Take it easy: controlling cortisol production is key to controlling stress

Better Nutrition, Jan, 1999 by Denise Mann

Controlling cortisol production is key to controlling stress.

Living in the fast-paced 1990s, stress and stressors are as easy to find as a comer coffee house.

When you encounter life's typical stressors -- whether a traffic jam, an argument with a family member or coworker, or too much to do in too short of a time, your adrenal glands release an abundance of the stress hormone cortisol (hydrocortisone), the most potent stress hormone in the adrenal arsenal.

The adrenal glands are two triangular glands that sit on the top of each kidney and, among other things, produce stress hormones including cortisol and epinephrine (adrenaline), which, once released, speed up heart rate, blood pressure, and other bodily functions that help you cope with stress.

Chronic, excessive cortisol production, which is triggered by day-to-day stress, can suppress the immune system. This is particularly deleterious in people with AIDS, whose immune systems are already compromised. An overproduction of cortisol can accelerate the growth of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and lead to a quickened disease progression.

A weakened immune system also makes the body more prone to the common cold or flu, and to more serious diseases, such as cancer and heart disease. An overworked immune system may also interfere with memory and brain function.

In women, excessive cortisol production has been linked to premenstrual syndrome (PMS), uterine fibroid cysts, and breast cysts. Sure, it's easy to see why cortisol is generally considered a hormonal "bad guy," but the plot thickens. Cortisol also does some good. For example, cortisol, which acts as a natural steroid, is needed to reduce inflammation and allergies.

Timothy J. Smith, M.D., author of the recently published book, Renewal: The Anti-Aging Revolution, sums it up this way: "Cortisol is a sword that cuts both ways. A little bit is good and too much can be bad." The key to regulating your body's cortisol production lies in maintaining healthy adrenal glands, Smith says.

Rx for healthy adrenal glands: a three-pronged approach

1. Start out by consuming a healthful, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet.

2. Engaging in regular exercise will improve circulation all over the body, and in the adrenal glands.

"Exercise is good because it stimulates the release of endorphins which, in turn, reduce the need for cortisol," says Majio Ali, a licensed acupuncturist, certified fitness trainer, and a nutritionist in private practice in Santa Monica, Calif. Endorphins are brain chemicals that reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and, overall, make you feel better.

3. Individual supplements, in addition to your "multi," also play a role in regulating adrenal gland function, Smith adds. Try taking 1,000 to 1,500 mg of pantothenic acid (vitamin B-5) per day, 3,000 to 5,000 mg of vitamin C per day, and 250 mg of pyridoxine (vitamin B-6). Also add 100 mg, twice a day, of a standardized ginseng supplement (Panax ginseng).

This regimen will help your adrenal glands function closer to normal; it will not stimulate them to overproduce cortisol, Smith notes. Adrenal gland extracts, which are available in most health food stores, can also help stave off adrenal fatigue and burnout, he adds. Fatigue and burnout result from cortisol overproduction.

According to Smith, "reducing stress and using stress reduction techniques, including meditation and yoga, is the single most efficient and effective way to help the adrenal gland control cortisol release." Ali agrees: "A well-nourished body and stress reduction will protect the adrenal gland."

Also, Ali suggests calming herbal remedies like St. John's wort, valerian, kava kava, zizyphus, and dried red dates to lower stress, naturally. Caffeine, alcohol, smoking, and refined carbohydrates should be reduced or eliminated, as these substances work against you by overstimulating adrenals.

REFERENCE

Smith, T.J. Renewal: The Anti-Aging Revolution. Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press Inc., 1998.

Denise Mann is a medical/health editor for Data Centrum Communications. In addition to writing freelance articles on health, Denise is working on an alternative medicine book for Avon Books/Hearst.