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Cortisol Override

Meaning

Cortisol Override describes a physiological state where chronic, excessive secretion of the glucocorticoid cortisol, often secondary to prolonged allostatic load, exerts a dominant, suppressive regulatory influence over other critical endocrine axes. This profound hormonal imbalance results in the functional suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis. The clinical manifestation is often a reduction in sex hormone production and a decline in thyroid hormone conversion, prioritizing survival functions over reproductive and metabolic efficiency.