What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone that your adrenal glands make and release. It’s often referred to as “the stress hormone”, but it’s an essential hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body.

Alongside managing your body’s stress response, cortisol plays many other important roles, including:

  • Regulating how your body uses glucose (sugar) for energy

  • Decreasing inflammation

  • Regulating blood pressure

  • Helping control your sleep-wake cycle

How can Cortisol affect me?

Symptoms of high cortisol levels

High blood sugar

Weight gain in face and belly

Symptoms of low cortisol levels

How can I change my cortisol levels?

What is DHEAS?

Cortisol & DHEAS Information

What is Cortisol?

Cortisol is a hormone that your adrenal glands make and release. It’s often referred to as “the stress hormone”, but it’s an essential hormone that affects almost every organ and tissue in your body.

Alongside managing your body’s stress response, cortisol plays many other important roles, including:

  • Regulating how your body uses glucose (sugar) for energy

  • Decreasing inflammation

  • Regulating blood pressure

  • Helping control your sleep-wake cycle

How does cortisol affect me?

What can I do to change my cortisol levels?

What is DHEAS?

Sources

Cleveland Clinic, "Cortisol", Accessed Apr. 18, 2025, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22187-cortisol