Key Signs Your Body Is Being Damaged by Stress

Having a high level of the stress hormone cortisol can have a damaging impact on your physical and mental health, leading to a mix of symptoms and syndromes ranging from fatigue to amenorrhea, brain fog and acne.

Research housed by the National Library of Medicine's National Center of Biotechnology Information cites cortisol as having "a variety of effects on different bodily functions", although it's most commonly known as being the body's stress hormone.

Through this 'starring role', the steroid hormone can regulate the body's stress response and activate its fight or flight mode if triggered. It's also key in maintaining an individual's healthy metabolism. However, an excess of cortisol can have an adverse effect on a person and leave individuals feeling as though they're in a torturous loop of adrenalin and stress, which is no doubt an exhausting experience that distorts a person's body clock.

Too Much Cortisol & The Human Body

"The cortisol your body produces naturally is crucial to your health," Faisal Tai, a board-certified psychiatrist told Newsweek.

"However, if your body overproduces cortisol you can suffer serious health problems ranging from anxiety to diabetes. Over time, too much cortisol can also lead to Cushing's Syndrome," he added.

Cushing's syndrome is a disorder that occurs when your body produces too much cortisol over a long period of time. Its symptoms include an increase in body fat, a lowered libido and weakness in the limbs.

Regenerative medicine expert Daniel A. Monti agrees that an excess amount of cortisol can lead to serious health conditions, and he cites cardiac disease, metabolic disorders, insomnia and digestive and immune issues as being the primary health risks associated with prolonged increased cortisol levels.

"It is clear that stress can impact all of our bodily systems; this happens because your stress response activates the entire autonomic nervous system," Monti told Newsweek.

"Your adrenal glands and kidneys pump higher levels of stress hormones like cortisol into your bloodstream, your heart pumps faster, blood sugar soars, gut function slows, and the immune system emits inflammatory chemicals.

"When elevated cortisol levels are chronic and your body is perpetually in a state of stress, your body will start to change," he added

In some cases, an extended and elevated high cortisol level can lead to the emergence of type 2 diabetes.

Look For Weight Gain And Fatigue

"Before you arrive at the risk level of developing the syndrome, there are a number of signs that can indicate you have elevated levels of cortisol, including weight gain in the face, upper back and stomach," Tai said.

"You see, that's because although the adrenal glands produce the cortisol steroid, it's actually the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis that determines how much is released into your body. When too much is released then you start to experience unpleasant symptoms," he added.

Regenerative medicine expert Monti seconds Tai: "Cortisol can promote central fat distribution, evidenced by weight gain in the face, abdomen, and upper back despite maintaining a balanced diet and exercise regimen."

Faisal Tai, the CEO of PsychPlus adds that fatigue is also something to look out for, as it's often an indicator of excessive cortisol or feelings of stress.

"Fatigue can be a sign of too much cortisol because high levels of cortisol in your system can sap you of energy and make you feel run down," Tai told Newsweek.

"Acne too can be another sign of excess cortisol since the balance needed for healthy skin is disturbed by too much of the hormone in your bloodstream," he added.

Look Out For Sleeping Difficulties

When your body's diurnal cortisol is disrupted and cortisol levels remain high during the evening and night, it leads to insomnia or fragmented sleep, which can have a damaging impact on an individual's health in the long term. This can in turn lead to struggles with anxiety and depression.

"Chronic stress and high cortisol levels affect your mood, leading to emotional instability, anxiety, and depression. Cortisol can also interfere with neurotransmitters in the brain like serotonin, leading to mood swings," Monti told Newsweek.

The medical expert also warned that a decreased immune response could be a sign of excessive cortisol levels and that this should be taken seriously as it's responsible for the body's ability to protect you from certain illnesses or recover from them.

"Cortisol suppresses the immune system and inflammatory responses leading to more frequent illness and increased susceptibility to infections," he explained.

Singapore-based social media creator Dr. Irina Sadovskaya, who's known on TikTok as @Sadovskaya_Doctor, has been interested in the impact that increased cortisol levels can have on our bodies for some time, and recently took to the internet to spread information about the conditions it can create.

The doctor that's specialized in nephrology and immunology told Newsweek: "I started TikTok sometime ago to spread information about health issues. When it comes to high levels of cortisol for an extended period of time, a condition called hypercortisolism syndrome develops, which is characterized by a set of symptoms associated with hormone excess."

The doctor went on to explain that patients with hypercortisolism often experience high blood pressure, osteoporosis, changes in the skin, localized fat deposition on the face, abdomen, and chest with relatively thin limbs.

"Mood changes can also occur, including excessive anxiety, irritability, and apathy," Dr. Sadovskaya said.

In women, elevated cortisol levels can also disrupt the menstrual cycle and lead to amenorrhea, which is the complete absence of menstruation for six months or more.

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