It is a disorder caused by having too much of a hormone called cortisol in the body. Cortisol also helps:

• Maintain blood pressure

• Regulate blood glucose, also called blood sugar

• Reduce inflammation

• Turn the food you eat into energy

Cushing's syndrome Causes

There are two types of Cushing syndrome:

• Exogenous: caused by factors outside the body

• Endogenous: caused by factors within the body

The most common cause of Cushing syndrome exogenous Cushing syndrome due to people taking cortisol-like medications. This type of Cushing syndrome is temporary and goes away after the patient has finished taking the cortisol-like medications.
Endogenous Cushing syndrome, in which the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, is uncommon. This type of Cushing syndrome is most often caused by hormone-secreting tumors of the adrenal glands or the pituitary.

Cushing's syndrome symptoms

The signs of Cushing Syndrome appear slowly over time.
Common symptoms of Cushing Syndrome are:

• Weight gain

• A round face (moon face)

• A fatty hump between the shoulders

• Easy bruising

• Thin arms and legs

• Weight gain on the back of neck (buffalo hump)

• Excessive hair growth (hirsutism) on face, neck, chest, abdomen and thighs

• High blood pressure

• Mood swings and sadness

• Lack of muscle strength

Cushing's syndrome Diagnoses

The doctor will probably recommend some of these tests to help screen for Cushing’s syndrome if he/she suspect you have it:

• 24-hour urinary free cortisol test

• Dexamethasone suppression test

• Late-night salivary cortisol level

If people have Cushing's syndrome, the doctor may refer them to a specialist who will do other blood tests or imaging scans to find out what's causing it.

Cushing's syndrome Treatment

• If long-term use of steroid medicine is the cause of Cushing's syndrome:

The doctor will help patients lower their dose or gradually stop taking it.

• If a pituitary tumor is the cause:

Surgery to remove the tumor offers the best chance for recovery.

• If an adrenal tumor is the cause:

Surgery to remove the tumor is usually done if the tumor is not cancerous. If the tumor is cancerous, the whole gland is removed.

Diet Therapy for Cushing's syndrome

Patients with CS are at an increased risk for serious conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis, so eating a diet high in calcium and protein and low in sodium is crucial.
The following Cushing’s disease diet changes can help limit or counteract some symptoms:

• Increasing calcium and vitamin D intake: This includes kale, cheese and broccoli, milk and beverages fortified with vitamin D.

• Reducing sodium intake: excess sodium can increase blood pressure.

• Reducing cholesterol: Avoiding fatty foods and eating more high-fiber foods such as kidney beans, apples, pears, barley and prunes may help offset the effects of higher cholesterol associated with Cushing’s.

• Eating nutritious foods

• Reducing or eliminating alcohol and tobacco

• Controlling blood sugar

• Eating Protein-Rich Foods: patients should try to include protein at every meal. Choose lean, protein-rich foods such as fish, beans, tofu, lentils, reduced-fat yogurt and low-fat cottage cheese.

• Doing exercise: The best type of exercise is that which is not stressful to the skeletal system. For example, swimming and bicycle riding are good exercises.