title: Cortisol's purpose.
abstract: It is proposed that cortisol's primary purpose is to mobilize the body's defenses against water-losing intestinal diseases and corticosterone's against serum diseases. They do this by inversely controlling those immune cells, enzymes, and hormones, etc. that affect survival during infection. These glucocorticosteroids affect fight-or-flight mobilization as an adjunct made possible because most processes that enhance immunity have a reverse effect on fight-or-flight.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone