Cortisol – the physiology vs the sales hype…

Nearly every patient I’ve seen in the last 2 months has asked me about cortisol.

It’s all over social media and a lot of what I’ve seem seems to lead to the goal of selling particular products.

I spend time explaining all the ins and outs of human natural cortisol physiology and its relationship to stress and inflammation. Then compare this to the synthetic variety injected into joints and the tablet or cream forms used for inflammation or other reasons.

So what IS cortisol?

Natural cortisol is a hormone produced by your adrenal glands, as part of your body’s stress regulation system. It is related to the cortisone ‘injection’ you will have heard about that people receive from a medical doctor to help with pain and inflammation.

This ‘synthetic’ cortisone is much stronger than what your body produces and can have significant side effects if too much is used: it can cause cartilage damage, weakening or rupture of tendons, joint infection and osteoporosis.

Cortisone used to be considered a go-to pain treatment – but much less so as we learn more about it. Other side effects can include weight gain, high blood pressure and skin thinning. Doctors usually limit injections to 3 – 4 times per year to minimise these risks.

Even cortisone tablets and creams can have risky side effects if used unwisely and long term.

How does cortisol work?

Cortisol – that natural normal hormone produced by your adrenal glands – acts as your body’s primary stress regulator. This means that its levels in your body are constantly changing – like your heart rate does.

Physiologically, cortisol is classed as a ‘steroid’ hormone because of the shape of the molecule. It’s functions include reducing inflammation and suppressing the immune response.

It is essential for:

• maintaining your blood pressure
• managing your metabolism (or breakdown) of fats, glucose and proteins
• reducing inflammation
• managing your stress reaction – the ‘fight/flight/freeze’ response

Sound familiar?

However, keeping you well and balanced in your overall health requires not just cortisol, but an ongoing dance of hormones and neurons (nerves) in your body. It’s not just physiological either – your ways of thinking, being and doing will influence your stress levels and the performance of your body’s biological dance.

Targeting isolated elements of a complex system like your body – without considering the whole – can create unintended consequences. There’s a growing library of cases studies of different ways that medical drugs prescribed with one action in mind can have problematic downstream effects – intentionally or not.

Are blood tests for cortisol worth doing?

Usually NO – because cortisol levels are way too changeable over the course of a day for a blood test to be useful. However it can be a useful tool in the right circumstance, for specific sets of symptoms.

In a limited number of cases, it may be more informative to have a saliva test, depending on your specific health concerns. This can be done at intervals during the day in the comfort of your home. Remember that interpretation of any of these tests must be done by an experienced professional health practitioner familiar with these tests in conjunction with a full history.

However, keep in mind that your life style and your stress levels are as much a part of the answer as a “magic supplement”.

All Naturopathic approaches support the healthy optimum levels of cortisol in your body. Well chosen supplements and herbal medicines that support your whole system, PLUS balanced eating with good sleep help keep you calm and focused.

Cortisol is part of your stress-response system – so focus on stress

Fundamentally, the best way to manage your cortisol levels is by managing your stress levels, using all the “boring” healthy lifestyle strategies your doctor and your naturopath have advised you to use:

• exercise
• meditation
• good nutrition
• sleep management
• having fun
• loving
• creating
• enjoying the beauty of nature
• using expert-prescribed naturopathic treatments for stress if necessary
• chatting and venting with a friend or loved one or counsellor

Ben Crowe, mindset coach to many famous folks, shared in this interview on Radio National recently, his many tips for managing stress and anxiety for us all, thus maintaining healthy cortisol levels. He discusses minimizing the ‘gap’ between where we are now and where we desire to be within a values led perspective.

Stress management is a broad field – and an area of naturopathic expertise….

Don’t try to do it all your self. Get good, evidence-based information and ongoing support on your health journey and you won’t get sucked into marketing hype.

Remember, my Naturopathic services are here to help you make the changes you wish to make using tried and true methods with little risk. Contact me now if you need to expand your wellness team.