Seniors, have you recently noticed any weight gain around your midsection and upper back? Is your face rounder? Maybe you’ve developed adult acne or thinning skin. Do you bruise easily and then experience slowed healing? If so, you might be a victim of high cortisol levels.
What is cortisol?
Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced and released by your adrenal glands. It influences multiple body functions by messaging, via blood, your organs and tissues and gives them instructions on what to do and when to do it. Cortisol is also responsible for helping to develop memories, eliminate inflammation in any part of your body, and controlling metabolism. It affects your circadian rhythm – your sleep/wake cycle and regulates your blood pressure and sugar. Most importantly, cortisol is the hormone that regulates your response to stress.
And guess what? Both men and women can have issues with high cortisol levels.
The good news is that your cortisol levels are frequently audited by your body.
What causes high cortisol levels?
Everyone has, from time to time, fluctuating levels of cortisol throughout the day. However, when your cortisol levels are consistently high, you may be wondering what causes this to happen. Let’s examine what those causes are.
- Poor Diet: Research shows that dieting will release higher cortisol levels. In addition, a high sugar intake will also increase those levels, particularly during stressful events.
- Sleep Deprivation: In general, a lack of adequate sleep will affect your mood and energy levels. A person who lacks enough sleep will typically have trouble focusing and reacting to events, causing stress which will spike your cortisol levels.
Stress
- Chronic Stress: This is one of two primary causes of high cortisol levels. For example, when a person is constantly in situations that cause anxiety or frustration, say at their job or if they have a chronic illness, they could experience chronic stress.
- Traumatic Stress: Traumatic stress is the second highest reason for high cortisol levels. This is when a life-threatening event takes place that creates a feeling of fear and helplessness such as during a weather event like a tornado.
Veterans of war or victims of sexual assault can suffer from PTSD which can also lead to high cortisol levels.4.
Gland Issues
Pituitary Gland Disease and Adrenal Gland Tumors
We all know what the pituitary gland is, but did you know it is referred to as the “master gland?” Yes, that’s because the pituitary gland is responsible for controlling all of our bodily functions through the release of hormones.
If you have been diagnosed with Cushing Disease or hypercortisolism, this means your body is making too much cortisol. It is a rare pituitary gland disorder that will progress without treatment and get worse.
Tumors in the pituitary gland problem can either be benign or cancerous.
- Adrenal Gland Tumors: Both benign and malignant adrenal gland tumors will secrete higher levels of hormones, including cortisol.
In addition, adrenal cancers are rare.
- Side Effects to Medications: Medications containing corticosteroids (steroids) such as prednisone and cortisone and those used to treat asthma, arthritis, and cancer, to name a few, can increase cortisol levels. In addition, studies have shown that there is a connection between birth control pills and cortisol levels.
Never abruptly end steroid medications. This will cause a sudden drop in cortisol, blood pressure, sugar levels and even coma and death. Always work with a doctor who will direct you in the healthiest way to do this.
Confirming You Have High Cortisol Levels
If there is anything you’ve read so far resonates with you and you recognize some of the symptoms of high cortisol levels, make an appointment with your doctor who will run the following tests.
Cortisol Urine and Blood Tests:
The cortisol urine test requires that urine is collected over a 24-hour period. These samples are then tested in a laboratory.
Regarding the blood test, blood is drawn from a vein and tested.
- Cortisol Saliva Test: This test specifically tests your saliva that is collected at night for Cushing Syndrome. Your sample is then analyzed for high cortisol levels, which, if high at night indicate the possibility of the presence of Cushing Syndrome.
- Imaging: Sometimes a doctor will prescribe a CT or MRI scan so that images of your pituitary and adrenal glands can be viewed and examined for abnormalities and tumors.
Managing Your Cortisol Levels
Now that we have a better understanding of what cortisol is, the symptoms of high levels of the hormone and the risks associated with those high levels, you might feel a bit alarmed if you recognize these symptoms in yourself.
Fear not! The first thing one should do is pay a visit to your doctor. During your regular check-up, if the above symptoms resonate with you, discuss testing your cortisol levels with your doctor. In the meantime, below are ten things you can do to lower and manage your high cortisol levels so you can keep healthy.
- Eat a healthier diet. Eliminate processed foods and excess sugar.
- Increase your intake of fiber, i.e.: eat more nuts and veggies. This is 80% of the battle to healthier cortisol levels.
- Add supplements such as Vitamin C, Vitamin B12, and folic acid if necessary, but be aware that adding supplements alone will not replace the benefits of a balanced diet.
- Try regularly practicing deep breathing exercises at least five minutes, three to five times a day. Studies have shown this will help lower cortisol levels, improve memory, and ease anxiety and depression.
- Do you drink a lot of coffee? Stop, especially if you suffer from chronic stress to avoid adrenal fatigue. Adrenal fatigue sufferers will experience extreme fatigue which is often countered by extreme intakes of caffeine. The caffeine eventually wears away and you’ll feel tired again, so you’ll drink more coffee, raise your cortisol levels even more. This is an unhealthy and dangerous cycle.
- Make sure you get enough sleep. The standard is seven to eight hours a night of sleep to ensure that you wake up feeling fresh and ready to conquer your day.
- And, just like everything else involving maintaining a healthy lifestyle, try incorporating between thirty to 60 minutes of regular exercise into your day. P.S. Walking your dog doesn’t count! Go on now, break a sweat!
- Sometimes there are things you just don’t want to talk about. Keeping them bottled up will stress you out and raise your cortisol levels. Getting those thoughts and feelings out and on to paper, whether good or bad, will help keep stress at bay. If your writing is positive, then that’s a good thing. If you’re writing about negative things, think of it as purging yourself of negative feelings.
- Go outside! Get some fresh air! Being out in nature can have a calming effect on you during stressful times.
- Do not lead with fear. Stay positive and stay mindful. Fear will cause you to make impulsive decisions you might regret later.
- Find a hobby and excel at it! This will help keep distractions that stress you out at bay.
Remember, this post is not meant to offer medical advice. Therefore, always, always work with your doctor!
