Does High Cortisol Only Lead To Weight Gain? Look Out For 4 Other Signs
Does High Cortisol Only Lead To Weight Gain? : Cortisol is a very important hormone in the human body. Its produced by the adrenal glands and its main function is to support our immune strength, keep our blood sugar level balanced, maintain our metabolic strength, regulate our blood pressure, reduce inflammation and also regulate stress response in our body. Now that you know how many functions cortisol hormone is responsible for, you should also know what happens when its levels become too low or too high.
High Cortisol Levels Affect More Than Just Your Weight
Watch out for these signs:
You May Gain Weight
When cortisol levels are higher than normal, you may start to gain weight. High levels mean that you might feel more hungry or you might feel stressed and it also contributes to increasing coritsol levels. The more hungry or stressed you are, the more you will eat. Moreover, high cortisol level leads to lowering of metabolic rate. Another reason for weight gain.
Changes In Your Mental Health
When cortisol levels in the body are high, you may begin to experience mood swings, anxiety or symptoms of depression. High cortisol levels cause some changes in the brain which leads to these health problems.
May Experience Fatigue And Weakness
High cortisol hormone in the body will make you feel more tired and fatigued. You may experience muscle weakness, muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy can lead to weakness in the hips, thighs, shoulders and it might be hard for your to move around freely.
Changes In Reproductive Functions
Cortisol also impacts your reproductive function. It will not let the ovaries and testicles and other reproductive parts function normally. It could also cause the Cushing’s syndrome which also impacts fertility in both women and men. Consistent high levels of cortisol can also cause erectile dysfunction, low libido and low sperm count.
Changes In Your Skin And Hair
High cortisol level can also lead to a syndrome called the ‘Cushing syndrome’. It can cause bruising on the skin of people, you may see a purple stretch mark appear on the thighs or arms or the abdomen. High cortisol can also lead to increased hair growth, balding and hair loss.
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