Cortisol is a steroid hormone which is made in one part of the body but passes into the bloodstream and has effects on other parts of the body. People need cortisol to live, and small doses of cortisol released into the body can have positive effects. But high levels of cortisol may cause some side effects.
The condition in which the cortisol level in your body is too high over a long period of time is called Cushing’s syndrome. One of the common symptoms of Cushing’s syndrome is abnormal mood changes such as being more anxious, irritable, depressed than usual.
Besides, if you have high levels of cortisol in your body for a lone time, you may suffer digestive problem. High levels of cortisol will cause energy to be taken away from the gastrointestinal tract, lower the production of enzymes needed to digest food, and reduce the absorption of minerals and nutrients. Therefore, you may have digestive problems when you have high levels of cortisol.
The symptoms of digestive problems include poor appetite, abdominal distension, and abdominal lumps. Besides, high levels of cortisol may cause heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep problems, and weight gain.
