Can stress cause Cushings Syndrome?
No. Stress-related increased cortisol production by the adrenal glands is normal and physiological, and does not lead to Cushing’s syndrome. It can be produced by prolonged, high doses of corticosteroid medications and can also result from adrenal gland tumors producing abnormally excessive amounts of cortisol. One other cause is excessive stimulation of the adrenal glands to produce cortisol by high levels of ACTH hormones secreted by a diseased pituitary gland or other abnormal glands.
