A group of hormones produced by the adrenal glands that regulate inflammation, immune function, and stress response; also synthetic versions used as medicines.
From 'cortex' (because they're made in the adrenal cortex) plus 'steroid' (a type of hormone). This term emerged in the 20th century as these hormones were discovered and isolated.
Corticosteroids like cortisol are your body's built-in emergency response system—they help you survive stressful situations, but too much for too long is actually damaging, which is why doctors carefully manage steroid use!
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