Just about every one of the body’s hormonal systems is affected by stress. Growth hormones, sex hormones (including estrogen and testosterone), thyroid hormone, and insulin (which regulates blood sugar) all tend to decrease during stress. Some of the major health impacts are dysfunction of the ovaries and testes (also known as gonads), psychosocial short stature, and obesity. In the case of gonadal dysfunction, for women this can lead to not ovulating, not having a period, or menstrual irregularity.
