Weight Loss & Metabolic Health
What Is Cushing's Syndrome?
Last reviewed: May 2026 · Haute MD Editorial Team
Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by chronic exposure to excess cortisol — either from prolonged steroid medication use or from a tumor producing cortisol or ACTH. It produces characteristic weight gain in the trunk, face ('moon face'), and upper back ('buffalo hump'), along with thin skin, easy bruising, muscle weakness, and metabolic dysfunction.
Causes of Cushing's
The most common cause is long-term use of glucocorticoid medications (prednisone). Endogenous Cushing's is rarer and caused by pituitary adenomas (Cushing's disease), adrenal tumors, or ectopic ACTH-producing tumors.
Recognizing the symptoms
Classic findings include central obesity with thin limbs, rounded facial appearance, purple stretch marks on the abdomen, hypertension, hyperglycemia, irregular menstrual cycles, and mood changes. Many patients are initially misdiagnosed.
Testing and treatment
Screening uses 24-hour urine cortisol, late-night salivary cortisol, or dexamethasone suppression test. Treatment depends on cause — surgery for tumors, tapering of steroids when possible, and medications that block cortisol production for ongoing cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is Cushing's syndrome?
Endogenous Cushing's is rare (40–70 cases per million). Steroid-induced is far more common.
Can stress cause Cushing's?
No — normal stress raises cortisol temporarily but does not cause true Cushing's syndrome.
Is it curable?
Yes, in most cases — particularly when caused by a removable tumor.
How is it different from high cortisol from stress?
Cushing's involves sustained, pathologic cortisol elevation; stress causes acute, regulated rises that normalize.
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