What is the HPA axis, and how can it disrupt our hormones?

What is the HPA axis?

The HPA axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis) is a system, or series of hormone signals in your body that controls how you respond to stress. It keeps things running smoothly and in balance. The three players in the HPA axis are:

1. Hypothalamus: This part of your brain senses stress and triggers the release of a hormone called CRH (Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone).

1.Pituitary Gland: CRH signals to the pituitary gland, a small gland at the base of the brain, to release another hormone called ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone).

2.Adrenal Glands: ACTH travels through the bloodstream to the adrenal glands, which are located on top of your kidneys. The adrenal glands then release cortisol, the "stress hormone."

This release of cortisol helps you deal with stress by giving you more energy and boosting your alertness, for example by increasing your heart rate, blood sugar, and energy levels. After the stress is over, your body works to bring things back to normal, cortisol levels decrease and everything calms down. However if you're constantly stressed, the HPA axis gets overstimulated, and this can lead to many health problems.

What's the deal with hormones...?

Because the HPA axis is so closely linked to many other hormone systems in the body, when it is out of balance, this can disrupt our hormone balance in several ways. See below for more detail about what happens to some of your hormones during a state of HPA dysregulation.