Glucocorticoid secretion involves an evolutionary tradeoff: it has protective effects during an ongoing physical stressor but can produce adverse long-term consequences when secretion is excessive.
Notes on verification
Directly confirmed by primary source (Sapolsky 2021, PubMed 33869683) and corroborated by independent literature on allostasis (McEwen) and endocrinology reviews on glucocorticoid excess effects. [tier=gold indep_score=0.983 clusters=3 claim_tier=notable]
Sources
- Glucocorticoids, the evolution of the stress-response, and ... - PubMed (seed:psychology_and_neuroscience)
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235228952100028X (corroboration)
- https://www.nature.com/articles/1395453 (corroboration)
- https://www.endocrinology.org/endocrinologist/130-winter18/features/glucocorticoids-restoring-balance-during-stress/ (corroboration)