Episode 2: Signs and Symptoms of Excess Cortisol in the Body
An expert discusses how excess cortisol disrupts blood sugar regulation and promotes insulin resistance, making type 2 diabetes more difficult to manage while also driving visceral fat accumulation and increasing long-term risks for metabolic and cardiovascular diseases.
By
Pamela Kushner, MD
| Published on May 28, 2025
2 min read
The following is an AI-generated summary based on the video content above:
Excess cortisol can significantly interfere with blood sugar regulation, especially in individuals with type 2 diabetes. As a vital hormone, cortisol affects nearly every organ and tissue, particularly influencing how the body uses glucose for energy. One key mechanism is gluconeogenesis, the process by which the liver and, to a lesser extent, the kidneys generate glucose from noncarbohydrate sources such as amino acids and glycerol. This function is helpful during stress, providing the body with rapid energy. However, when cortisol levels are chronically high, this process floods the bloodstream with glucose, leading to persistently elevated blood sugar levels.
This overproduction of glucose contributes to insulin resistance, a condition where the body’s cells become less responsive to insulin. As a result, glucose has a harder time entering the cells, leaving excess sugar in the bloodstream. This not only worsens blood glucose control but also makes type 2 diabetes harder to manage, even with multiple medications. Additionally, insulin resistance disrupts appetite regulation. The body may interpret the lack of glucose inside cells as starvation, prompting increased hunger and food intake, particularly for calorie-dense foods. This adaptive mechanism—once useful for surviving acute stress—can lead to problematic consequences in a modern, low-activity context.
One of the most concerning outcomes of chronic cortisol elevation is visceral fat accumulation. Increased appetite and calorie intake, combined with insulin resistance, promote the storage of fat deep within the abdominal cavity. This type of fat wraps around internal organs such as the liver, kidneys, and intestines, posing a greater risk for cardiovascular disease and other serious health conditions. Controlling cortisol levels is therefore essential not only for managing diabetes and appetite but also for reducing long-term health risks associated with central obesity and metabolic dysfunction.
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