Page 53 - CoESPU Magazine 2017-3

CORTISOL - THE STRESS HORMONE

In stress condition, many molecules are involved, and cortisol is one of them. Cortisol in common
opinion is synonymous of stress, so that normally, in the common culture is defined like “stress
hormone”.

In the reality cortisol is an important hormone, secreted by our adrenal gland and involved in many
organic functions. As better described in the last article, during the stress reaction, a chemical
message, starts from hypothalamus, arrives to hypophysis, and from hypophysis another chemical
message reach to the adrenal glands that produce cortisol.

But cortisol is not produced only in stress conditions: this mechanisms works also normally, during
our normal daily life and not only when we are under stress. In the human being and in other animals
are the information about the light/dark cycle that are transmitted from the retina to the paired
suprachiasmatic nuclei in the hypothalamus that are the trigger.

Biochemically the effects of cortisol are to increase the level of blood sugar through
gluconeogenesis, and during an high intensity activity or physical effort has also anti- inflammatories
functions. Cortisol works with epinephrine (adrenaline) to create memories of short-term emotional
events; this is the proposed mechanism for storage of flash-bulb memories, and may originate as a
means to remember what to avoid in the future. But there are not only positive effects of cortisol
productions: in fact it suppresses the immune system, acts in the inflammatory response and
decreases bone formation favoring long-term development of osteoporosis (progressive bone
disease). Cortisol also reduces calcium absorption in the intestine and down regulates the synthesis
of collagen, an important components of connective tissue, vital element for structural tissues of our
body, from muscles to tendons and joints. Others effect of cortisol is that it can lead to breakdown of
proteins and so muscle wasting and to suppress lipolysis, owing to hence the increase level

47