Low Cortisol / Poor Adrenal Function

[youngsinatra]

Ray had mentioned that T3 and cortisol work together and have to be in balance. Ray just never really elaborated on that. Others have written that T3 needs to "buddy up" with cortisol. T3 uses up cortisol. In my view, the adrenals are a much larger organ that the thyroid, and we have two, So they are more important if you had to choose. In stress, we use up alot of adrenal hormones. So I think it's prudent to at least keep them replenished. B5 and Vit C, plus the use of licorice here and there. Some even up super low dose cortisone when taken T3.

Exactly. The adrenals secrete dozens (I‘ve heard like up to 50) of hormones, unlike the thyroid, which secretes only a handful of hormones. Many of the protective steroids (pregnenolone/progesterone/DHEA) are also produced in the adrenals.

I will stick to the B5 and eating 3-4 kiwis daily, temporarily cut out caffeine, herbal teas instead, sleep more, make more time for relaxation.

If I look back I had very stressful years prior to now. I think I stressed my body with boosting metabolism in a similar way that carnivore/IF stressed my body.

Chronic stress is basically withdrawing more money from your bank (body) than you actually have, leaving a greater and greater debt.

I think too much metabolic boosters (esp. quite substantial use of caffeine) could have stressed my body beyond it‘s capacities. I will begin thinking more about living my life in accordance to my energetic bank account and slowly pay back my debt.

 

[youngsinatra]

How are your glycogen stores? Can you go multiple hours without eating and still feeling good?

Depends. With caffeine/aspirin I get hungry quite quickly afterwards. Without I can handle 6-7h.

 

[youngsinatra]

On some days my temperature is still wonky on thyroid.

Yesterday it was just 36.2-36.4 C throughout the day. (8-10min underarm measurement) Took 200mg of magnesium malate because I had a tight neck and tense jaw muscle. My muscle issues resolved and felt relaxed, temperature rose to 36.6 C but my energy level really went down down and I felt dizzy and off. A classic problem of mine with magnesium. And a problem I generally have with cortisol-lowering supplements.

I remembered this thread and took 500mg of B5, experimentally. Temperature rose to 37.1-37.2 C for the rest of the day.

Something is up with the adrenals and cortisol.. And I still haven’t figured it out completely. Just thought I would share.

B5 which is necessary to produce acetyl-CoA, seems to be required for adrenal pregnenolone synthesis - and the downstream hormones progesterone, DHEA. aldosterone, cortisol.

 

[youngsinatra]

View: https://youtu.be/1vH5M2x48Dg


Really good points in this one start at 5:50 min.

 

[youngsinatra]

After only a few days of taking B5, it made me irritable, nervous and got cold hands and feet. Basically feeling stressed out. Also dropped my body temperature on significantly the on going days.

So cortisol raising is also no bueno..

 

[FitnessMike]

any particular reason you are supplementing biotin?

have you noticed anything specific from it? i will be starting supplementing from tomorrow hoping it will help with satiety.

 

[youngsinatra]

any particular reason you are supplementing biotin?

have you noticed anything specific from it? i will be starting supplementing from tomorrow hoping it will help with satiety.

Nothing significant. I supplement because I don’t eat eggs or liver. And I have long-standing digestive problems, so I doubt my crippled microbiome is producing biotin.

 

[questforhealth]

@youngsinatra

Are you still using B5 or have you stopped? I am considering trying it. Anything that boosts metabolism works for a while until I get dizzy and my gallbladder backs up and weird stuff like that.

If I tried it and it 'burnt out' on me could I just stop taking it for a while and try eat more fish/organs etc?

 

[Bozidar]

After only a few days of taking B5, it made me irritable, nervous and got cold hands and feet. Basically feeling stressed out. Also dropped my body temperature on significantly the on going days.

So cortisol raising is also no bueno..

These effects are not because of cortisol, but adrenaline.

@youngsinatra

Are you still using B5 or have you stopped? I am considering trying it. Anything that boosts metabolism works for a while until I get dizzy and my gallbladder backs up and weird stuff like that.

If I tried it and it 'burnt out' on me could I just stop taking it for a while and try eat more fish/organs etc?

What I notice, if you already are in a "burned out state", supplementing something what is going to "boost metabolism" is just going to trigger "fight or flight" or in other words adrenaline. If your pedal already is up to the max then pushing it more is not gonna do any good.

Some months ago I tried B5 and it gave me those adrenaline rushes.
Then about one month ago, from now, I started supplementing high dose Vitamin C and that was like: Oh! That ***t works!
It made me feel so calm, some flashbacks from childhood came, the general feeling of youth I was getting. It was the first time I could say that I am healing. Supplementing thyroid for multiple months had some kind of positive effect, but nothing along the lines of high dose Vitamin C.

One week ago I started B5 again and it didn't give me any adrenaline rushes, just some kind of lightness and energy.
Now I take 1g of B5, no adrenaline whatsoever.

Licorice root I have tried also and that thing makes me so focused and masculine, unbelievable.
I don't take it regularly because I want to build more of a base with vitamin C and B5, but my conclusion is, cortisol is the key.
All that talk how cortisol makes you age faster and is gonna kill you is to general and misleading.
Of course if you have to high cortisol all the time its not a good thing, but I didn't know that I actually have low cortisol. I was constantly trying to take things like phosphatidylserine and some haidut's supplements to lower cortisol and while those had some kind of interesting effect they were actually making me worse.
It needs to be distinguished between being in the "pre burnout stage" and "post burnout" stage. Two very different things, but people jump on a bandwagon of something cause they are unknowledgeable and people who ride the wagon are not dealing with anyone's specific issue.
Usually, when people are in a "pre burnout" state they are still not seeking help. Only after when they are done...That is why this important what I am writing for a lot of people.

I am also experimenting with D-ribose, it works pretty good, but I am yet to learn what is the exact biochemical mechanism by which it increases ATP.
Also to note something about Licorice root. It is akin to supplementing hydrocortisone. You end up having more cortisol without your adrenals having to produce it. It works by inhibiting the enzyme which breaks down cortisol so you end up having more of it.
I would say it is a good way of relieving your adrenals of duty and letting them have a rest.
Foolishly I thought before that it is going to stress my adrenals even more and cortisol is bad, bad, bad, so I didn't take, but I had it for a long time in my cupboard...

By that logic where I wanted to relieve my adrenals of duty and let them rest I was thinking how can I relieve some other organs which might be overburdened?
For thyroid you could supplement thyroid of course, but I somehow think that thyroid doesn't need any help directly and you don't need to meddle with it because the problem actually lies in your adrenals and then when adrenals don't work, thyroid is gonna get downgraded.
You understand your adrenals are the most lowest organ, they are the base. Just like in a house. The foundation. Your thyroid is the most top organ. If you have a good base, everything else is gonna function properly.

Yes, I know, liver is the center of everything, it controls everything and you can support it, but if liver is pushing the button of "adrenals" to come online and they are unable, then supporting liver and thinking its the holy grail is not going to do much.
Anyways, I started popping a pill of NAC, here and there, which contains also selenium and molybdenum in order to relieve my liver of work since 70-80% of liver function is detoxification, more precisely producing glutathione. That feels quite good.

So, as I am writing this I feel very good, my thinking is clear, I just had a huge bowel movement and I am intrigued where can this take me. It looks and feels promising unlike any other supplements I have tried.
I think Niacin would also be very useful, but maybe its not the time for it. It gives me pains in my joints after some time.

Edit:
This video is gold. Anyone with low cortisol is gonna relate.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DidYMPqE0Jw


Hope this makes sense

 

[Deadpool]

These effects are not because of cortisol, but adrenaline.


What I notice, if you already are in a "burned out state", supplementing something what is going to "boost metabolism" is just going to trigger "fight or flight" or in other words adrenaline. If your pedal already is up to the max then pushing it more is not gonna do any good.

Some months ago I tried B5 and it gave me those adrenaline rushes.
Then about one month ago, from now, I started supplementing high dose Vitamin C and that was like: Oh! That ***t works!
It made me feel so calm, some flashbacks from childhood came, the general feeling of youth I was getting. It was the first time I could say that I am healing. Supplementing thyroid for multiple months had some kind of positive effect, but nothing along the lines of high dose Vitamin C.

One week ago I started B5 again and it didn't give me any adrenaline rushes, just some kind of lightness and energy.
Now I take 1g of B5, no adrenaline whatsoever.

Licorice root I have tried also and that thing makes me so focused and masculine, unbelievable.
I don't take it regularly because I want to build more of a base with vitamin C and B5, but my conclusion is, cortisol is the key.
All that talk how cortisol makes you age faster and is gonna kill you is to general and misleading.
Of course if you have to high cortisol all the time its not a good thing, but I didn't know that I actually have low cortisol. I was constantly trying to take things like phosphatidylserine and some haidut's supplements to lower cortisol and while those had some kind of interesting effect they were actually making me worse.
It needs to be distinguished between being in the "pre burnout stage" and "post burnout" stage. Two very different things, but people jump on a bandwagon of something cause they are unknowledgeable and people who ride the wagon are not dealing with anyone's specific issue.
Usually, when people are in a "pre burnout" state they are still not seeking help. Only after when they are done...That is why this important what I am writing for a lot of people.

I am also experimenting with D-ribose, it works pretty good, but I am yet to learn what is the exact biochemical mechanism by which it increases ATP.
Also to note something about Licorice root. It is akin to supplementing hydrocortisone. You end up having more cortisol without your adrenals having to produce it. It works by inhibiting the enzyme which breaks down cortisol so you end up having more of it.
I would say it is a good way of relieving your adrenals of duty and letting them have a rest.
Foolishly I thought before that it is going to stress my adrenals even more and cortisol is bad, bad, bad, so I didn't take, but I had it for a long time in my cupboard...

By that logic where I wanted to relieve my adrenals of duty and let them rest I was thinking how can I relieve some other organs which might be overburdened?
For thyroid you could supplement thyroid of course, but I somehow think that thyroid doesn't need any help directly and you don't need to meddle with it because the problem actually lies in your adrenals and then when adrenals don't work, thyroid is gonna get downgraded.
You understand your adrenals are the most lowest organ, they are the base. Just like in a house. The foundation. Your thyroid is the most top organ. If you have a good base, everything else is gonna function properly.

Yes, I know, liver is the center of everything, it controls everything and you can support it, but if liver is pushing the button of "adrenals" to come online and they are unable, then supporting liver and thinking its the holy grail is not going to do much.
Anyways, I started popping a pill of NAC, here and there, which contains also selenium and molybdenum in order to relieve my liver of work since 70-80% of liver function is detoxification, more precisely producing glutathione. That feels quite good.

So, as I am writing this I feel very good, my thinking is clear, I just had a huge bowel movement and I am intrigued where can this take me. It looks and feels promising unlike any other supplements I have tried.
I think Niacin would also be very useful, but maybe its not the time for it. It gives me pains in my joints after some time.

Edit:
This video is gold. Anyone with low cortisol is gonna relate.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DidYMPqE0Jw


Hope this makes sense

How did you get your adrenals and metabolism to tolerate b5?

I kinda disagree with the negative effects being due to adrenaline.

Recently I tried 500mg b5 and I took it without much thought for about 2 weeks straight daily. I started having insanely high cortisol symptoms without noticing. I am naturally very skinny but all of a sudden, just within two weeks, I developed a skinny fat cortisol belly. My stomach was bulging over my pants. I never had that otherwise. And it didnt feel like fat, it was just a very cold cortisol belly if that makes sense. I also started sweating under my arms very heavily and it would stink really bad. People would comment on it. I had to shower and really scrub it off only to stink again 20 minutes later. I was also just feeling very stressed.

After noticing that, I discontinued the b5 and went heavy on cortisol antagonists and was better within 4 or 5 DAYS.

For me, that is very different from high adrenaline which I am also accustomed to. With high adrenaline which is actually like me default state, I dont feel stressed, I feel anxious and panicky and very much in that fight or flight. With high cortisol I just felt more agitated if that makes sense. It made getting up in the morning easier though which I usually struggle with a lot.

 

[Bozidar]

How did you get your adrenals and metabolism to tolerate b5?

It is written in above message. High dose Vitamin C.

. I started having insanely high cortisol symptoms without noticing. I am naturally very skinny but all of a sudden, just within two weeks, I developed a skinny fat cortisol belly. My stomach was bulging over my pants. I never had that otherwise. And it didnt feel like fat, it was just a very cold cortisol belly if that makes sense.

I don't know. That just starts to feel so funny when people talk like that. Please don't get offended.
How do you make these associations between cortisol and all these symptoms?
Cold cortisol belly? Haha
Which anti cortisol thing did you take to get rid of that?

I also started sweating under my arms very heavily and it would stink really bad

Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean here. I know that stench.
I am not sure if that stench could be attributed to either cortisol or adrenaline.
I would say this stench is a pheromone which body release as a defense mechanism against an attacker. To deter them from coming close.
Maybe to google it up, which hormones trigger it.
I would say this is adrenaline, not cortisol, but who knows...

 

[Deadpool]

It is written in above message. High dose Vitamin C.

I don't know. That just starts to feel so funny when people talk like that. Please don't get offended.
How do you make these associations between cortisol and all these symptoms?
Cold cortisol belly? Haha
Which anti cortisol thing did you take to get rid of that?

Oh yes, I know exactly what you mean here. I know that stench.
I am not sure if that stench could be attributed to either cortisol or adrenaline.
I would say this stench is a pheromone which body release as a defense mechanism against an attacker. To deter them from coming close.
Maybe to google it up, which hormones trigger it.
I would say this is adrenaline, not cortisol, but who knows...

Yeah it sounds funny bro and its hard for me to describe everything especially since I am not a native speaker.

But I am very in tune with my body and I notice these changes. And for this one specifically, I just got skinny fat through b5 and its been cortisol. I know how adrenaline feels like. This was different. And after discontinuing b5 it went away. Cortisol belly seems different than just gaining weight slowly which I*ve experienced in the past.

On top of that I took high dose b6 and zinc and within days it reversed.

My girlfriend even commented on it. When I pointed out how I got fat within 2 weeks, she was like, yeah sorry I didnt want to say anything but you are probably just stressed, dont worry about it, you'll figure it out etc etc. Then a couple days later when she saw me after I discontinued b5 and went ham antagonizing cortisol. She couldnt understand it. She said wow do you look so lean again, its only been a couple of days its so unfair etc.

Cortisol really seems like the enemy of being lean for me. However, I dont want to say its all bad. I myself have suspected adrenal problems, but just raising cortisol doesnt do it for me. As I said, it made it easier to wake up in the morning. But I think for me its more like my cortisol pattern is reversed and it is super low in the morning, sky high at night.