Posted by Ktemene on December 24, 2004, at 22:23:04
In reply to Is there anything that can reduce cortisol?, posted by SLS on December 23, 2004, at 8:23:44
> Forgive me if this question has been answered before. I would like to try to either reduce the secretion of cortisol from the adrenal glands or block cortisol receptors or somehow reduce the effects that cortisol has in the body.
>
> Drugs that block CRH (CRH1) receptors are currently being investigated for the treatment of depression. Among other things, these drugs effectively reduce adrenal secretion of cortisol by inhibiting the pituitary from manufacturing ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone).
>
>
> - Scott
>
>Hi Scott,
I remember reading in some posts by Pfinstegg that Omega-3's, alpha-lipoic acid, phosphadatyl-serine, 7-keto-kehydroepiandrosterone, and SAM-e all tended to lower cortisol. She is a doctor herself and has done a lot of research on cortisol. You might try asking her what she would recommend, since I am not sure that she is still using the supplements I remember her mentioning.
Pfinstegg was also taking tianeptine and she said it was fairly easy for your doctor to order it for you, since it is widely used in Europe (but not approved in the U.S.) One medication that is used in the U.S. that seems to lower cortisol is Remeron. I have copied a couple of abstracts about it below.
I hope you are feeling better.
Ktemene
Neuropsychobiology 2003;47:31-36
Influence of Mirtazapine on Salivary Cortisol in Depressed Patients
G. Laakmanna, J. Hennigb, T. Baghaia, C. SchüleaUnlike other antidepressants, mirtazapine does not inhibit the reuptake of norepinephrine or serotonin but acts as an antagonist at presynaptic 2-receptors, at postsynaptic 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors, and at histaminergic H1 receptors. Furthermore, mirtazapine has been shown to acutely inhibit cortisol secretion in healthy subjects. In the present study, the impact of mirtazapine treatment on salivary cortisol secretion was investigated in 12 patients (4 men, 8 women) suffering from major depression according to DSM-IV criteria. Patients were treated with mirtazapine for 3 weeks, receiving 15 mg mirtazapine on day 0, 30 mg on day 1 and 45 mg per day from day 2 up to the end of the study (day 21). Response to mirtazapine treatment was defined by a reduction of at least 50% in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression after 3 weeks of therapy. Salivary cortisol concentrations were measured before treatment (day -1), at the beginning of treatment (day 0), after 1 week (day 7) and after 3 weeks (day 21) of treatment with mirtazapine. Saliva samples were collected hourly from 08.00 until 20.00 h. The area under the curve values served as parameter for the salivary cortisol secretion. Following analysis of variance with a repeated measures design, tests with contrasts revealed a significant reduction of cortisol concentrations already after 1 day of mirtazapine treatment that was comparable in responders and nonresponders. In addition to new pharmacological approaches such as CRH1 receptor antagonists, mirtazapine therefore appears to be an effective strategy to decrease hypercortisolism and restore HPA system dysregulation in depression. However, the importance of the acute inhibitory effects of mirtazapine on cortisol secretion for its antidepressant efficacy has to be further clarified.
Psychiatry Res. 2003 Oct 15;120(3):257-64.
Influence of mirtazapine on urinary free cortisol excretion in depressed patients.
Schule C, Baghai T, Rackwitz C, Laakmann G.
Department of Psychiatry, University of Munich, Nussbaumstr. 7, Munich 80336, Germany.Mirtazapine has been shown to acutely inhibit cortisol secretion in healthy subjects. In the present study, the impact of mirtazapine treatment on urinary free cortisol (UFC) excretion was investigated in depression. Twenty patients (six men, 14 women) suffering from major depression according to DSM-IV criteria were treated with mirtazapine for 3 weeks. The patients received 15 mg mirtazapine on day 0; 30 mg mirtazapine on day 1; and 45 mg mirtazapine per day from day 2 to the end of the study (day 21). UFC excretion was measured before treatment (day 1), at the beginning (day 0), after 1 week (day 7) and after 3 weeks (day 21) of treatment with mirtazapine. Urine samples were collected from 08:00 to 08:00 h the following day. On the days of urine sampling, the severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the 21-item version of the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (21-HAMD). There was a significant reduction of UFC
poster:Ktemene
thread:433255
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20041212/msgs/433928.html