Known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol is often singled out for causing everything from food cravings and sleep problems to belly fat and bloating. Yet the hormone, which is produced by the body’s adrenal glands and then released into the bloodstream, is also essential for health.
“In fact, it plays an important role in regulating our metabolism, blood pressure and blood sugar levels among many other things,” says Dr. Nicky Keay, an honorary clinical lecturer in medicine at University College London and author of Hormones, Health and Human Potential (Sequoia). “Too little cortisol has serious health consequences, but some lifestyle habits can cause rises in this hormone that are unwanted and avoidable, too.”
