Excess Cortisol: Signs, Causes, and How It Affects Your Health

When your body produces too much cortisol, a hormone released by your adrenal glands in response to stress. Also known as the stress hormone, it’s meant to help you survive emergencies—like sprinting from danger or handling a sudden crisis. But when it stays high for weeks or months, it starts breaking down your body instead of protecting it.

Excess cortisol doesn’t just come from stress. It can also be caused by long-term use of steroid medications, tumors on the adrenal or pituitary glands, or a condition called Cushing's syndrome, a rare disorder where the body makes too much cortisol over time. People with this often gain weight around the belly, develop thin skin that bruises easily, and feel constantly tired—even after sleeping. Women might notice irregular periods. Men may lose libido. And no matter how hard you try, losing weight becomes nearly impossible because cortisol tells your body to store fat, especially around your midsection.

It’s not just about weight. Too much cortisol messes with your blood sugar, making you crave sugar and carbs. It weakens your immune system, so you catch colds more often. It steals your sleep by keeping your mind racing at night. And over time, it can raise your blood pressure and increase your risk of heart disease. Many people think they’re just "stressed out," but what they’re really dealing with is a hormonal imbalance that’s been ignored for too long.

If you’ve been feeling off for months—tired all the time, gaining weight despite eating right, anxious or irritable for no clear reason—you’re not just being dramatic. Your body is sending signals. And while cortisol imbalance isn’t always easy to diagnose, it’s one of the most common hidden causes of chronic health issues. The posts below cover real cases, testing methods, medications that can trigger it, and natural ways to bring it back into balance. You’ll find what works, what doesn’t, and how to talk to your doctor about it without sounding like you’re making excuses.