Elevated cortisol typically occurs in highly stressed individuals. Ironically, if you’re very stressed, your antidepressant is less likely to work. A study presented at the 168th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) showed that patients with elevated salivary cortisol levels fail to respond to treatment with the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem). Prozac was one of the first in this class of antidepressants, and it’s not used that commonly anymore. However, the same drug is used under a different name (Sarafem) and marketed to women as a treatment for premenstrual syndrome. Earlier studies have linked poor response to other types of antidepressants in people with high cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone made by your adrenal glands. If you have been stressed for a long time, you may develop chronically elevated levels of this hormone. This has been linked to the development of depression; abdominal weight gain and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. It can be difficult to lower cortisol if you are stuck in a stressful life circumstance. Gentle exercise, meditation, yoga, massage, and getting adequate sleep are all helpful. Magnesium helps to lower cortisol and it has a wonderfully calming effect on your entire body. I find that magnesium helps so many of my patients to cope better with the stress of their lives. Reference