Stress, Hormones & Chronic Disease

In this 30-minute podcast, Dr Will Cole speaks with Dr Jaclyn Smeaton on the relationship between inflammation, stress and hormone imbalances. 

Many patients with chronic disease have some HPA axis dysregulation. And the whole endocrine system is affected by poor cortisol function. Chronic stress can lead to the overproduction of cortisol, which is probably why this hormone is often labelled as “bad”.

In reality, a cortisol increase can be seen as a marker for other issues in the body, such as chronic stress or illness. Dr Cole and Dr Smeaton discuss the Goldilocks principle of keeping cortisol levels “just right”.