General Adaptation Syndrome-the Stress Response
- Frances Blewitt CL.N
- Sep 8
- 2 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
Are you being chased by a bear or just sorting through bills?
The body physically responds to stress in the same exact way regardless of the cause.
Endocrinologist Hans Selye first introduced the concept that the body reacts to all forms of stress in a consistent, predictable way in 1936.
That year, he published a landmark paper in the journal Nature titled:
“A Syndrome Produced by Diverse Nocuous Agents”
In it, Selye described what he called the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)-a three-stage process the body undergoes in response to stress:
Alarm – immediate reaction (fight-or-flight)
Resistance – adaptation phase if the stress continues
Exhaustion – depletion of resources if the stress is prolonged
This discovery laid the foundation for modern stress physiology and our understanding of how chronic stress affects health.
Hans Selye’s General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) has been widely supported, expanded, and refined over decades of scientific research. Thousands of peer-reviewed studies have explored and validated key components of his stress response model, including:
✅ Core concepts confirmed by research:
The body reacts similarly to various types of stress (physical, emotional, psychological) - supported by endocrinology, neurobiology, and behavioral studies.
Involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis - now a foundational model in stress science.
Cortisol and other stress hormone roles - measured across countless studies in animals and humans.
Chronic stress leads to health consequences - supported by large-scale studies in psychology, cardiology, immunology, and neuroendocrinology.
🔍 Research evidence includes:
PubMed search for “stress response” or “HPA axis” yields over 100,000 articles
Citations of Selye’s original work span thousands of articles and books
Clinical trials linking stress with immune suppression, cardiovascular disease, metabolic dysfunction, and burnout
🔬 Examples of confirming research areas:
McEwen (1998): Allostatic load theory, showing how chronic stress damages the body
Sapolsky (2004): Extensive animal research validating the harmful effects of long-term cortisol elevation
APA & WHO reports** on stress-related health outcomes
In summary: The foundational ideas of his theory are backed by decades of multidisciplinary research and are now deeply integrated into medical and psychological science.
Important Information. I am a clinical nutritionist and holistic health professional. I am not a medical doctor. This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for proper medical treatments or care. Always consult with your medical doctor before making any changes to your diet, lifestyle, or fitness programs.
