Connecting the Link Between Stress, Hormone Disruption and Immune Suppression
The term "stress" is often used in medicine to explain away vague symptoms that are heard during the patient interview. Studies show that 75%-90% of visits to primary care physicians are for stress-related complaints or disorders. If stress-related disorders are so prevalent, all physicians and healthcare providers should be well educated in the diagnosis and treatment of stress and stress-related disorders.
This lecture will review the basic stress response. We will discuss how to use salivary testing to identify abnormal diurnal patterns of cortisol (the stress hormone) secretion. Abnormal cortisol secretion can lead to disruption of all hormone secretion patterns including estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormone, and insulin. Abnormal cortisol patterns decrease energy production leading to fatigue and insomnia. Abnormal cortisol negatively affects the cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal function and the immune system. By utilizing salivary testing as a diagnostic tool to identify the effect of stress on cortisol secretion we now can accurately and effective treat the origin of many of the complaints that are often heard by the primary care physician.