Help Me Understand My Cortisol And DHEA-S Test Levels

brocktoon

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Messages
175
I recently had a saliva test for cortisol and DHEA-S. My early AM cortisol level was 9.0 (normal range listed as 3.7 - 9.5 ng/mL). My DHEA-S level was 9.7 (2 - 23 ng/mL). So, this seems like high-normal AM cortisol and lowish DHEA-S, correct? I feel so absolutely exhausted in the morning (with horrible headaches) that I thought my cortisol and DHEA-S levels would be out of the normal ranges. I realize that the "normal" ranges are not that helpful in real terms. What do you all think -- is my cortisol too high and my DHEA-S too low in practical terms? Are these results consistent with how I feel each and every morning:(? Appreciate any input -- thanks RPF.
 

Wagner83

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
3,295
At what time do you wake up every day of the week? When do you go to sleep? When and what is your breakfast? your dinner? How is your sleep? Do you have something to look forward to during the day?
 
Last edited:
OP
brocktoon

brocktoon

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Messages
175
At what time do you wake up every day of the week? When do you go to sleep? When and what is your breakfast? your dinner? How is your sleep? Do you have something to look forward to during the day?
I wake at 8 or 8:30 most days. I'm asleep by 12:30 most nights (more of a nocturnal creature than not). My sleep is fractured with routine early morning wake-ups at about 5:00. I'm under a LOT of stress continually and have been for some time. My sleep is as stressed as my waking life, so I thought I'd have high cortisol levels upon testing. If the cortisol level I quoted isn't overly high in real terms, that puzzles me. Was thinking that my DHEA-s level (low?) may be reflective of how poorly I feel each morning.

After I came to this forum a few months ago, I did start tracking my morning temps -- they are always low (96 to 96.5). My testosterone is low for a 50 yr old (250 to 300), so that's likely a key to my misery along with probably being hypothyroid. I've tried a lot of supplements and sugar/salt in recent months to counter things like cortisol and adrenaline at night, but I'm just flailing around not achieving substantive progress. The other thing I'll note is that I was diagnosed with an inflamed, fat-laden liver several years ago, and I think the problems this creates have hampered my ability to move toward metabolic health (high cholesterol and triglycerides, inconsistent blood sugar, low glycogen stores). I think my experiment with TyroMax a few months ago and other steps I've tried to take have been unsuccessful largely due to my compromised liver, but I don't know anything for sure.
 
Last edited:

Wagner83

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
3,295
My 2c:
There's information out there that dhea/dhea-s is inversely correlated with cortisol. So given you are under continuous stress the best thing to do is to address those stress factors, work on a diet that provides good energy and good digestion. Of course liver health is very important as well so look into that. In my experience keeping more saturated fats for dinner helps. Going to bed and waking up 1.5-2hours earlier than you do helps too (big breakfast early). Gelatin with each meal may help. Walking, hopefully in the sunlight and nature, helps. Positive social interactions help. What is your diet like?
 
OP
brocktoon

brocktoon

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Messages
175
My 2c:
There's information out there that dhea/dhea-s is inversely correlated with cortisol. So given you are under continuous stress the best thing to do is to address those stress factors, work on a diet that provides good energy and good digestion. Of course liver health is very important as well so look into that. In my experience keeping more saturated fats for dinner helps. Going to bed and waking up 1.5-2hours earlier than you do helps too (big breakfast early). Gelatin with each meal may help. Walking, hopefully in the sunlight and nature, helps. Positive social interactions help. What is your diet like?
@Wagner83 Thanks for the input. I'm really struggling and have been for a long while, but I like your idea of trying to shift my sleep schedule, walk way more often, up protein with gelatin...I'm pretty new here, so I'm working on gradually implementing certain recommended dietary changes, though due to my compromised liver I'm starting to think that a lot of them won't work well for me yet...

I typically awake at 5AM w/a craving for sugar/carbs, so I stumble to the kitchen to get a bowl of cereal, then promptly fall back asleep til 8 or so, at which point I feel even worse than when I woke up at 5:00 -- terrible morning headaches...I'm just starting to adapt my long-standing eat-what-you-like diet. I eat 2-3 eggs w/cheese for breakfast on weekends w/a slice of sprouted grain bread. I use grass-fed organic butter wherever I can (like on grilled cheese sandwiches a couple times a week at dinner). Drink a glass of OJ per day on average (and sometimes salted OJ during the night). Coffee in the AM Mon.-Fri...For lunch during the week, typically get by w/a Lean Cuisine entree, piece of fruit and/or some cheese n crackers and olives. I still eat frozen pizza twice a week for dinner. Hamburgers or steak once a week for dinner. Ice cream at night multiple times a week. Spaghetti at least 1x per week. Naked caesin protein shakes about 3 nights a week. I've got a long way to go as far as modifying my single man's diet, I know...I've developed a fairly large supplement regimen -- taurine, niacinimide, B6-p5p, E complex, pantethine, selenium, folate, D3, A, C, magnesium...Exercise: minimal over past few months...Other: low testosterone, suspected low thyroid, NASH, high trigs/cholesterol. Would like to get a couple ideas for fairly simple diet changes as I try to break current eating habits.
 

Wagner83

Member
Joined
Oct 15, 2016
Messages
3,295
Did you consider the possibility that the cereals give you the headache? Some here don't eat starch and thibk it should be 0, if you do eat it I'd focus on wacky potatoes, white rice (jasmine perhaps) and nixtamalized corn. Then it's about finding what works and what doesn't, dark leafy greens broth with ginger (organic to avoid nitrates overload) can be nice (I discard the solids, you may not need to) . I like cooking rice in the broth until water is absorbed, I then add lemon juice and honey to it (the ginger broth should be strong). I do better with yolks than whole eggs (a few others do). If you have real liver issues that sounds worth looking into.
 
Last edited:
OP
brocktoon

brocktoon

Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2017
Messages
175
Did you consider the possibility that the cereals give you the headache?
No. The 8am headaches come regardless of whether I've eaten cereal, taken a drink of OJ or done nothing when sleep is disrupted at say 5am. I've assumed that my chronic early AM headaches and accompanying exhaustion stem from my low T and/or being hypothyroid. I've also thought that I was suffering from low AM cortisol/adrenal function, but the saliva test I ran didn't suggest this.
 

managing

Member
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
2,262
transdermal cacao butter (stearic acid) before bed will lower cortisol and improve sleep. considerably.
 

Similar threads

Back
Top Bottom