How stress mixes up the hormones - and what helps against it

Widespread disease

Our society is often defined by performance. Beginning in school, the pressure to perform in professional life continues and often also in areas of leisure and sports. The result: permanent stress. Constant overwork and over-stimulation can put our body in chronic stress. Experts warn that this condition can lead to a derailment of natural hormone balance with negative effects on the whole organism.

Sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating, depression, high blood pressure and even cancer - these are some of the negative effects that chronic stress can cause. Experts from the German Society of Endocrinology (DGE) warn that stress can permanently disrupt the hormone control loop and that it can take months or even years to recover from this imbalance.

Permanent stress can have severe negative consequences for your health and can lead to serious illnesses. Health experts advise those who are permanently stressed to find a balance in the form of hobbies, exercise, and learnable stress management techniques. (Image: fizkes / fotolia.com)

Dangers of unresolved chronic stress

At the DGE press conference on September 11, 2018, experts will discuss the causes and multiple consequences of long-term stress and what action is likely to be taken. "The body is constantly running at full speed," reports Professor Dr. med. med. Jörg Bojunga, Vice President of the DGE, in a press release. Permanently high adrenaline and cortisol levels in the blood could lead to early sleep disorders and depression. At the same time, the high levels of stress hormones would disturb the control circuits of other endocrine systems in the body, the expert said.

Stress - actually a positive reaction

As the DGE experts report, stress is actually a natural and initially positive reaction of the body. Among other things, the reaction is needed to deal with stress situations. During a stressful situation, the body releases adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol from the adrenal cortex into the bloodstream. This process is activated via the so-called stress axis, which extends from the hypothalamus (section in the midbrain) to the pituitary gland to the adrenal glands.

Attack or flight

With the help of released hormones, the body should be spurred to peak performance, for example in dangerous situations such as "attack" or "flight". One consequence of this "high performance mode", according to the DGE experts, is an increase in blood sugar, high blood pressure and the activation of all senses.

Sexual aversion thanks to constant stress

Another aspect that the chronic activation of the stress axis entails is the inhibitory effect on the production of the sex hormones estrogen and testosterone. This results in a sexual reluctance in men and women. "Stress can affect women's ovulation," explains Bojunga. In the female sex, it can lead to cycle disorders that lead to an unfulfilled desire for children in the worst case.

The immune system also suffers

Since the stress axis is linked to the immune system, too much cortisol gets into the regulatory circuits of the immune system during chronic stress. "This can promote infections, wound healing disorders and cancer," warns Professor Bojunga. In addition, too much cortisol can negatively affect the metabolism and thus promote the storage of unhealthy belly fat.

Stress is not always avoidable

"People who are often exposed to an increased level of stress should therefore know how to use it to stay healthy," adds Professor. med. Sven Diederich, medical director of Medicover Germany. Correspondingly, personal solution strategies for stress management would differ from patient to patient.

Make timeouts

"What they all have in common is that every person has to have time for the time off from stress in order to come down," explains Bojunga. Once the organism is disturbed, it often takes a long time to recover. The professor recommends techniques for stress prevention and stress reduction that can be learned. For example, autogenic training and progressive muscle relaxation have proven themselves many times.

Movement and hobbies reduce stress

In addition, every opportunity should be used for movement, such as on the way to work, school or shopping. "Physical expenditure in a reasonable framework reduces stress hormones by the way.", So the recommendation of Bojunga. In addition, dealing with hobbies would lower the stress level. This could help restore the natural balance. (Vb)