Natural Solutions for High Cortisol
Understand the Signs, Symptoms, and Treatments
Chronic stress does not just affect your mood — it affects your hormones, metabolism, sleep, and weight regulation.
Cortisol, often called the “stress hormone,” plays an essential role in energy production, blood sugar balance, inflammation, and nervous system function. When cortisol patterns become dysregulated, symptoms can appear gradually and often overlap with hormone imbalance or thyroid concerns.
As a Toronto-based naturopathic doctor, I assess cortisol patterns as part of a comprehensive evaluation of hormone and metabolic health.
What Is Cortisol?
Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. It follows a natural daily rhythm:
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Higher in the morning to support wakefulness
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Gradually declining throughout the day
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Lowest at night to allow for restful sleep
Short-term cortisol elevation is protective. Chronic dysregulation, however, can disrupt multiple body systems.
Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms can present in many different ways, depending on whether cortisol is persistently elevated, or if you adrenal glands have hit an exhausted phase. The most commonly reported symptoms include:
- fatigue
- never waking feeling rested
- sleep disruption
- moods: anxiety, depression, irritability
- gastrointestinal symptoms
- weight gain/difficulty losing weight
- decreased thyroid function
Adrenal fatigue patients will feel like they are in a constant state of illness, lethargic or "feeling gray". Suffering this type of listlessness, they become dependent on coffee, caffeine or other stimulants to get through the day, which ultimately exacerbates the underlying issues. Millions of people around the world suffer from adrenal fatigue, but accept their state of fatigue as normal.
No two people are the same.
High cortisol can present differently in everyone
How Chronic Stress Affects Hormones
Cortisol interacts closely with other hormone systems.
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Cortisol & Progesterone
Chronic stress may suppress progesterone production, contributing to worsened PMS, sleep disturbance, and anxiety.
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Cortisol & Blood Sugar
Elevated cortisol increases blood glucose and may promote insulin resistance, contributing to weight gain.
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Cortisol & Thyroid
Stress can impair thyroid hormone conversion and cellular responsiveness.
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Cortisol & Weight Gain
Persistent cortisol elevation is associated with increased abdominal fat storage and metabolic changes.
Understanding the pattern matters more than assuming cortisol is simply “too high.”
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How Cortisol Is Assessed
Cortisol can be evaluated through:
- Blood testing (single time-point measurement)
- Salivary testing (multiple daily measurements)
- DUTCH hormone testing (cortisol and cortisone rhythm plus metabolites)
Testing is interpreted alongside symptoms, sleep patterns, menstrual cycle history, and metabolic markers.
Naturopathic Approach to Balancing Cortisol
Cortisol regulation is not about “blocking” stress hormones, but about supporting the systems that regulate them.
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Care may include:
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Nutrition strategies to stabilize blood sugar
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Sleep support and circadian rhythm optimization
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Nervous system regulation strategies
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Targeted supplementation when appropriate
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Optimized exercise/training guidance to support cortisol regulation
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Addressing contributing hormone imbalances
Plans are individualized based on symptom patterns and testing results.
