Adrenal Hormone Imbalances: How Stress Can Depress!

"I'd like the entire project completed by Tuesday..."

"You're not spending enough time with the family..."

"You need to put more effort into this, it's not where it needs to be..."

"Payment must be received immediately, or we will be forced to take action..."

"We'll need to replace the entire electrical system in your car..."

Stress is a part of modern living. If you're like most people, you probably experience stress almost on a daily basis, and are already very much aware of the powerful impact it can have on your health and emotions.

While our bodies are designed to adapt to mild stress, or the occasional "flight-or-fight" response that once enabled us to survive in prehistoric eras, extreme or long-lasting stress can damage the natural stress-control mechanisms in our bodies.

The main center of stress control is the brain, which tells the rest of the body — including our "stress hormones" — how to respond. Disruptions of this stress center, called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, are believed to act as crucial triggers in the initial onset and progression of depression. Research has revealed that just as chronic overeating of saturated fats can affect cardiovascular health, prolonged exposure to stress can cause chronic imbalances of stress hormones and set the stage for the development of depression.

DHEA and cortisol are two adrenal hormones that play an important role in this process.

Released in response to stress, cortisol primes your body to increase short-term energy and stamina, boosting blood sugar production and heart rate. But if the body secretes too much cortisol over a long period of time, it can trigger changes in the neural pathways in the brain — changes associated with the neurological development of depression.

High cortisol levels have been found in both children and adults suffering from depression, or other mood disorders such as anxiety, insomnia, and panic disorder — common symptoms of what experts call "melancholia-type" depression. On the other hand, low cortisol levels are associated with traits of "atypical" depression: fatigue, indifference and lack of motivation.

Eating disorders are commonly associated with stress-related depression. In one recent study, researchers exposed women to the same stressor, measured their saliva levels of cortisol, and observed their snacking behavior afterward. They found that the women who secreted the most cortisol snacked on the most high-fat foods later. Those who didn't snack on high fat foods secreted the least amount of cortisol in response to stress. This suggests that the body's reaction to stress, and not the stress itself, may be a crucial factor in the development of certain eating disorders.

Cortisol is only one part of the body's adrenal stress response, however. Cortisol's effect on the body largely depends upon another hormone produced by the adrenal gland, called dehydroepiandrosterone, or DHEA.

DHEA is an "anti-stress" hormone that seems to balance the negative effects of high cortisol. Your body uses DHEA as a main source for producing sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone, and research indicates that DHEA can act as a powerful mood elevator. A University of California research team found that restoring DHEA to youthful levels in a group of aged adults resulted in a "remarkable increase in perceived physical and psychological well-being" for 67% of men and 84% of women. Another study showed that an increase in the circulating levels of DHEA were directly related to an improvement in depression ratings among patients.

Recommended BodyBalance Product:

StressCheck If you are interested in learning more about a BodyBalance product that determines levels of DHEA and cortisol in your body, then visit the StressCheck product page.

References:

1. von Zerssen D, Doerr P, Emrich HM, Lund R, Pirke KM. Diurnal variation of mood and the cortisol rhythm in depression and normal states of mind. Eur Arch Psychiat Neurol Sci 1987;237:36-45
2. Galard R, Gallart JM, Catalan R, Schwartz S, Arguello JM, Castellanos JM. Salivary cortisol levels and their correlation with plasma ACTH levels in depressed patients before and after DST. Amer J Psychiat 1991;148:505-508.
3. Guechot J, Lepine JP, Cohen C, Fiet J, Lemperiere T, Dreux C . Simple laboratory test of neuroendocrine disturbance in depression: 11 p.m. saliva cortisol. Biol Psychiat 1987;18:1-4.
4. Guechot J, Fiet J, Passa P, Villette JM, Gourmel B, Tabuteau F, et al. Physiological and pathological variations in saliva cortisol. Horm Res 1982;16:357-364.
5. Goodyer I, Herbert J, Moor S, Altham P. Cortisol hypersecretion in depressed school-aged children and adolescents. Psychiat Res 1991;37:237-244.
6. Morales AJ, Nolan JJ, Nelson JC, Yen SS. Effects of replacement dose of dehydroepiandrosterone in men andwomen of advancing age. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1994;78(6):1360-7.
7. Plotsky PM, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB. Psychoneuroendocrinology of depression:hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Psychoneurol 1998;21(2):293-306.
8. Rosmond R, Lapidus L, Marin P, Bjorntorp P. Mental distress, obesity and body fat distribution in middle-aged men.Obes Res 1996;4(3):245-252.
9. Wolkowitz OM, Reus VI, Roberts E, Manfredi F, Chan T, Raum WJ, et. al. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) treatment of depression. Biol Psychiatr 1997;41(3):311-318.

One of BodyBalance's missions is to educate the consumer on a variety of wellness topics. This section of the website is designed to provide you with a balanced presentation of health-related information. The information contained within this section is not intended to be attributed to any products, and such information does not constitute labeling or advertising for any products.