Stress, psychosomatics and cholesterol

12.12.2014

Autor: Tobias O. R. Alke

A standpoint with sources. An academically supported placement by Tobias Alke – factual state of research, at the close an expressly subjective social view. Conceptual background knowledge: encyclopedia entry Cholesterol.

Stress, the body’s stress hormones and cholesterol stand physiologically in a close connection. This article summarises the specialist state of research factually and adds, at the end, an expressly subjective, socially critical placement.

What does Hans Selye’s stress model describe?

Hans Selye (father of stress research) defined the “general adaptation syndrome (GAS)” (Zimbardo et al. 1983: 460), which describes stress as a state in which several symptoms come together and burden the individual in the social, physiological and psychological area. GAS divides this state into 3 phases: (1) “the alarm reaction” (ibid.), which provides resources in order to defend against the burden and to build up resistance (eustress), (2) “the phase of resistance” (ibid.: 461), in which the resistance against the lasting and burdening effects is maintained (eustress) and (3) “the phase of exhaustion” (ibid.), which sets in when the phase of resistance has been maintained too long and extreme states of exhaustion arise (distress). These can express themselves through psychosomatic complaints, “cardiovascular diseases” (Bamberg et al. 2007: 6), “stomach problems […, but also] negative health behaviour” (ibid.: 15). This can express itself in unhealthy nutrition, restriction of leisure activities and reduction of social contacts. Bound up with this are, as a rule, anxieties, depressions, refusal of work and further factors (cf. Hillmann et al. 2007: 866, Crapo 1987: 27f, Bamberg et al. 2007: 15, Mörike/Mergenthaler 1970: 205ff, Zimbardo et al. 1983: 460ff).

Nevertheless, stress is a vital factor for the human, since it promotes the capacity for performance and resistance. Small stimuli, distributed over life, maintain its resistance. Permanent stress, however, leads to harmless up to severe damage of the human organism.

What role do the stress hormones play?

In this connection the hormones of the adrenal cortex (corticosteroids) and the hormone “ACTH [of the] pituitary” (Kleine/Rossmanith 2014: 28) play a decisive role. The adrenal glands produce, among other things, the hormones “adrenaline” (ibid.: 250) and “cortisol” (ibid.: 292). Adrenaline (stress reaction) is released particularly in phase 1, since it quickly provides large amounts of energy by releasing fat and sugar reserves from their stores and raising the resistance above the normal level. It raises the blood pressure, increases the heart rate, promotes the oxygen supply of the body and lessens the digestive processes. In addition, it is an antagonist of insulin, which promotes the conversion of glucose into fats and inhibits the breakdown of fats. In the long term, that is from phase 2 on, however, “cortisol” (ibid.: 235f) (permanent stress, anti-inflammatory) takes over the task of adrenaline. The excessive release of adrenaline leads, in the long term, to the so-called Cushing’s disease (ibid.: 379), which is bound up, among other things, with extreme obesity (especially around the “torso” (ibid.: 386)), “muscle weakness […, and] high blood pressure” (ibid.), as well as psychological disorders. The release of the corticosteroids is regulated by the pituitary and vice versa (cf. Mörike/Mergenthaler 1970: 205ff, Kleine/Rossmanith 2014: 216):

„Die Bildung und Ausschüttung des ACTH wird ihrerseits durch die Anwesenheit von Corticoiden im Blut in Grenzen gehalten. […] Sinkt jedoch der Corticoidgehalt, dann steigt dafür die ACTH-Bildung und regt die Corticoidproduktion an (Rückkopplungssystem).“ (Mörike/Mergenthaler 1970: 206)

(In English: the formation and release of ACTH is, in turn, kept within limits by the presence of corticoids in the blood. If, however, the corticoid content sinks, then the ACTH formation rises in its stead and stimulates the corticoid production – a feedback system.)

How is that connected with cholesterol?

For the production of steroids (among others cortisol), the adrenal cortices need cholesterol. Thus raised cholesterol values can also go along with raised cortisol values, whereby stress can play a role in the raising of the BMI (cf. Kleine/Rossmanith 2014: 18ff). How close this connection is in the individual case is the subject of continual research and should not be over-interpreted.

In this sense, stress is in the first place a vital component of human – or even generally “animal” – life, since it can bring us to peak performance and can become dangerous only at a too high degree.

How do we place that socially?

From our subjective view, the mass of often over-pointed negative reporting in the media contributes to the lasting burdening of many people. We also observe critically that around health and consumption much is worked with insecurity, and that various economic interests can earn along from this insecurity. That is a worldview-based placement, no medical assessment of individual therapies or actors.

Note: This article renders a personal, worldview-based view and is no medical advice. It replaces no medical diagnosis or treatment. With health questions please turn to a doctor or pharmacy; do not stop prescribed medication on your own authority.