Stress and the Immune System

Too much stress harms the

immune system

 
People like to ignore it but stress is a big deal. Stress can come from both physical and emotional sources – and affects the hormone cortisol which is produced by the adrenal glands.
 
In small quantities cortisol is helpful. It’s anti-inflammatory, speeds tissue repair and controls excess immune cell production.
 
Continued stress raises cortisol levels and this is bad. Cortisol slows the production of “good” prostaglandins. Prostaglandins (localized hormone like cellular messengers) are derived from essential fatty acids like fish oil. “Good” prostaglandins support immune function, dilate blood vessels, inhibit “thick” blood and are anti-inflammatory. Slowed production allows for the opposite – inflammation, immune suppression, etc.
 
 During a period of raised cortisol (from stress), immune system cells disappear from the blood. The part of the immune system most sensitive to increased cortisol levels are the Natural Killer Cells. Immune system function will plummet. As adrenals become fatigued, the production of cortisol and other hormone levels will fall. Lower levels of cortisol will allow immune system cells to circulate in excess.
 
Excessive stress, either physical or mental, has a detrimental effect on the optimal functioning of the immune system. It is like the card that finally tips the balance on the house of cards, bringing everything crashing down.
 
An immune system that is in top operating order will only be minimally affected by small causes of stress. Conversely, even small causes of stress can be too much for a weakened immune system.” Patrick Bouic, Ph.D. “The Immune System Cure”. 
 
Stress has surpassed the common cold as the most common health problem in North America according to many physicians – and has been called the number one universal health factor contributing to major disease. 
 
 Stress and Adrenals:
What does stress actually do? Stress affects the adrenal glands among other things. In fact that is the purpose of adrenal glands; to help you deal with stress from every possible source (psychological, environmental, infectious, physical, emotional, etc) and survive. The adrenal glands produce a number of different hormones that influence virtually all of the major processes in the body.
  
The reason we have the ability to produce stress hormones:
One scenario of what happens in an alarm stress “reaction” might be as follows:
Something happens; you’re attacked by an elephant, or almost hit by a truck, or your boss is angry. Your adrenals have an “alarm” reaction often called the “fight or flight” response. It’s your body’s response to challenge or danger. Increased adrenal hormones are released that cause your heart to beat faster, your breathing increases, your cortisol levels rise which gives you more energy, muscle tension increases, your digestion shuts down, and more. This is great for situations that require a physical response, like lifting a car or jumping over small mountains. The response however gets stifled in the office or in your bed where “fight or flight” wouldn’t be appropriate (this is a problem). The alarm stage is usually short lived lasting a few minutes to a few hours. Thereafter it could be followed by a recovery period lasting 24-48 hours.
  
During this period hormone levels drop, you feel tired and your body is less able to respond to stress. What if the stress doesn’t go away and you are not aware of its presence? Your body can continue to fight the stressor after the initial effects. But what happens if it lasts for months or even years? The hormone largely responsible for trying to counter the stress is cortisol produced by the adrenal glands.
 
 

In fact, when cortisol is elevated during the alarm reaction there is almost a complete disappearance of lymphocytes from the blood. That is why your immune system is suppressed when your are under stress. On the other hand when circulating cortisol is low, its moderating effect on immune reactions is lost and lymhocytes circulate in excess.” Dr. James Wilson says this creates more inflammation.

Dr. Jesse Stoff also says increased cortisol levels depress immune function, “The part of the immune system most sensitive to the effects of cortisol are Natural Killer cells”. Immune system resistance plummets. A serious illness is often preceded by a major cause of stress.

Fatigued Adrenals
There are many other reactions as well including adrenal gland “fatigue”. When adrenals become “fatigued” after being stressed, too little cortisol and other hormones are produced bringing on its own set of problems – one major symptom being fatigue.

Stress negatively affects prostaglandin production. Cortisol, produced by the adrenal glands when under stress, suppresses prostaglandin production. According to Dr. Barry Sears, “if you are overproducing corticosteroids, especially cortisol, you will bring all eicosanoid (prostaglandin) synthesis to a crashing halt – including the shut down of the immune system.”