Elevated Cortisol:
In this day and age, everyday stress tends to be lower and of longer duration, leading to prolonged elevated cortisol, and symptoms like:
- feeling tired but wired,
- difficulty sleeping,
- and anxiety.
Excess cortisol also interferes with the action of other hormones (progesterone, testosterone and thyroid), creating more hormone imbalance and more symptoms.
Low Cortisol:
With continued stress, the adrenal glands may become depleted from producing too much cortisol or may reduce cortisol production significantly in response to the detrimental effects of high cortisol. Symptoms of low cortisol may include
- fatigue (particularly morning fatigue),
- increased susceptibility to infection,
- decreased recovery from exercise,
- allergies,
- low blood sugar,
- burned out feeling,
- depression
- and low sex drive.
Other adrenal hormones can be affected, particularly aldosterone and DHEA. Low aldosterone may result in reduced sodium and potassium levels. Symptoms of low DHEA are not well defined, although low DHEA is often associated with chronic illness and premature aging.