What are the symptoms of increased cortisol

Cortisol is a hormone-like substance that exists in the body in certain amounts, but very small amounts. Because cortisol exceeding the standard value can cause great harm to health and cause certain diseases to become more serious as you age. People should pay attention to changes in cortisol in their lives, because many disease symptoms will be affected by increased cortisol. Let’s take a look at the manifestations of increased cortisol.

Hypercortisolism is a metabolic disorder of protein, carbohydrates and fats caused by excessive secretion of glucocorticoids by the adrenal cortex. According to the cause, it is mainly divided into ACTH-dependent and ACTH-independent. The former refers to the excessive secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland or certain tumor tissues outside the pituitary gland, which leads to bilateral adrenal cortex hyperplasia and excessive secretion of cortisol; the latter refers to the tumor growth of the adrenal cortex (adenoma or adenocarcinoma) and autonomous secretion of excessive cortisol. Cushing's disease, which is caused by excessive secretion of ACTH by the pituitary gland, accounts for about 70% of the total cases of Cushing's syndrome. organize.

1. Increased cortisol leads to centripetal obesity. Mainly concentrated in the head, neck and trunk. It has a moon-shaped face, is rosy and fat, has a buffalo back, a short and thick neck, and a bulging abdomen as if pregnant. The limbs appear delicate due to muscle atrophy. Patients feel easily fatigued due to muscle atrophy, which is different from normal obesity.

2. Increased cortisol leads to sanguineous temperament and purple lines. The skin atrophies and becomes thinner, the walls of subcutaneous capillaries become thinner, and the face becomes red, showing sanguineous temperament. The fragility of capillaries increases, and even slight injuries can easily lead to bruises, especially on the upper arms, backs of hands, and inner thighs. Purple lines may appear on the abdomen, waist, armpits, thighs, popliteal fossa, etc., with an incidence rate of up to 3/4. Purple lines are generally wider and their color does not change for a long time. It not only occurs in areas with a lot of fat, but can also occur on the inner thigh and popliteal region.

3. Increased cortisol leads to fatigue, weakness, and back pain, which is often the result of muscle atrophy and osteoporosis, especially in the spine, pelvis, and ribs. In severe cases, pathological fractures may occur. Osteoporosis causes increased urinary calcium excretion, which may sometimes be complicated by kidney stones.

4. It is more common for increased cortisol to lead to hypertension. It is related to cortisol promoting the formation of angiotensinogen and mineralocorticoids causing water and sodium retention.

5. Increased cortisol leads to increased hair, hair loss and acne. Both men and women often have excessive hair growth, which is particularly noticeable in women, and may even cause beards. But it is often accompanied by hair loss, which may be related to skin atrophy. Acne can occur on the face, chest, buttocks, and back.