Is 620nmol/l morning cortisol consider to high?

edoos

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Hi guys,

I struggle with some chronic stress and insomnia. My cortisol is in the high of the range but my doc say it's normal in the morning. I did a saliva test around 4pm and the result where an undetectable trace of cortisol in saliva around 4pm. I wanted to know if my morning high cortisol could be the culprit of my current stress and anxiety issues. What is considered normal morning cortisol? (I saw that my mum had the same level as me) (@Hans @haidut)

Thanks for your help.
 

Hans

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Very high cortisol is undesirable for sure. A few reasons it can be high in the morning is due to chronic undereating, low carb intake, fasting, stress, disrupted restless sleep quality and nutritional deficiencies.
A few things that can help a lot to improve sleep quality is carbs, salt, protein and (high dose) progesterone. Cyproheptadine can also be very helpful since both high histamine and serotonin can disrupt sleep quality.
 
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edoos

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Very high cortisol is undesirable for sure. A few reasons it can be high in the morning is due to chronic undereating, low carb intake, fasting, stress, disrupted restless sleep quality and nutritional deficiencies.
A few things that can help a lot to improve sleep quality is carbs, salt, protein and (high dose) progesterone. Cyproheptadine can also be very helpful since both high histamine and serotonin can disrupt sleep quality.
Thanks for your reply, what would be an ideal reading I should get in the morning?
I read that rodhiola, Phosphatidylserine could help, do you think sodium butyrate is a good add? I have really bad sleep quality since long time and always waking up around 5am. Is my level consider very high?
 

Cloudhands

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Very high cortisol is undesirable for sure. A few reasons it can be high in the morning is due to chronic undereating, low carb intake, fasting, stress, disrupted restless sleep quality and nutritional deficiencies.
A few things that can help a lot to improve sleep quality is carbs, salt, protein and (high dose) progesterone. Cyproheptadine can also be very helpful since both high histamine and serotonin can disrupt sleep quality.
How high is high dose for sleep?
 

golder

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@thingsvarious is amazing on these issues. I was actually meaning to ask him so you've prompted me - would you be able to give us a list of ranges (disclaimer: for your body) of the hormones/thyroid etc that you have found most optimal for your own functioning. That would be so extremely useful, so thank you in advance :)
 

Hans

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How high is high dose for sleep?
There is a study in men where they used up to 300mg each night, but it wasn't in vitamin E, so I think if it's in vitamin E, then the dose can be much lower. I'm currently trying out 3-4mg sublingually before bed and so far it's good. No grogginess at all, and more peaceful sleep in general. I might bump it up to 9-10mg and see how I feel on that dose.
 

Hans

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Thanks for your reply, what would be an ideal reading I should get in the morning?
I read that rodhiola, Phosphatidylserine could help, do you think sodium butyrate is a good add? I have really bad sleep quality since long time and always waking up around 5am. Is my level consider very high?
Below the upper range preferably, but ideally around the upper 3/4 range at 30 min after waking, then in mid-range at 12pm.
I don't think sodium butyrate is necessary, try the other two out first.
 

5a-DHP

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Exercise later than mid-afternoon the day prior and/or caloric restriction will have my serum AM cortisol sitting at 800 nmol/l+, whereas it'll fall around 500 nmol/l when diet, exercise, and stress levels are in check; the range is generally in the region 150 - 550 nmol/l.
A transiently elevated level of cortisol within physiological limits isn't inherently harmful or cause for concern if the antagonistic hormones (testosterone and DHEA) are in abundance - it shows that your stress systems are responding appropriately.
Chronically elevated cortisol in the absence of clear causation + deficient androgens and hypothyroid symptoms is cause for concern; an isolated 600 nmol/l reading is not.
It's all about context.
 

5a-DHP

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@thingsvarious is amazing on these issues. I was actually meaning to ask him so you've prompted me - would you be able to give us a list of ranges (disclaimer: for your body) of the hormones/thyroid etc that you have found most optimal for your own functioning. That would be so extremely useful, so thank you in advance :)

-
 
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edoos

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Exercise later than mid-afternoon the day prior and/or caloric restriction will have my serum AM cortisol sitting at 800 nmol/l+, whereas it'll fall around 500 nmol/l when diet, exercise, and stress levels are in check; the range is generally in the region 150 - 550 nmol/l.
A transiently elevated level of cortisol within physiological limits isn't inherently harmful or cause for concern if the antagonistic hormones (testosterone and DHEA) are in abundance - it shows that your stress systems are responding appropriately.
Chronically elevated cortisol in the absence of clear causation + deficient androgens and hypothyroid symptoms is cause for concern; an isolated 600 nmol/l reading is not.
It's all about context.
Hi @5a-DHP thanks for your answer.

Here are my other blood test markers:

SDHEA: 11,61umol/L
CORTISOL/SDHEA:16,6ug/umol
FREE T: 78pmol/L
SHBG: 2,7mg/L
TOTAL T:5,36ng/L
DHT:0,32ng/ml

Thanks for your help
 

Hans

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Hi @5a-DHP thanks for your answer.

Here are my other blood test markers:

SDHEA: 11,61umol/L
CORTISOL/SDHEA:16,6ug/umol
FREE T: 78pmol/L
SHBG: 2,7mg/L
TOTAL T:5,36ng/L
DHT:0,32ng/ml

Thanks for your help
If you're stressed and have insomnia, then over the range cortisol and DHEA-S does show chronic stress. Even if prog, test or DHT was fine (your stress hormones are much higher than the protective hormones), but you still had chronic insomnia, then I'd say it's still important to focus on lower your stress and cortisol levels.
 
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edoos

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If you're stressed and have insomnia, then over the range cortisol and DHEA-S does show chronic stress. Even if prog, test or DHT was fine (your stress hormones are much higher than the protective hormones), but you still had chronic insomnia, then I'd say it's still important to focus on lower your stress and cortisol levels.
@Hans Thanks for your answer.

According to the range I'm on the upper limit for both SDHEA and Cortisol, and yes I feel stressed and have insomnia. I'm currently trying rhodiola and Ginseng only when I wake up and see how it goes.
 

thingsvarious

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@thingsvarious is amazing on these issues. I was actually meaning to ask him so you've prompted me - would you be able to give us a list of ranges (disclaimer: for your body) of the hormones/thyroid etc that you have found most optimal for your own functioning. That would be so extremely useful, so thank you in advance :)
I know this is not what you guys want to hear, but blood levels are very misleading. For example, if I change my cortisol or IGF1, the same blood concentration of fT3 is much more powerful. Unfortunately, it does not work like "this range is optimal".
 

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