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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by john1022 on December 19, 2003, at 16:25:12
Hello,
I just got the results back of the saliva test I had done to check my adrenal function and cortisol levels.
They came back as high in the morning, noon and night.
The doctor recommended Ashwaganda at 1 tsp a day as a start. She also mentioned spreading meals out to 5 times a day (with smaller meals) instead of 3 meals a day.
I was just wondering if Larry or anyone else had any information on other ways along with these that I can lower these levels.
What implications can high cortisol levels have?
Thank you very much. Happy holidays
Posted by Civ on December 19, 2003, at 21:45:51
In reply to Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by john1022 on December 19, 2003, at 16:25:12
Did you have to pay out of pocket for that saliva test or did your insurance cover it?
Posted by stjames on December 19, 2003, at 23:35:16
In reply to Re: Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by Civ on December 19, 2003, at 21:45:51
Finding out why your levels are high would be the next step. You want to treat the cause of the high levels instead of just trying to lower them.
Posted by tealady on December 20, 2003, at 5:39:55
In reply to Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by john1022 on December 19, 2003, at 16:25:12
> Hello,
>
> I just got the results back of the saliva test I had done to check my adrenal function and cortisol levels.
>
> They came back as high in the morning, noon and night.
I'd ask for more tests to confirm..like for starters a 24hr urine test perhaps. If your cortisol is high all day..this should show something.
>
> The doctor recommended Ashwaganda at 1 tsp a day as a start. She also mentioned spreading meals out to 5 times a day (with smaller meals) instead of 3 meals a day.
the 5 or 6 small meals a day will help. It is because cortisol is involved in the control of blood sugar, and breaking meals into smaller amounts more often leads to more even blood sugar levels.>
> I was just wondering if Larry or anyone else had any information on other ways along with these that I can lower these levels.
>
> What implications can high cortisol levels have?
lots of undesirable ones...
central obesity, moon face, muscle atrophy, buffalo hump, reduced immunity (come down with infections/viruses easily)...Cushing's is a name given to too high cortisol levels produced by a no of causes.
Your levels may not be this bad..but it does need firther investigation if the levels were all high..of course it could be just lab error as well.try looking up cushing's or cushings for more info.
Cortisol is not all bad in itself .. a certain amount is needed to
help maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular function;
help slow the immune system's inflammatory response;
help balance the effects of insulin in breaking down sugar for energy; and
without cortisol even a small amount of stress will kill you..or with too low levels wipe you out.
>
> Thank you very much. Happy holidaysHappy holidays 2u2
Posted by john1022 on December 20, 2003, at 8:26:54
In reply to Re: Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by Civ on December 19, 2003, at 21:45:51
Thanks for the help. Insurance covered it luckily along with the other blood and hair tests
Posted by dannen on December 21, 2003, at 16:08:48
In reply to Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by john1022 on December 19, 2003, at 16:25:12
I am in the same boat. I take ashwagandha, two pills twice a day. I also take two pills of phosphatidylserine, which also is supposed to help with high cortisol. I used to take GH3 (Gerovital H3) for about six months, which contains procaine and is supposed to lower cortisol, but it didn't really seem to work.
BY ALL MEANS TAKE FISH OIL. IT IS NEUROPROTECTIVE.
I have worked with a psychiatrist and an
endocrinologist. Neither seems to know what to do.The endocrinologist says that the cortisol-lowering drugs are dangerous (ketoconazole, metyrapone, etc.). He suggested DHEA. I took 7-keto DHEA for several months. It seemed to make my skin oily. No clear benefit. I may try it again. High cortisol seems to fall between the cracks of endocrinology and psychiatry.
My psychiatrist is willing to try different things. Bright, caring man. I may try to get a trial of mefipristone in the new year. My cortisol has been high for over a year. But there is diurnal variation. It does not appear to be Cushing's.
If you find anything that works, let me know. High cortisol for me means terrible morning anxiety.
If anyone else has anything that helps, please let me know.
Good luck. Dannen
Posted by SLS on December 21, 2003, at 16:18:13
In reply to Re: Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by dannen on December 21, 2003, at 16:08:48
> My psychiatrist is willing to try different things. Bright, caring man. I may try to get a trial of mefipristone in the new year.
Hi.
Good luck with the mifepristone treatment. I look forward to seeing how you respond.
- Scott
Posted by tealady on December 22, 2003, at 7:19:03
In reply to Re: Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by dannen on December 21, 2003, at 16:08:48
I took 7-keto DHEA for several months. It seemed to make my skin oily. No clear benefit. I may try it again.
I just read this and my skin has gone very dry in the last couple of months, so I tried it today and thought I felt more energy tonight,.. I could jog/walk with a lot less effort ....actually I can't get to sleep and its after midnight.
Hope it makes my skin more oily too.How much were you on? Did it keep you awake at all..or give you more energy?
Jan
Posted by Larry Hoover on December 30, 2003, at 11:08:51
In reply to Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps?, posted by john1022 on December 19, 2003, at 16:25:12
> Hello,
>
> I just got the results back of the saliva test I had done to check my adrenal function and cortisol levels.
>
> They came back as high in the morning, noon and night.
>
> The doctor recommended Ashwaganda at 1 tsp a day as a start. She also mentioned spreading meals out to 5 times a day (with smaller meals) instead of 3 meals a day.
>
> I was just wondering if Larry or anyone else had any information on other ways along with these that I can lower these levels.
>
> What implications can high cortisol levels have?
>
> Thank you very much. Happy holidaysTwo herbs are especially helpful, St. John's wort and ginkgo biloba. Aswaghanda is another option, but I had a paradoxical reaction to it, so maybe I'm biased.
High cortisol is a contributor to what you might think of as stress burn out. Your body can't maintain its stress reaction indefinitely. You will sag into collapse, and the symptoms may be later identified as chronic fatigue, or atypical depression, or perhaps others, depending on what symptoms of adrenal collapse are more predominant in your case.
If you can get your evening cortisol down, you will gradually start to feel better.
Lar
Posted by sb417 on December 31, 2003, at 4:39:39
In reply to Re: Ardrenal/Cortisol Levels high, what helps? » john1022, posted by Larry Hoover on December 30, 2003, at 11:08:51
Larry, didn't you say that phosphatidyl serine might also lower cortisol levels?
sb
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