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Stress Hormones

Meaning

Stress hormones are a group of chemical messengers, primarily corticosteroids like cortisol and catecholamines like adrenaline and noradrenaline, released by the adrenal glands in response to physical or psychological stressors. Their immediate biological function is to orchestrate the body’s “fight or flight” response, mobilizing energy reserves and altering physiological functions to enhance survival. Chronic elevation of these hormones, however, is detrimental to long-term metabolic and hormonal health.