I keep reading about cortisol. What is it?
Cushing’s syndrome, or hypercortisolism, occurs when the body’s tissues are exposed to too much of the hormone cortisol. In a healthy person, cortisol is a hormone pumped out every day by the adrenal cortex. The adrenal glands, sit atop the kidneys. Cortisol assists the body to deal with various stresses. It reduces inflammation and immune system function and triggers the breakdown of protein into sugars. The pituitary gland, which lies just beneath the brain, sends the signal that triggers cortisol production, with the peak output occurring around 8 a.m. — as if nature were providing a jolt to get moving. And at normal levels, 25 micrograms per deciliter of blood in the morning and about 5 micrograms at night, cortisol is essential to life. It helps regulate blood pressure, energy production, the ability to fight infections and respond to stress. It also seems to keep the immune system in check so that it doesn’t make antibodies that might attack the body’s own tissues. And it seems
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