How cortisol and GR sensitivity often determine your health (from inflammation and cancer to neurological conditions and anxiety).
Stress is a reflection of the body’s entire physiological state and its evolutionary survival mechanisms, largely orchestrated and modulated by cortisol. Cortisol is the primary “stress hormone” released by the adrenal glands in response to signals from the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Its job is to mobilise energy (increasing blood sugar), modulate inflammation, and help the body adapt to short-term challenges (the “fight-or-flight” response). Cortisol is released in response to any increase in demand on the body (real or perceived threats to homeostasis), not just from mental workload. Glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are proteins inside cells (especially immune cells, liver, fat, and brain) that cortisol binds to, acting as master regulators that turn genes on and off. Their main purpose is to maintain homeostasis by regulating metabolism, immune function, stress response, and development. Essentially, cortisol signals that you are stresse...