Effects of Stress on Kidneys and Resistance Phone of Gas

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Effects of stress on Kidneys and Resistance phase of GAS

Biology

Stress is an emotional or physical strain normally caused as a result to the tension or pressure from the outside world. Some of the most prominent reactions to stress include tension, agitation, increased heart beat and lack of concentration. Although, it is inevitable to lead a life without stress still there are ways in which this situation can be controlled. (Health Information Publications 2002-11). This research essay aims to delineate the affects of stress on the renal system. It seeks to explain the physiological activities of the kidney under normal homeostatic conditions, and what may occur in the kidneys when the body is experiencing the resistance phase of the general adaptive syndrome

STRESS AND THE GAS

A human brain works in mysterious ways. It can regulate functions throughout the body, without you even realizing how far reaching these effects could be. This could sometimes result in increased heart beat, activated sweat glands regardless of changes in temperature, secretion of hormones from your pancreas or even building up of enzymes in your liver.

According to Tortora and Derrickson (2009) your brain can regulate functions throughout your body and it is quite surprising how far reaching those effects can be. It simply tells you what to do by simply sending a message through the nerves branching out from it down your spine to the various parts of your body.

Stress and the Autonomic nervous system

The automatic nervous system includes a set of nerves projecting actions that are either voluntary (automatic) and relatively involuntary. Our nervous system has two sides to it; the voluntary and the involuntary nervous system. The voluntary part of our nervous system is the conscious state of mind and the one behind our everyday routine. Whether you decide to pay your bills, move a muscle or even wave a hi-five to a friend.

On the contrary, the in-voluntary or the autonomous part of our brain projects to our muscles, thus resulting in responses such as blushing, burping, sweating or even an orgasm. According to Tortora and Derrickson (2009), our autonomous nervous system is the key factor behind our stress. As one half of it is activated during stress (i.e. The sympathetic nervous system), the other half is conveniently suppressed (i.e. The parasympathetic nervous system.)

"The two mutually exclusive activities perform quite different tasks from one another. On one hand the sympathetic nerves kick into action during the four F's of behavior -- flight, fright, fight and sex. These tend to originate in the brain, crossing your spine and branches out to all the organs, vessels and sweat glands. These nerves kick into action during emergencies and help you mediate vigilance, arousal, activation and mobilization. Hence as a result of your sympathetic nerve endings in your adrenal glands located above your kidneys, Epinephrine is secreted.

The parasympathetic nervous system on the other contrary, mediates calm and vegetative activities promoting growth, energy, storage and other optimistic processes. This usually engages in tasks such as slowing your heart beat, diverting the blood flow from your muscles back to your heart etc." Tortora and Derrickson (2009, pp. 22-23)

Effects of Hormones on Stress:

Stress can also be a major contributor towards activating the hypothalamus-pituitary peripheral glands. These in turn release an array of epinephrine and the non-epinephrine harmones into the hypothalamus-pituitary circulatory system and get the ball rolling. The epinephrine acts swiftly and within a course of minutes release another principal hormone called the CRH (Corticotropin releasing hormone) which eventually triggers the ACTH into the blood stream. Eventually, upon reaching the adrenal gland, they secrete the glucocorticoids (steroid) hormones.

The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

The GAS is a universal three staged response to stress introduced by Dr. Hans Selye; a very well-known Canadian endocrinologist. It has a colossal impact on the kidneys and the renal system. However, before fully understanding its impact, one must familiarize themselves with the renal system itself.

The Renal System

The renal system, sometimes also referred to as the urinary or the excretory system includes a group of organs that work together to produce, store and release urine. The kidneys located at the back of the abdominal cavity are vital to the proper functioning of the renal system. Some of the main functions carried out by the renal system in a body includes controlling the body's water balance, regulation of blood pressure via the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, regulation of blood electrolyte balance, excretion of metabolic wastes such as urea, and creatinine, regulating body's acid base balance, regulation of red blood cells production via the hormone erythropoietin. (Birmingham City University January 2011)

"According to Selye, there are three stages to the General Adaptation Syndrome. These include:

Stage 1: Alarm Reaction:

This is the first stage of GAS. Here the body releases adrenaline and a variety of other psychological mechanisms in order to combat the stress and to stay in control. This is sometimes also called fight or flight response. Here, any physical or mental trauma will trigger an immediate set of reactions that combat the stress. Because the immune system is initially depressed, normal levels of resistance are lowered, making the body more susceptible to infection and disease. If the stress is not severe or long-lasting, you tend to bounce back and recover rapidly.

Stage 2: Resistance:

Eventually, sometimes rather quickly, a body adapts to stress, and there's actually a tendency to become more resistant to illness and disease. The immune system works overtime during this period, trying to keep up with the demands placed upon it. Overtime, the mind becomes complacent about the situation and assumes that it can resist the effects of stress indefinitely. Therein lays the danger; believing that the mind is immune from the effects of stress, hence typically failing to do anything about it.