Every day we hear it, we say it, and our bodies are affected by it: STRESS. It?s not unfamiliar to any of us these days. We have too much stress in our lives, and it is coming from all directions. Our jobs, financial situations, family responsibilities, relationships, and even our health concerns are just a few of the things that may be causing stress in our lives. Over time this can really take its toll on our hormones, and our bodies.

When you face any sort of stressful event or situation, the hormone cortisol floods your system. This hormone is a stressed-induced hormone that helps your body have the energy to get through the situation. Once the stressful situation is past, the cortisol is shut off, and DHEA is produced to restore calm and balance to your body.

Cortisol and DHEA work as a team to get you through stressful situations. However, if you are constantly under stress, whether it is from a struggle to make ends meet or from the stress of your job, these hormones are constantly in your system. This can cause your adrenal glands to be overburdened and worn out. If this goes on for a long period of time it can have serious affects on your body.

When constant stress continues, your levels of DHEA will decrease. The cortisol still being produced then causes negative side effects. This can lead to many health problems that may be as insignificant as a cold or as serious as cancer. It can even go as far as preventing women from ovulating, and increasing the risk of bone loss. Women with high cortisol and low DHEA levels can also have panic attacks, anxieties, and exhaustion.

If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, or feel that stress has been a constant problem in your life, it may be the right time for you to determine what your levels are with a state of the art home saliva and urine test.