On Fri, 12 May 2000, Mary Craddock wrote:

> will you provide more info on the undesirable effects of cortisol? just
> interested.

There's quite a lot of stuff out there.  Here are two URLs to
look at:

www.gaiabooks.co.uk/environment/stress.html

www.sciencenews.org/sn_arc97/11_29_97/bob1.htm

Do a search on "cortisol stress" and you'll come up with a
truckload of stuff, some of it good.

Cortisol is sort of a hormonal stimulant, putting one into "fight
or flight" readiness.  Physiologically, this makes sense.  If
one's blood sugar is dipping below normal it's probably a good
sign that one should get busy finding food (unless the dip is
caused abnormally, as in reactive hypoglycemia).  Finding food
requires energy, so the cortisol helps to mobilize the body, by
stimulating gluconeogenesis, so that the tissues that need
glucose will get it, and predisposing the body to vigorous
physical activity, such as hunting or gathering.  If this didn't
happen, then when blood sugar dropped below normal, one would
just become lethargic.  This probably would not be a very
successful response.

Todd Moody
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