What impresses me is how careful and calculating the body has to be during stress in order to coordinate hormonal activities just right. It must perfectly balance the costs and benefits, knowing exactly when to stop secreting the hormone. If the body miscalculates in one direction and growth hormone secretion is blocked too early, there is relatively less mobilization of energy for dealing with the stressor. If it miscalculates in the other direction and growth hormone secretion goes on too long, stress may actually enhance growth. One oft-quoted study suggests that the second type of error
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