Made in the adrenal glands, cortisol is a steroid hormone that increases blood sugar, suppresses the immune system, fights inflammation, decreases bone formation, and helps metabolize fat, protein, and carbohydrates when it is released in appropriate amounts. It is most commonly known as the “stress hormone,” as it is released in response to both physical and psychological stress. While this reaction is normal and healthy in short bursts, chronic stress leads to the creation of too much cortisol, which results in a variety of imbalances in the body. If cortisol is chronically elevated, it can block the growth of nerve cells in the brain and damage the brain’s memory center (hippocampus), which may begin to shrink when high cortisol and low DHEA occur together.
