flight manner to sustain the stressful situation. This function adds glucose to the bloodstream so that the body can combat situations such as stress, anger, danger, etc. Our entire biological system undergoes changes on its release to deal with stress. Anxiety is the common response exhibited by an individual against any stressor.

This Story also Contains

1. How Are Stress And Anxiety Related?
2. Effects Of Cortisol On Digestion
3. Poor Digestion, Inflammation And Food Sensitivity
4. Brain Fog And Memory Loss

In addition to external danger or stressful situations, sometimes overproduction of cortisol can also occur due to insulin resistance. Since cortisol upsurges the blood glucose levels, they are overloaded in the system when the body shows a decline in insulin sensitivity or abnormal blood sugar levels. Now how exactly is that happening?

Once the body is overloaded with cortisol, it keeps adding blood sugar and regulates it, preparing the body for fight-or-flight. It suppresses the action of insulin so that enough blood sugar flows throughout the system. A repetition of such instances creates a vicious cycle, and thus, the body becomes insulin resistant.

How Are Stress And Anxiety Related?

The feelings of stress and anxiety are said to go parallelly however this might be a little flawed. Anxiety occurs when the body encounters feelings of fear or other worries, which can be persistent and even occur without any stressors. The release of cortisol indicates a dangerous situation, due to which the overall threshold to tolerate anxiety is lower. It can also be said that cortisol helps the body to prepare and thus anxiety is good so that a potentially dangerous situation can be handled well.

However, if there is no stress or if a person experiences anxiety without stressors, cortisol will not be released and eventually, blood sugars will not be enough. In such conditions, anxiety can worsen as panic attacks, which are negative and can make the person debilitated.

Another condition that can trigger anxiety at inappropriate times is blood sugar dysregulation and insulin resistance. In these conditions, cortisol is released in the absence of danger and the anxiety peaked in such conditions will have negative consequences. Regular panic attacks or anxiety episodes even in the absence of stressors can be regulated by checking for insulin resistance.

Effects Of Cortisol On Digestion

As we know, cortisol triggers the destructive survival mechanism by impacting the body in multiple ways. It poses a measurable amount of burden on the digestive system, which affects overall digestion. When cortisol is released in large or continuous amounts from the adrenal glands, the body encounters it as a stressful situation and directs the blood flow to the brain to combat the situation. Due to this, digestion is suppressed, and people often have an upset stomach while experiencing stress. Abysmal absorption and digestion will weaken the body and make it susceptible to various preventable diseases and infections.

Chronic stress, insulin resistance, and blood sugar fluctuations will flood the system with cortisol, due to which absorption of nutrients will be compromised. The overload of cortisol at abnormal times in the bloodstream will also cause thinning of the lining of the entire gastrointestinal system. Due to this, the undigested protein and other food particles will not be further digested. They will enter the bloodstream and behave as foreign particles that will further elicit an immune response. Once an immune response is generated, it will trigger a chain of reactions that we will read about in the next section.

Also Read| Top 6 Skill-Enhancing Summer Activities For Students

Poor Digestion, Inflammation And Food Sensitivity

Undigested proteins mimic the foreign particles and trigger the immune system. Once it is active, inflammation will occur as the primary response. The inflammation in the different body regions will make the body susceptible to different particles, which can also manifest as food sensitivities. Cortisol can potentially wash off the good and bad bacteria from the digestive tract. Once the microbiome is flushed, digestion and absorption are impaired, eventually leading to poor digestion. A healthy microbiome acts as a strong intestinal barrier and is also essential to tolerate certain food items.

The master stress hormone also reduces the secretory immunoglobulins, which act as the first line of defense at various barrier sites. Due to their decline, the barriers can be easily disrupted, thus easing the entry of foreign invaders. On leaking of larger food particles into the bloodstream, brain fog, headaches, joint pain, and other symptoms arise that can be categorised under food sensitivity reactions.

Brain Fog And Memory Loss

Many recent studies have proposed that consistently increased levels of cortisol in the system can affect brain functioning, leading to early memory loss, cognitive decline, and more. The imbalance of this hormone affects the brain centers, damages the hippocampus, and thus causes a significant decline in hippocampus-dependent memory. Constant sensitivity of the brain against the outer environment due to stressful conditions will cause wear and tear and also reduce its efficiency in the long term.

Recent studies suggest that Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng can efficiently manage excess cortisol levels for short-term treatment. Taking 300mg twice a day is advisable to regulate stress hormone levels. Increasing insulin sensitivity or treating insulin resistance will be required for long-term relief.

Conclusively, it can be said that cortisol is one major hormone that can cause numerous effects on the body. The hormone is good in stressful situations, but continuous secretions will weaken your body in the long run. Extra or nonessential cortisol and anxiety will keep the body alert, gradually damaging the biological system down the trail. Fixing a sleep schedule, eating peacefully and mindfully, and practices to improve mental and physical well-being are some of the measures that can contribute to lessening the unnecessary overload of stress and, consequently, anxiety.

Also Read| Build Your Brain: Ways To Improve Long-Term Memory