Stress can affect your endocrine system in regards to increasing chances of dysfunction with abnormal hormone or insulin production. Hormones are the chemical controls of your body and due to the stresses the rates of hormones overall are changed. This can become chronic changes, that affect your body.
The hormonal cascade of the fight or flight response which is the emotional aspect of the stress reponse propogates through three main steps
Stimulation of the hypothalamus by the amygdala causes the release of corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF).
CRF then stimulates the pituitary gland causing release of adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) into the bloodstream
ACTH travels through the bloodstream and stimulates the adrenal glands causing the release of ephinephrine (adrenaline) and glucocorticoids including cortisol.
