Rheumatoid Arthritis patients have higher serotonin and cortisol levels

[Mauritio]

In this study they looke at some blood markers in patients with RA.

As it turns out they have slighlty higher cortisol and way higher serotonin: their serotonin level was 3 times higher!

Their melatonin level was a lot lower than that of the control group, which indicates less downstream conversion of serotonin--> melatonin.

This gives even more evidenve to the idea that RA starts in the gut and is strongly connected with serotonin and endotoxin.

"Patients with RA had higher plasma cortisol (324.6 ng/ml vs. 292.9 ng/ml) and serotonin concentrations (67.9 ng/ml vs. 22.1 ng/ml) and lower plasma melatonin (116.8 pg/ml vs. 330.2 pg/ml) compared to controls."

- Association between levels of serotonin, melatonin, cortisol and the clinical condition of patients with rheumatoid arthritis - PubMed

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

In this study they looke at some blood markers in patients with RA.

As it turns out they have slighlty higher cortisol and way higher serotonin: their serotonin level was 3 times higher!

Their melatonin level was a lot lower than that of the control group, which indicates less downstream conversion of serotonin--> melatonin.

This gives even more evidenve to the idea that RA starts in the gut and is strongly connected with serotonin and endotoxin.

"Patients with RA had higher plasma cortisol (324.6 ng/ml vs. 292.9 ng/ml) and serotonin concentrations (67.9 ng/ml vs. 22.1 ng/ml) and lower plasma melatonin (116.8 pg/ml vs. 330.2 pg/ml) compared to controls."

- Association between levels of serotonin, melatonin, cortisol and the clinical condition of patients with rheumatoid arthritis - PubMed

Wouldn’t the high cortisol levels be from the stress of the pain?

 

[Mauritio]

Wouldn’t the high cortisol levels be from the stress of the pain?

I think it contributes, but I think it's more likely from the endotoxin and serotonin.
Plus not all people with RA are in chronic pain and Im sure the study included some of them, so why would their cortisol be higher?

But I think the interesting part is NOT the slightly higher cortisol, but the much higher serotonin.