Five years is actually not a long time for science to understand a process as complex as the pathways of the oil after a large spill. Some of the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon spill on the marine life and ecosystems of the Gulf of Mexico will only become visible in future years. We use oil products daily.
First the researchers examined the effects of lowering cortisol to below a normal (or baseline) level. Then they compared the effects of low, medium, high, and very high cortisol levels in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, a procedure that causes a lot of inflammation.
Cortisol also helps normalize blood sugar levels. When the pressure is on, your cortisol levels can run high. Over time, continuously high cortisol levels lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), low sex drive and anxiety; it is also a contributing factor to heart disease.