This site provides information, support, RSS feeds, news, and education for people with Cushing's or other endocrine problems, their friends and families. Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of cortisol. Cushing's is a debilitating disease which causes the overproduction of cortisol, the substance that regulates blood pressure, and the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Cushing's syndrome is a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. It can be caused by a tumor of the pituitary gland, adrenal gland, elsewhere in the body (ectopic) or by excessive steroid use.