Cortisol is a hormone released by the adrenal gland and has important functions for our body. Cortisol influences the blood sugar level and the blood pressure. Cortisol is also important for bone production, for suppressing the immune system and is also important for the metabolism. A fetus cannot have lungs if there is no cortisol, so it is essential for our bodies development and for our life. The levels of cortisol vary between day and night, when we are nervous, frightened or stressed, but usually are constant. If the cortisol level is too high, then the result will be Cushing’s syndrome and if it is too low, it will result Addison’s disease. In a normal individual, cortisol levels are higher at day and go lower at night.

Cortisol also helps the liver produce glucose from sugars and also has the role of counteracting the insulin effect. The important roles of cortisol do not stop here: it is used for treating allergies and arthritis, so our health depends on it. All the complex chemical reactions in our body are very well related one to each other and cortisol is one of those substances that help a big part of those important reactions happen. So, the amount of stomach acid is increased by cortisol and it balances the sodium level from the small intestine. Cortisol is also important for increasing the effects that norepinephirine and adrenaline have upon our body and also the amount of the urine.

Cortisol levels are evaluated after urine and blood tests. A very increased level of cortisol is found in those people that suffer from Cushing’s syndrome, hyperthyroidism, obesity, stress or tumors, so it is very important to go to the doctor and to have all the necessary tests that will explain the way we feel or the symptoms we have. Cortisol levels can also be changed in those people that work at night, so we have to take into consideration all the potential factors that could change the cortisol level and say to the doctor all the symptoms we have or if our life has been more agitated than before.