Then COVID-19 Entered the Picture
As we examined cortisol's biochemical relationships, another possibility emerged.
Could COVID-19 influence some of the same systems?
A scientific review titled The Role of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in COVID-19 Pathogenesis and Therapy, published in 2022 by Wang and colleagues examined the relationship between COVID-19, inflammation, and cytochrome P450 enzymes.
These enzymes are involved in processing medications and many substances naturally produced by the body.
Certain cytochrome P450 enzymes also participate in the production of steroid hormones.
One of them, CYP11B1, helps convert a substance called 11-deoxycortisol into cortisol.
Another, CYP11B2, participates in the production of aldosterone, a hormone involved in sodium, potassium, fluid balance, and blood-pressure regulation.
The COVID-19 research raises questions about how illness and inflammation may influence enzyme activity. It does not establish that COVID-19 permanently damages these particular adrenal enzymes or causes chronic cortisol excess.Still, the biological relationships are worth examining.
Following the Hormonal Connections
The body doesn't produce cortisol in isolation.
Steroid hormone production begins with cholesterol, which is converted into pregnenolone. From there, different biochemical pathways lead toward cortisol, aldosterone, and sex hormones.
ACTH, a hormone released by the pituitary gland, stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
Aldosterone is regulated primarily by the renin-angiotensin system and potassium, although ACTH can influence it temporarily.
Adrenaline belongs to a different hormone family but participates in the body's response to stress and low blood glucose.
These relationships may help explain why problems involving hormones, metabolism, electrolytes, and sleep can sometimes overlap.
Rather than assuming that every symptom has a separate cause, perhaps we should also ask whether several regulatory systems are interacting.
What Can the Voice Tell Us?
BioAcoustic Biology approaches these questions from a different perspective.
Over decades of research and development, we have created mathematical frequency relationships that we call MathWays, organized within our BioAcoustic mathematical matrix.
Our approach begins with the premise that biological processes can be explored through mathematical relationships and patterns found in vocal frequencies of the voice.
Using these relationships, we have developed vocal profiling tools intended to help people explore patterns associated with various biological substances and processes.
In our volunteer observations, some individuals whose vocal profiles exhibited patterns we classify as cortisol-related imbalance also reported waking between 2 and 4 a.m., often with unusual mental alertness.
We find that relationship interesting.
However, a vocal profile is not a validated measurement of blood or salivary cortisol, and these observations do not establish a medical diagnosis.
The next research question is whether the vocal patterns correlate with independently measured cortisol levels, glucose fluctuations, or documented sleep disturbances.
Readers interested in exploring our BioAcoustic approach can visit SoundHealthPortal.com, where our public WorkStation provides access to selected vocal profiling tools.
The WorkStation is intended for educational exploration, not as a substitute for laboratory testing or medical care.
Could There Be a Cortisol Connection?
Perhaps the most useful lesson is that the body doesn't operate as a collection of unrelated parts.
Cortisol influences metabolism. Metabolism influences glucose. Glucose fluctuations can activate the stress response. Sleep disturbances can influence hormonal rhythms, and those rhythms can affect how we feel the following day.
COVID-19 adds another area for investigation because infection and inflammation may influence several of these regulatory systems.
Does this mean cortisol is responsible for every case of fatigue, weight gain, or nighttime awakening?
Certainly not.
But could cortisol regulation be an overlooked contributor in some cases?
That is a question worth asking. For an BioAcoustic evaluation of your own voice as it relations to Cortisol go to: SoundHealthPortal.com – choose templates related to you issues” cortisol. Wt Mgt, adrenal stress…
Quite a few articles on the internet suggest that herbal adaptogens such as Ashwagandha and Rhodiola Rosea Etract (caused dizziness for me) may help provide balance for Cortisol.
From online: “Ashwagandha has been a popular herb in Asia for thousands of years. It’s considered an adaptogen, an herbal compound reported to help protect the body from stress. It’s also known to support sleep, fertility, and exercise.”
“One review looked at a group of studies on ashwagandha and stress. The analysis found that ashwagandha supplements may decrease serum cortisol levels. Another small study showed a 23% decrease in cortisol levels after 2 months of supplementation.”
Listening to What the Body Is Telling Us
If you experience persistent fatigue, unexplained weight changes, muscle weakness, repeated nighttime awakenings, or unusual glucose and blood-pressure fluctuations, consider keeping a record of when these symptoms occur.
Look for patterns. Discuss them with your healthcare provider. Ask whether endocrine, metabolic, neurological, or sleep-related causes should be investigated.
People using insulin should be especially aware that nighttime hypoglycemia can cause sudden awakenings and requires appropriate treatment.
And remember that symptoms alone cannot establish whether cortisol is too high or too low. When cortisol disorders are suspected, validated laboratory testing and professional interpretation are essential.
Our goal is not to replace conventional medical evaluation, but to encourage curiosity, observation, and better questions.
BioAcoustic vocal analysis identified ACTH balance as a major influence in keeping my cortisol balanced. – see chart -
Perhaps better health begins when we stop looking at every symptom separately and start asking how the pieces might fit together.