Grapefruit Juice And Increased Cortisol

[Antonello]

Sorry to change the topic, but I've been using Rehmannia Glutinosa lately with very good success (libido, energy, mood). Do we know if it increases, decreases or modulates cortisol? It is one of the premier TCM herbs for restoring Kidney Yin Jing deficiency and associated Adrenal Fatigue syndrome.

Good point @Lokzo kidney Yin to me is related to cortisol so it should definitely help, Rehmannia is somenthing I’m planning to try soon as I’ve focus all my life on increase Yang because of low libido low energy but overtime Yang can deplete Yin and without Yin no Yang can be made

 

[Lokzo]

Good point @Lokzo kidney Yin to me is related to cortisol so it should definitely help, Rehmannia is somenthing I’m planning to try soon as I’ve focus all my life on increase Yang because of low libido low energy but overtime Yang can deplete Yin and without Yin no Yang can be made

Very good points. It seems we may benefit mutually from Rehmannia. I actually just created a thread on this, so check it out, in the cortisol forums.

 

[ddjd]

@wintagal how much do we have to drink for feel the benefit on cortisol?
Btw licorice root worked great for me but the effect subsided after 2 weeks and it started to became estrogenic. But in that 2 week I was feeling Amazing! I wanna come back there but I need to rest from licorice at least other 2 weeks and in the meantime I wanna use grapefruit juice so I have always some thing on hand for my low cortisol condition. I just need some instructions on how to use it

surely this is more proof that your problem is low free cortisol.

You can use the red grapefruit, just find how much you need. There are big variations from one person to another in how the grapefruit works.
I have low cortisol due to a head injury. I am also trying to make thyroid hormone work better for me. Yes, cortisol is important.

wintagal, I have a similar issue with low free cortisol, out of interest, how are you getting on with thyroid hormone?? I can't tolerate t3 alone because it depletes cortisol so much. ive found adding t4 is a great help as it increases bioavailable cortisol through the 11b-hsd1 enzyme, which in turn allows the t3 to do a much better job. I also find grapefruit to be very helpful but still in my first few days of trying it. I hope it doesn't wear off!

 

[Andy316]

How is the experiment with grapefruit juice, are you guys still seeing benefits from it long term? I have low cortisol issues will give this a try if its a longterm solution

 

[ddjd]

I started experimenting with grapefruit juice to slow down my metabolism of cortisol and thereby increase the amount available to my cells. Day one seems to have produced fantastic results. I cut my dose of cortef (hydrocortisone) from 35 to 20 and at the same time felt much better - I was able to go 6 hours between doses instead of crashing 3 hours after a dose, with no afternoon nap, yet feeling well all day. I'm very encouraged. I monitor my blood sugar to see if the cortisol is available. It was 114 2 hours post dinner instead of 90 or so (previous b.g. numbers), so that confirms the cortisol availablity.
Note: I take replacement cortisol because I don't produce enough (pituitary injury). For a normal person, this might push them into a high cortisol state, which, as we know, is very dangerous to health long-term. Also, my other pituitary hormones are also compromised, so if grapefruit juice raises them it would be a good thing.
Anyone else experimenting with grapefruit juice?

This study confirms your suspicions but would seem to suggest grapefruit works by stopping conversion of active cortisol to inactive cortisone.....

So basically it's just keeping whatever cortisol you have in your body active for longer

Grapefruit juice and its flavonoids inhibit 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase - PubMed

Dietary flavonoids can inhibit this enzyme and, at high doses, may cause an apparent mineralocorticoid effect.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov