Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome: Unraveling a Rare Vascular Disorder

sugar and high blood pressure :: Article Creator

Sugar Vs. Salt: What's Worse For Blood Pressure?

For years, salt has been Public Enemy Number 1 when it comes to blood pressure. But what if salt isn't the main culprit? Framed by another common ingredient? It turns out sugar could be the biggest cause of high blood pressure. Don't fear! Natural sugar in fruits and vegetables is fine. It's excess amounts of added sugars to watch out for – especially, high fructose corn syrup. Let's take a closer look. According to a new study, drinking 24 ounces of soda can cause a jump in your blood pressure. And if 25 percent of your daily calories come from added sugar, you almost triple your chances of cardiovascular disease compared to people whose intake is less than 10 percent. The best way to avoid this? Stay away from processed foods, and eat a heart-healthy diet. For WebMD I'm Dr. Arefa Cassoobhoy.

","publisher":"WebMD Video"} ]]>

Hide Video Transcript

Dr. Arefa Cassoobhoy

Signs And Symptoms Of High Cortisol

Medically reviewed by Kathleen Daly, MD

Cortisol is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands that controls many different body functions, including regulating blood sugar and metabolism, supporting immune function, controlling blood pressure and inflammation, and managing the stress response.

Although stress and some medications, like steroids, can increase cortisol levels, the most common causes of high cortisol are disorders of the pituitary or adrenal glands, benign tumors of these glands, or tumors in other parts of the body. When cortisol levels remain high for a long time, it can lead to Cushing's syndrome, a rare condition that only affects about 10 to 15 people per million each year.

Consistently high cortisol can lead to other complications, so it's important to recognize the signs and symptoms so you can receive appropriate treatment. Many cases of Cushing's syndrome can be cured.

Here are the signs and symptoms of high levels of cortisol in your body.

Weight Gain

One of cortisol's jobs is to regulate your metabolism, so higher than normal cortisol levels can interfere with your metabolic rate, or the balance between the energy you take in through food and the energy you expend (some of which happens through physical activity). When you take in more energy than you expend, it's likely you'll gain weight.

People with high cortisol may experience a slowing down of their existing metabolic rate, which means they may gain weight even when they don't change their eating habits, but some experts aren't sure how much cortisol actually plays a role in determining metabolism.

It's also likely that high levels of cortisol increase appetite, prompting you to consume more food. In some studies, people with high cortisol reactivity—or a high stress response—were more likely to "comfort eat" during times of heightened stress.

You may notice this the most in your chest or abdomen, in your face (causing a rounded or moon-like appearance), and on your upper back, resulting in increased fat around your neck or accumulating in a hump between your shoulders.

Skin and Hair Changes

People with Cushing's syndrome often bruise more easily, and may see an increase in purple stretch marks on their abdomen, thighs, or arms. This is because cortisol is a glucocorticoid, or steroid hormone, made by the adrenal gland, and too much glucocorticoid can thin and weaken the skin, leading to noticeable damage in the upper layers of skin.

Increased levels of cortisol and androgens in Cushing's syndrome can also cause an increase in hair growth, called hirsutism, which often affects areas like the face and neck. Meanwhile, high levels of cortisol can also disrupt the normal hair growth pattern and cause some women to experience hair loss or balding.

Related: 18 Causes of Hair Loss—And What You Can Do About It

Mental Health Changes

Anxiety, depression, and mood swings are common symptoms of high cortisol, or Cushing's syndrome, though experts aren't sure exactly how the condition causes psychiatric symptoms.

In some cases, it's likely because cortisol actually affects changes in the brain that manifest as anxiety, depression, and even insomnia, but it's also likely that living with a serious illness like Cushing's syndrome has non-biological effects on mood, too.

In other words, the stress and uncertainty of being chronically ill can cause heightened levels of anxiety and agitation or lead to depressed feelings. Some studies suggest that at least half of people with Cushing's syndrome have a major depressive disorder along with their illness.

Fatigue and Weakness

If you have high cortisol, you may feel generally more tired and weak than normal, and you may also experience more targeted muscle weakness. This is because high levels of cortisol can cause muscle atrophy over time, weakening the shoulders, hips, and thighs, in particular, and making it difficult to move around without discomfort.

There is also an element of mental fatigue with Cushing's syndrome, which can sometimes persist even into disease remission. Not only do many people experience depression, of which fatigue is a common symptom, people with Cushing's syndrome often have to physically and mentally work harder to go about their daily lives, which leads to more persistent feelings of fatigue.

Reproductive Effects

High cortisol levels can affect the normal functioning of the testicles and ovaries, so Cushing's syndrome can cause changes in fertility in both men and women, as well as more specific reproductive changes.

Men may be more prone to erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, and low sex drive. Women may have irregular periods or a complete discontinuation of periods, and can make it more difficult to become pregnant. Having Cushing's syndrome during pregnancy also increases the risk of miscarriage, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and premature birth.

Men who receive treatment for Cushing's syndrome and are in remission are likely to see a reversal of reproductive side effects. Women may find it easier to become pregnant after treatment, though some still have decreased ovarian function as a result of their previously high cortisol levels.

Chronic Health Conditions

High cortisol levels can also lead to the development of other chronic health conditions, including:

Osteoporosis: Similar to how cortisol can cause muscle atrophy and thinning of the skin, it can also weaken bones, making people with Cushing's syndrome more likely to have lower bone mass and density and an increased risk of fractures.

Hypertension: High cortisol levels place extra stress on the heart and blood vessels, causing them to work harder and raising overall blood pressure levels. In fact, as many as 80 percent of people with Cushing's syndrome have hypertension, and even after treatment and remission, it's estimated that about 30 percent of people will continue to have high blood pressure as a result of formerly high cortisol levels.

Diabetes: Diabetes is a common complication of Cushing's syndrome because high cortisol levels, over time, can increase insulin resistance and interfere with the removal of glucose, causing hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar.

Symptoms in Children

Cushing's syndrome isn't common in children, and is typically caused by prolonged use of steroids to treat other conditions. In addition to the common symptoms many adults with high cortisol experience, children may also have symptoms of obesity and slow or delayed growth.

When to See a Healthcare Provider

If you have any of the symptoms of high cortisol, make an appointment with a healthcare provider. You may be referred to an endocrinologist for further evaluation, or your regular provider may be able to administer one or more cortisol tests to determine whether your levels are higher than they should be.

Typically, high cortisol itself won't cause emergency symptoms requiring urgent care, but complications of high cortisol include heart attack and stroke, blood clots, hypertension, and bone fractures. If you have chest pain, trouble breathing, drooping or weakness on one side of the body, a sudden, severe headache, sudden loss of movement, vision, or speech, or a clearly broken bone, it's important to seek emergency medical attention as this could be a sign of a serious condition.

A Quick Review

Cortisol is a hormone created by the adrenal glands responsible for many bodily functions, including stress management, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, and immune system function.

Cortisol can increase with stress and certain medications, but the most common cause of prolonged high cortisol is Cushing's syndrome. If you experience sudden weight gain (especially in your face or on your back), changes to your skin or hair, reproductive changes like irregular periods or loss of libido, or muscle weakness and fatigue, you may have high cortisol levels and should make an appointment with a healthcare provider as soon as possible.

For more Health.Com news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on Health.Com.

View comments

Lower Your Blood Pressure With Meditation, 'acts Of Kindness': Experts

Have high blood pressure? Don't stress — relax and feel it melt away.

While your doctor might more likely to offer scientifically-backed tips like incorporating less sugar and salt into your diet, new research suggests that meditating and other forms of mindfulness practice could be a boon for those struggling to keep their numbers in check, according to a paper published in the Journal of Hypertension.

The report, compiled by an international panel of medical experts from 18 countries, recommends a variety of lifestyle tips to fight high blood pressure, including diet, physical activity, weight management and quitting smoking — but it also urges both doctors and patients to focus on the mind-body connection.

"It all sounds like it is a bit soft and fluffy and not as dynamic, for example, as taking drugs, but these things make such an important contribution to reducing the effects of stress on the cardiovascular system and the evidence is accumulating," one of the study authors, Professor Bryan Williams, told the BBC.

Meditation could improve blood pressure. Getty Images/iStockphoto

"There's so much people can do for themselves. All of us need to take a step back and say, actually, I should be able to find half an hour in my day to have a little bit of time to myself and decompress and just relax — whether it's listening to music, going for a walk or going to the gym and doing some exercise," Williams said.

Nearly half of Americans and 30 percent of people worldwide struggle with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, according to the CDC. Hypertension puts sufferers at a higher risk of having a deadly heart attack or stroke.

To prevent high blood pressure from overtaking a person's life, the paper recommends people practice good sleep hygiene and focus on mindfulness techniques like meditation, yoga, and breathing techniques.

Nearly half of all Americans suffer from hypertension. Getty Images/iStockphoto

It also asks people to consider music therapy, gratitude practice, acts of kindness, and self-soothing techniques.

Good sleep, which can be tracked with certain phone apps, is extremely important, the experts said.

"It's not just the duration of sleep but it's also the quality of sleep. And the evidence suggests that most people should be trying to achieve seven hours of good quality sleep to try and reduce the effects of the stress of not sleeping and not decompressing," said Williams, of University College London.

Cutting out salt and exercising are other tried and true methods for staying healthy.Getty Images/iStockphoto

The medical experts also took the pulse of social media to determine whether any trending health tips hold water.

"What we have tried to do is look at all of the evidence for all of the different things that quite often pop up on social media and try and work out how much of it has a scientific basis and how much of it is a sort of fad," Williamss said.

TikTokers' tips like taking Omega 3 fish oil, taking probiotics, drinking pomegranate and beetroot juice and avoiding too much caffeine all have health benefits, it turns out.

The experts suggest 45 minutes of mediation for the best health benefits.Getty Images/iStockphoto

In addition to meditating, the paper also recommends people breathe healthy air by limiting exposure to pollution and environmental toxins. Doctors can always prescribe pills, but treatment with medicine should coincide with lifestyle changes.

This isn't the first study that finds lifestyle can have a great impact on blood pressure. A study published earlier this year found that just 30 minutes of phone use per week could wreak havoc on your numbers.

And having regular sex might set pulses racing — but it keeps blood pressure low, according to another study.

Search This Blog

Hypertension