Are you getting fatter? Cushing's syndrome could be behind it

If the body produces too much cortisol, what is known as Cushing's syndrome can develop.

Uncontrolled weight gain on the abdomen is a symptom of the disorder.

• The body changes with age, but you should take certain changes seriously and have them clarified by your doctor.

• This includes, for example, gaining weight without eating more or moving less *.

• This could be caused by a hormonal imbalance, such as that caused by Cushing's syndrome.

Doctors speak of Cushing's syndrome when there is an abnormally increased production of the hormone cortisol in the body.

This is usually triggered by a benign tumor in the pituitary gland, which leads to an overproduction of the ACTH hormone, as the German Society for Endocrinology (DGE) reports.

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If the cortisol level is too high due to a pituitary tumor, doctors speak of Cushing's disease.

Typical of Cushing's syndrome are a number of physical changes triggered by the

, including:

• Weight gain, especially on the torso;

  Arms and legs, on the other hand, usually stay slim

• Hamster cheeks

• round full moon face

• Stretch marks on the abdomen, hips, and armpits that often appear red from bleeding

• poor wound healing

• increased bruising

• increased body hair in women

• acne

• thinning skin ("parchment skin")

• irregular or absent menstrual bleeding

• Loss of muscle strength (especially in the thighs and buttocks)

• Mood swings, anxiety, depressed thoughts

Consequences of Cushing's syndrome: diabetes and high blood pressure

Cushing's syndrome can lead to diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and dangerously low potassium levels,

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If a doctor diagnoses “Cushing's disease”, the treatment of choice is surgical removal of the tumor from the pituitary gland.

If the operation does not alleviate the symptoms, the DGE lists radiation therapy or drug treatment as options.

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Hormonal balance in balance

The gynecologist Dr.

Sara Gottfried explains in the Kindle edition of the book “Die Hormonkur: How to bring your hormonal balance naturally into balance” (promotional link) how to use questionnaires to reveal which specific hormone deficiency states are behind certain symptoms.

Among other things, Gottfried deals with symptoms caused by excess cortisol or excess estrogen and explains which measures are helpful.

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