How To Safely Increase Cortisol

[dookie]

@haidut , et al.

We all agree that cortisol in excess is bad. But even Peat admits it can have some anti-inflammatory benefits. Anyway, if one needs to temporarily bring it up for some reason, what is the "safest" way to do it? For instance, would a low carb diet be best, would a hydrocortisone or Prednisolone supplement be OK for short-term use? What about fasting on just water, or water and sugar?
If using a cortisol drug, what are the "safe doses"?

Any experiences with cortisol is greatly appreciated!

 

[Mufasa]

cortisol is only useful short term, like if you have a shot wound, and you have to run for your life, you better have high cortisol and adrenalin and dont feel the pain you are in

we are rarely in such situations and otherwise any inflammation you got, are better treated with other anti inflammatory stuff

 

[Evgenius]

Better support your adrenals with Adrenal Cortex supplement first before trying Hydrocortisone. Another option is Licorice root herb.

 

[Rafe]

You're going to feel so bad getting off hydrocortisone. In my experience, (2.5 - 5mg daily for a yr, that's such a small amount) not worth it. Cortisol side-effects should not be underestimated, imo.

If I had found & read Peat's papers earlier than I did, I would have realized the problems were with the demands of my environment, not my biology primarily.

If you need anti-inflammatory strategies, then why not sugar, aspirin, pregnenolone or progesterone, adequate high-quality protein & mineral repletion?

If your cortisol is already low, then I don't understand how the Peat strategies could make you feel worse, like happens when cortisol is chronically high, but inflammation is temporarily low. I guess the risks would depend on your whole story.

 

[RKIII]

I have what I would call panic attacks where basically I feel adrenaline kicking in so hard and fast that my heart races, my temp goes up, and I begin sweating. I had assumed that my body is deficient in cortisol and when it goes to draw from the well in times of stress - it is empty and my adrenaline takes over to compensate.

I tried topical and oral pregnenalone in various dosages and found that it gave me more energy - but it did not really help with these attacks and additionally gave me some estrogenic symptoms in the form of water retention on my chest.

I am at the point where I am going to get actual bloodwork before continuing to blindly supplement sex hormones. It might be a good idea OP to do that as well.

 

[paymanz]

Have you tested your cotisol levels?! Are you sure its low?!

Rafe mentioned progesterone as a anti inflammatory hormone, I want add that a low cortisol may be caused by low progesterone levels as well,because its a precursor for cortisol.

Also ray mentioned somewhere hypothyroid persons can have a low cortisol ,so thyroid is important too.

And thyroid hormone itself has anti inflammatory action.

A high TSH is linked to higher inflammatory markers.

 

[moriwatzi]

If your cortisol is already low, then I don't understand how the Peat strategies could make you feel worse

by lowering it even more with things like Niacinamide, P5P or cascara.

Up to 5mg of hydrocortisone via cream is probably safe and in cases of deficiency clearly beneficial https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article-pdf/19/9/1069/10530941/jcem1069.pdf

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