Corticosterone and Stress - How Does it Affect the Body?

The body's reaction to stress is also known as the fight-or-fear response that was a very important survival mechanism in the Paleolithic era. It allows other mammals and human beings to react rapidly to life threatening situations. However, in today's society, the fight-or-fear response is muted and is only used when there is no immediate threat. Other than this, the body can also respond to non-life-threatening stressors, such as work pressure, traffic jams, household problems, and the like.

One of the many effects of chronic unpredictable stress on the body is the elevation of cholesterol and triglyceride levels. When stressed out, people tend to have higher levels of these two lipids. In addition to this, the levels of the inflammatory cytokines also rise. These cytokines are linked to the activation of the pro-inflammatory enzyme, which in turn increases the levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Another effect of stress on the body is that it can trigger the development of cardiovascular disease. When a person is continuously exposed to high levels of stress for prolonged periods, their body begins to adapt by weakening its ability to process and handle stress as well as decreases the strength and flexibility of its immune system. When this happens, inflammation occurs in the arteries and the heart becomes compromised.

The increased blood pressure and the weakened heart can lead to a variety of negative effects on the physical health of an individual. Not only does this translate to increased morbidity and disability, but it can also lead to the onset of heart disease and stroke. In addition, the increased triglyceride level in the blood is directly linked to the increased levels of physical stress. A study conducted by Duke University demonstrated that those who are always feeling good were not only less likely to suffer from coronary artery disease; they also exhibited improved cardiovascular health. Other studies have supported these findings by showing that stress reduction is directly correlated to improved survival and reduced hospitalization for high blood pressure.

Stress affects a person's mental health. When under acute stress, the brain releases chemicals such as cortisol, a stress hormone, into the bloodstream. Cortisol acts as a calming mechanism and helps the body return to a state of normalcy. However, when the body is constantly exposed to prolonged stress, the brain's natural calming mechanisms are not sufficiently developed and the adrenal glands are over stimulated, which results in the release of even more stress hormones into the bloodstream.

There are several additional negative effects of stress on the body that are not directly related to the symptoms of high blood pressure. Individuals who are regularly stressed may experience insomnia, memory loss, headaches, gastrointestinal problems and muscle tension. These physical changes are felt in the cardiovascular system, which weakens the heart and increases the risk of cardiac arrest or stroke. Chronic stress also contributes to digestive disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, ulcers and gastritis.

In addition to the physical effects of stress on the body, certain types of cancer have been linked to such conditions as chronic unpredictable stress. These rodents were exposed to high amounts of stress in order to test the effects on the animals' health. During the study, the rats were placed in stressful situations for extended periods of time and their bodies were examined after a period of weeks. After testing, it was found that the rats' testes were damaged and this resulted in them developing testicular tumors.

The research is preliminary at this point and there is no clear conclusion regarding whether the testicular tumors are caused by the long-term exposure to chronic stress. However, the scientists noted that the testes of these older rats were significantly larger than the controls. In addition, it appears that chronic stress has a domino effect on the body and specifically, the brain. The researchers believe that the increased size of the testes was due to the cortisol, which is a hormone produced when the body is under stress, binding to the cell membranes of the testes. While this has been shown to have an effect on tumors in human cancers, this study did not directly focus on the effect of cortisol on tumors in younger rats which makes the current study all the more important.

What Food Allergies Is and How You Can Recognize Them

Food allergies occur when the body's immune system wrongly identifies proteins found in certain foods as a potential threat. Because of this, some chemicals are introduced into the body which result in an allergic reaction. It is these chemicals that ultimately cause the actual symptoms of a food allergy. If left untreated, however, food allergies can lead to severe illness and even death. Peanut and tree nuts are two of the most common food allergies. Many children have a food allergy to either one or both tree nuts and/or peanuts. A severe reaction may take hold if they are exposed to both tree nuts or peanuts at once. Overdosing on peanuts or tree nuts (especially peanuts) can lead to a life threatening high fever. Tree nuts and peanuts are both protein rich and have a long chain of amino acids. They are also both rich in protein and have several essential amino acids necessary for human development. For this reason, they are frequently found in a person's diet. They are als...

Stress Belly And Abdominal Obesity

Stress belly is what many women call the belly fat that shows up during pregnancy. It's often very unattractive and causes discomfort for most women. However, it's not a condition that only affects certain groups of women. In fact, anyone can develop stress belly during pregnancy. This is why so many people are trying to lose weight through diet and exercise, but they still have this belly fat. If you're wondering what causes this, here are some of the main causes. One of the most obvious causes of stress belly is the imbalance of hormones that often comes with major life changes. Some women are born with hormone imbalances that lead to major changes in their body, which is one of the biggest reasons for this condition. And even though stress belly is not a true medical condition, the resulting hormonal imbalances and stress cause serious health problems on the inside and out. If you have any kind of emotional stress, you're going to be at risk for developing some of th...

Allergic Reactions in Dogs

Allergies to dogs, just like allergies to people, can be prevented by keeping your dog clean. A clean house will also reduce the exposure that the dog has to different allergens that can cause an allergic reaction. Different allergens come from different types of foods and other substances that can be found in a home. Some common allergic reactions to dogs include runny nose, nasal congestion, hives, coughing, sneezing, itching, watery eyes, swelling of the face or lips, eyes that tear up easily and headaches. These symptoms are caused by the body's response to foreign materials or allergens. Dogs can get these allergies from a number of different things. Pollens from grasses and trees are the most likely culprits that can cause allergies. Other factors can be exposure to fleas or ticks. If you notice any kind of allergic reaction to a pet, then you should look at the breed of the dog and the common allergens that they are more prone to. You can talk to a veterinarian about the all...

How to Interpret a Stress Strain Curve

In materials and metallurgy, a stress-strain curve in a material provides the mathematical relationship between strain and stress. It's obtained by slowly applying load to an instrument, taking readings of the deformation and calculating the stress. This process is called load cell application. The key to interpreting a stress-strain diagram is to know what the curve means and what it depicts. A stress-strain curve can have many different shapes, but it always follows a decreasing slope or U-shape. The most widely used shapes are the L-shaped curve (also called the isotonic curve) and the curved line. It's very important that you learn and understand these two important shapes. The stress-strain curve shows the relationship between the applied force and the deformed point. This can be thought of as the yield curve or strain yield curve of the particular material being tested. The yield curve is a measure of the energy change due to porosity, where the energy change is graphed a...

Symptoms of Allergies to Pollen

Pollen is one of the most common causes for allergic reactions in humans. When pollen particles are inhaled, the body becomes hypersensitive to them and releases histamine to counteract the effects of the pollen. The symptoms of allergies to pollen include skin rashes, hives, and swelling of the airway. Asthma can also be developed from exposure to pollen. There are other conditions that can be made worse by exposure to certain types of allergens. Allergic reactions can range from mild to severe. The symptoms can appear right away or over time, depending on the allergen. If the allergic reaction is delayed, it may not cause any serious side effects. However, if an allergic reaction is treated quickly and appropriately, it can result in the avoidance of further damage to the body and can even result in preventing the development of further allergies. When dealing with symptoms of allergies to pollen, you should identify those factors that you are allergic to and avoid them. Pollen is a ...

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