Hyperadrenalism, how do I fix it and optimize my hormones?

[dervmai]

I knew I either had adrenal fatigue from such a prolonged exposure to stress, or because of my young age, I did not have adrenal fatigue YET, but instead I had hyperadrenalism. The latter seems to be the case based on my very limited amount of lab tests.

Basically, my DHEA-S came out elevated. The other test results I have are my estrogen and my prolactin. Both of those were normal but my DHEA-S was not.

I'm trying to figure it all out, how my hyperadrenalism, hypothyroidism and pituitary gland (which I suspect is overactive as well) all work together.

Basically I am very stress prone and anxiety prone. It just seems like it is how I am wired. I have been like this for a very very very long time, for as long as I can remember. I am still hypothyroid, but I'm slowly working on fixing this. However I understand that I also need to support my adrenals.

How do I go about healing my adrenals? Will I ever be able to lower my DHEA-S, cortisol levels and my PTH activity? Very stressed and anxious about this, I doubt I will get any sleep tonight.

 

[Deadpool]

I have the same problem. Very high DHEA over the range. Used to have high prolactin as well but after a period of high dose p5p (which I don’t necessarily recommend) I slashed the prolactin at least down and it stays that way for now. Still I am experiencing insane high cortisol symptoms and adrenaline symptoms.

In my experience, most b vitamins and anything that revs up my metabolism makes it worse. Stimulants like coffee make it worse but it’s very hard to quit. Magnesium, salt, potassium also seem to make it worse. I’d avoid vit c as well as it’s very stimulating to the adrenals.

Only thing that helps is going off all supps, and then eating very dense, nutritious meals. Definitely not orange juice, milk type of thing. A good balance of protein, carbs, fats, something that you find tolerable and that satiates you.

Then just chilling and trying to relax as much as possible. Being mindful of your stressful thought patterns and loops that keep you in this stressed state. Also looking at lifestyle and circumstances and cutting out everything that doesn’t align with who you are and stresses you out too much. I don’t know if you exercise but for me I had to quit that and now longs walks is all I really do. You’ll have to unlearn the patterns that keep you in this stressed state while simultaneously working on diet and nutrition to support your system as best as you can.

Other than that, I can’t really help you as I am still struggling myself. There definitely is a hormonal component.

 

[youngsinatra]

Yeah, my serum cortisol is also running at the uppet quartile and my DHEA-S is on the high side.

I don’t have any high adrenaline symptoms, I am more prone to parasympathetic dominant, but I definitely have elevated cortisol signs like fat gain in the abdominal region, I get a puffy face from things that promote cortisol like vit. C and vitamin B5. Potassium also seems to increase cortisol in some studies.
„The glucocorticoid, cortisol, plays a role in normal K homeostasis and the reverse is also seen with higher K intake leading to higher cortisol secretion and biosynthesis. Results of a recent clinical trial showed elevated serum cortisol followed K supplementation.“
— Hypothetical hormonal mechanism by which potassium-rich diets benefit patients with rheumatoid arthritis - PubMed

Magnesium has been said to lower stress:
— Magnesium Status and Stress: The Vicious Circle Concept Revisited

However I find magnesium to be a very tricky mineral. I find most forms of mag supplements irritate me, not only on the gastrointestinal level, but physiologically/psychologically. Some of the froms cause me real trouble like magnesium glycinate. At the moment I seem to get away with 200mg of magnesium malate with my last meal in the evening before bed. I don’t do well with topical magnesium forms, it seems to overflow the system with too much magnesium, giving me the same symptoms as taking too much oral magnesium.

We don’t seem to need that much, but it’s important, so low dose likely causes less problems. I find my problems with magnesium escalate dramatically when I go above and beyond the RDA level.

Eating solid meals regularly throughout the day (I need 4 meals every 4-5h) to balance the blood sugar is important. Getting a good nights sleep is important. Keeping the body warm is also big for me personally, esp. now that it is getting more cold at this time of the year. (at least in my country) I typing this right now as I am chilling on my couch, with my hoodie on, long sweat pants, cozy socks, nice warm blanket, eating a hot salty solid breakfast with a hot cup of coffee.
I have read that some people respond very well to phospatidylserine for lowering cortisol. Many naturopathic practioners seem to prescribe it for that. But I think it’s likely better to work on finding out why the cortisol is elevated in the first place, rather than suppressing it with glycine, phospatidylserine, ashwaghanda etc.

You also said in another thread that you are hypothyroid. In that case getting the right amount of thyroid for you is important as the adrenals compensate for low thyroid and the clearance of cortisol is reduced in the hypothyroid state. Thyroid is also very important to me.

 

[youngsinatra]

„Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by insufficient production of thyroid hormones. Subclinical hypothyroidism can be defined as a state of high serum Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) levels with normal serum free thyroxine (T4) levels [8]. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is released in response to stress and low blood glucose concentration. It was observed by the researchers that hypothyroid patients have elevated cortisol levels [7,9] and the serum TSH level was positively correlated with serum cortisol levels in subclinical hypothyroidism [7]. It was also observed that in the case of primary hypothyroidism (elevated TSH) cortisol was elevated, but in the setting of primarily elevated cortisol, TSH level was suppressed [9].
Hypothyroidism causes elevated cortisol levels, due to decreased clearance of cortisol and negative feedback of cortisol on the hypothalamic pituitary-adrenal axis.“
— https://jcdr.net/articles/PDF/17588/59976_CE[Ra1]_F(KR)_PF1(DA_SS_OM)_PN(SS).pdf

 

[margo]

I knew I either had adrenal fatigue from such a prolonged exposure to stress, or because of my young age, I did not have adrenal fatigue YET, but instead I had hyperadrenalism. The latter seems to be the case based on my very limited amount of lab tests.

Basically, my DHEA-S came out elevated. The other test results I have are my estrogen and my prolactin. Both of those were normal but my DHEA-S was not.

I'm trying to figure it all out, how my hyperadrenalism, hypothyroidism and pituitary gland (which I suspect is overactive as well) all work together.

Basically I am very stress prone and anxiety prone. It just seems like it is how I am wired. I have been like this for a very very very long time, for as long as I can remember. I am still hypothyroid, but I'm slowly working on fixing this. However I understand that I also need to support my adrenals.

How do I go about healing my adrenals? Will I ever be able to lower my DHEA-S, cortisol levels and my PTH activity? Very stressed and anxious about this, I doubt I will get any sleep tonight.

Hi. What symptoms do you have from high adrenaline? I’m similar. Was all my life on adrenaline. Trying to heal it with progesterone now. It’s complicated with symptoms a lot

 

[cs3000]

I did not have adrenal fatigue YET, but instead I had hyperadrenalism.
I'm trying to figure it all out, how my hyperadrenalism, hypothyroidism and pituitary gland (which I suspect is overactive as well) all work together.
Basically I am very stress prone and anxiety prone. It just seems like it is how I am wired. I have been like this for a very very very long time, for as long as I can remember. I am still hypothyroid, but I'm slowly working on fixing this. However I understand that I also need to support my adrenals.

Lowering excessive adrenaline =
. #1 is fixing hypothyroid / efficient mitochondria energy production - low sodium common in hypothyroid too, i think Ray said before overall adrenaline can be 10x higher in hypothyroid people
. and joint #1 is getting more sodium (can try 2g-3g baking soda in small glass of water empty stomach at night if you have insomnia) ,
. not sure how impactful but eating enough carbs to prevent low blood sugar (adrenaline pumps to raise it) (if getting adrenaline response to carbs instead could indicate need for hitting thiamine rda (not too much at once) or having poor glucose oxidation)
. avoiding acetylcholine raising stuff in late afternoon & night is a big one i think (vegetables, fruits, eggs) (acetylcholine is probably already high with continually high adrenaline as it inhibits acetylcholinesterase in brain)
. inosine maybe. avoiding caffeine & nicotine

through the nicotinic cholinergic receptors, acetylcholine allows for skeletal muscle contraction; in the adrenal glands, the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine; and in the peripheral sympathetic ganglia, activation of the sympathetic system with the release of norepinephrine.

i was getting severe adrenaline response at night lasting all night for a week recently. noticed this before when i was eating carrots / vegetables in evening but stopped that a while ago. noticed it would get worse when i drank water / milk. stopped milk temporarily & since i added sodium bicarbonate a couple hours before bed i can sleep

 

[cs3000]

Lowering excessive adrenaline =
. #1 getting more sodium (can try 2g-3g baking soda in small glass of water empty stomach at night if you have insomnia) ,
. and joint #1 is fixing hypothyroid / efficient mitochondria energy production - low sodium common in hypothyroid too, i think Ray said before overall adrenaline can be 10x higher in hypothyroid people
. not sure how impactful but eating enough carbs to prevent low blood sugar (adrenaline pumps to raise it) (if getting adrenaline response to carbs instead could indicate need for hitting thiamine rda (not too much at once) or having poor glucose oxidation)
. avoiding acetylcholine raising stuff in late afternoon & night is a big one i think (vegetables, fruits, eggs) (acetylcholine is probably already high with continually high adrenaline as it inhibits acetylcholinesterase in brain)
. inosine maybe. avoiding caffeine & nicotine
i was getting severe adrenaline response at night lasting all night for a week recently. noticed this before when i was eating carrots / vegetables in evening but stopped that a while ago. noticed it would get worse when i drank water / milk. stopped milk temporarily & since i added sodium bicarbonate i can sleep

actually ray said 30x - 40x more adrenaline in hypothyroid
(12 minutes)

https://raypeatinterviews.s3.us-east-005.backblazeb2.com/garynull-960101-thyroid-function-npr-thyroid-interview.mp3

"i've seen many low thyroid people in a day who produce 30 or 40x more adrenaline than normal."

" I've seen hypothyroid people who had just hour after hour, their blood would be saturated with as much as 40 times the normal level of adrenaline compensating for the low thyroid function.
And so when you first take thyroid, if you have been overproducing adrenaline, you will experience a stress, speedy adrenaline reaction. People think that's the thyroid action, but actually the thyroid has a relaxing function. You have to adapt to it gradually by getting your adrenaline under control. And having a sugary and salty foods while you're adjusting to your thyroid will let you keep the adrenaline under control. then when your thyroid function is good, adrenaline is all good."

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Gradually over a period of days, it [thyroid hormone] will lower a person's adrenaline, sometimes 40 fold down to the normal or low level. at the same time its raising the cells stores of energy and having the cell get into relaxed position. if you have a cramped muscle that's because energy is depleted. hypothyroid people tend to get cramped muscles.

 

[Bioenergy_Space]

It's the hypothalamus and the pituitary which ultimately integrate signals from the whole body and translate them into increased cortisol output. The adrenal glands are under almost total control from the brain. Focusing on them because "cortisol = adrenals" is a big alt-health mistake. Only the part that secretes adrenaline can actually atrophy if too much is demanded of it.

"Adrenal fatigue" is just the exhaustion stage of Selye's Generalized Adaptation Syndrome.

The main two hormones that lead to excessive cortisol release (when there is no tissue damage or inflammation) are serotonin and estrogen. A high stress reactivity comes from low inhibitory tone (think GABA and Glycine). DHT can also help.