Glucocorticoids are steroid hormones produced from the cortex of adrenal glands (gluco-corti-coids: glucose-cortex-steroids). Glucocorticoids have a pivotal role in the glucose, protein, and fat metabolism of the body. They originate from steroid precursors and are synthesized primarily in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex. Their medical significance arises from their anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, and immune-suppressive role in the body, and this particular role used for medical treatment purposes. One should remember that glucocorticoids are not the infamous anabolic steroids that are used by athletes for muscle buildup. Instead, these are the catabolic steroids that cause peripheral muscle breakdown. The essential glucocorticoid in the body is cortisol. It is released in a diurnal circadian pattern, with the highest levels released at around 8 AM and its lowest levels between midnight and 4 AM.
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