Kourtney • Hormones, PCOS, Thyroid, ADHD on Instagram: "Long-term stress alters hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis function, leading to irregular cortisol signaling and, over time, cortisol resistance in immune cells. When immune cells become less responsive to cortisol’s anti-inflammatory effects, inflammatory activity can persist unchecked. Women exhibit stronger innate and adaptive immune responses than men, including higher antibody production and greater inflammatory reactivity. Whil