If you experience chronic stress and exhaustion that's affecting your daily life, it might be more than just a bad week.

Cortisol plays a role in essential functions in your body, but the hormone can cause health issues when we experience ...

Stress and some conditions can increase cortisol levels. High cortisol can cause symptoms such as weight gain, acne, and fatigue. Doctors may refer to high cortisol as Cushing syndrome or ...

Photo-Illustration by Chloe Dowling for TIME (Source Images: Robert Brook—Science Photo Library, Getty Images, Elena Fontana—Getty Images, nito100/Getty Images) Contributor Do you feel ...

Dr. Omar Al-Heeti is an assistant professor of medicine at Southern Illinois University and practices internal medicine with a specialty in infectious diseases. He received his medical degree from ...

Low-intensity exercise is thought to be better for keeping this “stress hormone” in check. But scientists say cortisol plays a crucial role in fueling your workout. Often called the “stress ...

Cortisol, the primary glucocorticoid hormone, plays a central role in the body's stress response and immune regulation. Released by the adrenal cortex via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA ...

Adrenal steroidogenesis is under the control of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Furthermore, metabolic factors including insulin and obesity-related signals may play a role in ...