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We often jokingly say, “All illnesses are caused by nerves!” However, in fact, by and large, this is true. Stress is not just a bad mood, increased anxiety and irritation. Changes that occur in the body during daily stress, “hit” various organs and systems. Let’s look at some examples.
If stress factors are too strong, and their effect lasts for a long time, the adaptive mechanisms of the body exhaust their resource, which can lead to various pathologies. First of all, the immune system suffers, because produced in excess by the adrenal cortex “stress hormone” cortisol over time can reduce the synthesis and activity of lymphocytes. As a result of chronic stress, the immune response is depressed, so a person becomes more susceptible to any infectious disease.
Prolonged stress also provokes chronic inflammation. The immune system cannot cope with it, so it leads to destruction and damage of tissues and deterioration of their functions. Many ailments associated with chronic stress, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type II diabetes, are caused or exacerbated by the effects of chronic inflammation.
Prolonged stress can lower the pain threshold and reduce sensitivity to analgesics, that is, a person feels as strong and unbearable actually quite moderate pain, and painkillers act on it weaker. This is especially true for individuals with diseases such as fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease and other ailments accompanied by chronic pain. Pain can be the cause of chronic stress, keeping the body in that state, which leads to…more pain. This vicious cycle is not easy to break.
Excess hormones and catecholamines produced under the influence of stress can cause vasospasm, disturb the rhythm of heart contractions, increase blood pressure, which adversely affects the supply of oxygen to the heart. In very severe shock, such as a car accident or the death of a loved one, stress-induced cardiomyopathy may develop. In the presence of other risk factors (atherosclerosis, advanced age, hypertension, etc.), stress can even provoke a real myocardial infarction.
In response to stress, the body increases the synthesis of the activator mediator glutamate. This puts the nervous system into a state of hyperexcitation so that it can respond to the stressful situation as quickly as possible. But in chronic stress, excess glutamate causes neurons (nerve cells) to become permanently excited. Therefore, they lose activity or even shut down. That is, the mechanism of signal transmission (impulses) between neurons and the biochemistry of neurotransmitters, and thus the metabolic processes of the body (glucose metabolism, oxygen metabolism, lipid metabolism, etc.) are disturbed. We are talking, for example, about oxygen starvation due to deterioration of blood supply of brain tissues and intoxication with various products of vital activity. For example, when stress increases the level of ketone bodies, which are very toxic to the body. As a result of all these disorders, part of the neurons may die.
During chronic stress, the level of the hormone cortisol is high so that the body is in a heightened state of alertness. This necessarily leads to sleep disturbance – a person has a hard time falling asleep in the evening, wakes up at night or too early, at 4-5 o’clock. There is another pattern: if a person does not sleep well, it keeps him in a state of stress. Over time, a vicious cycle forms where cortisol from stress decreases sleep, and decreased sleep creates more stress, leading to additional cortisol release and further sleep disturbance.
Together with an increase in cortisol levels, stress can cause an imbalance in the endocrine system. Thus, the synthesis of hormones decreases and thyroid function decreases, which causes a feeling of constant fatigue and provokes an increase in body weight. Female and male sex hormones are also negatively affected by stress. Both cortisol and sex hormones begin to be formed by the same pathway and then separate (differentiate) and produce different hormones. During chronic stress, the body’s “demand” for hormonal building blocks for cortisol production increases, so there may not be enough of these “building blocks” to synthesize sex hormones. That is, more cortisol means less sex hormones, which means problems with erections, libido, child conception, menstrual pain, pregnancy, etc.
The body responds to stress by directing the flow of blood and oxygen to the muscles, heart, lungs and brain, so the blood supply to other organs and systems slows down. This leads to digestive disorders, for example – it can cause cramping, inflammation in the digestive tract and an imbalance of gut bacteria. For example, erosive ulcerative gastropathy of the stomach and gastritis are often consequences of stress. If chronic, it can lead to increased synthesis of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which damages its walls. Also stress can cause a decrease in the number of beneficial intestinal lacto- and bifidobacteria. Their place will be taken by opportunistic bacteria, so dysbacteriosis (constipation, diarrhea, increased gas formation) may develop.
Consequently, constant or very high stress is dangerous for the body. To reduce health risks, it is important to learn how to manage stress and its effects. Exercise, proper nutrition, relaxation, stress relief and life planning can help. Properly selected pharmacy remedies are equally important. The Bestia line has something that will be useful for targeted help to those organs and systems that are particularly affected by stress in each case. There is Bestia for the heart, Bestia for the stomach, Bestia for calming the nerves and Bestia for improving sleep. The choice is easy to make!
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