A stress hormone produced by the adrenal glands with extensive effects on various organs in the body. It has anti-inflammatory properties, maintains blood glucose levels, blood pressure, and muscle strength, and helps balance salt and fluid levels. When the body is subjected to stress, cortisol production is increased. If stress is prolonged, this can lead to so-called adrenal fatigue and eventually burnout, where the adrenal glands are no longer able to produce sufficient cortisol. Because the body, from an evolutionary perspective, prioritizes the production of cortisol ("fight-or-flight hormone"), this comes at the expense of the production of other hormones such as DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone.