Cyproheptadine Blocks Cortisol Excess Due To Hypoglycemia / Estrogen

haidut

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Another good study demonstrating that very tight relationship between serotonin, estrogen and cortisol. In light of all this evidence I am not sure how can anyone call serotonin the happiness hormone, or recommend estrogen for menopause....These things are pure poison (metabolically speaking).
Anyways, moderate doses (12mg - 16mg for 2 days) of cyproheptadine FULLY blunted the cortisol response to hypoglycemia. In other words, cyproheptadine is capable of fully blocking the stress response (of starvation at least).
Perhaps even more importantly, the study included two patients taking estrogenic birth control pills. As you can see, their baseline plasma cortisol was already much higher than normal. It was as if these women were under constant hypoglycemia, as their BASELINE cortisol was really high and close to Cushing syndrom levels. Also, in these women hypoglycemia could not raise cortisol much higher indicating they were under enouhg stress already. So, people with high estrogen are under constant state of stress due to their high baseline cortisol levels. Cyproheptadine had a strikingly beneficial effect on their cortisol as well.
Thus, one more point for Ray saying that estrogen raises cortisol and is directly implicated in insulin resistance and diabetes.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4823925

"...Cyproheptadine administration resulted in a 31% reduction in the area under the cortisol curve. If cyproheptadine acts by antagonizing serotonin, these studies suggest that serotonin may be involved in hypoglycemia-induced cortisol secretion in man."

"...Cyproheptadine administration markedly reduced the peak concentration of plasma cortisol. The mean fasting concentration after treatment was 10mcg/100ml, a value which was not significantly different from the fasting concentration in the controls. At 30, 40, 50, 60, and 90min there was a statistically significant difference from the pre-treatment test. The peak cortisol concentration of 13mcg/100ml was not statistically different from the post-treatment fasting concentration of 10mcg/100ml. From this data it is evident that the peak cortisol response to insulin hypoglycemia is completely obliterated by cyproheptadine administration."

"...There was a 31% reduction in the total area under the cortisol curves after cyproheptadine administration. This reduction was due to blockade of hypoglycemia-stimulated cortisol secretion, for the baseline steroid concentration was not altered, and it was only the superimposed cortisol peak that was changed."

"...The 2 gilrs on birth control pills were considered separately and not included in the above calculation. Their pretreatment control cortisol levels were much higher (28mcg/100ml and 41 mcg/100ml) than the rest of the volunteers and the percent increment in the cortisol concentration with hypoglycemia was not as great. In the post treatment tests their fasting concentrations fell to 11mcg/100ml and 26mcg/100ml, respectively. The percent reduction in the areas under their curves was 10% and 79% respectively."
 

jyb

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Isn't cortisol physiological (protective) in dangerous hypoglycaemia situations? Cortisol must have a purpose, sometimes. I've been thinking something similar about another thread of yours on blunting stress response to very high caffeine intake.
 
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jyb said:
post 103412 Isn't cortisol physiological (protective) in dangerous hypoglycaemia situations? Cortisol must have a purpose, sometimes. I've been thinking something similar about another thread of yours on blunting stress response to very high caffeine intake.

Two weeks ago I decided to take 0.25mg of cyproheptadine in the evening to ward off mild cold/flu like symptoms and within seconds experienced dangerously low blood sugar symptoms (i.e. sudden drastic drop in temperature, high blood pressure, sweaty palms, head rush, panic). I've had similar experiences when taking anything that lowers blood sugar and/or stress hormones like 5mg biotin, >100mg pregnenolone and >2mg DHEA.

It reminded me to support thyroid function with T3/T4 (<100mg pregnenolone works brilliantly too) when concurrently taking something like cyproheptadine to lower excess stress hormones.
 
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Blossom

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@haidut or others- I was wondering if as anyone has run across any research where Cushingoid characteristics (in the absence of exogenous corticosteroids use or actual Cushings disease) like supraclavicular swelling, moon face, central obesity and buffalo hump were able to be resolved? Are these physical changes always permanent even when cortisol is normalized?
 

NathanK

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jyb said:
post 103412 Isn't cortisol physiological (protective) in dangerous hypoglycaemia situations? Cortisol must have a purpose, sometimes. I've been thinking something similar about another thread of yours on blunting stress response to very high caffeine intake.
Cortisol is a homeostatic hormone that is the body's first line of defense toward inflammation. There is still a lot of unknowns about cortisol, but that's a fair question
 
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SQu

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This looks promising, and I already swear by cypro but at about 3 mg a day. I've been impressed by how powerfully it sedates though this does somewhat abate over time. But I'm wondering how anyone can take that much and stay awake, even allowing for some adaptation. Do they stay in bed for a few days?
I'm wondering generally at the moment about the difference between low and high doses on some ( usually) helpful things like aspirin, some of the B vits, etc. I'm wondering if a low functioning body can't tolerate much for reasons like liver but also because they threaten to raise metabolism and the low functioning body fights back for survival reasons - not judging itself and conditions as being able to survive bigger energy demands that accompany it. Thus sabotaging efforts to heal, perpetuating low energy state.
 

Makrosky

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SQu said:
This looks promising, and I already swear by cypro but at about 3 mg a day. I've been impressed by how powerfully it sedates though this does somewhat abate over time. But I'm wondering how anyone can take that much and stay awake, even allowing for some adaptation. Do they stay in bed for a few days?
I'm wondering generally at the moment about the difference between low and high doses on some ( usually) helpful things like aspirin, some of the B vits, etc. I'm wondering if a low functioning body can't tolerate much for reasons like liver but also because they threaten to raise metabolism and the low functioning body fights back for survival reasons - not judging itself and conditions as being able to survive bigger energy demands that accompany it. Thus sabotaging efforts to heal, perpetuating low energy state.

Very good question. I can be very sedated even at 2mg x day (70 kg). Not good.

For me, a cup of regular coffee and 200mg of niacinamide prevent the sedation of up to 1-2 mg of cypro. Still experimenting though. I don't have a golden rule. Also, small doses over the day are better than single big dose. It affects each one differently.
 

Peata

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SQu said:
post 103515 This looks promising, and I already swear by cypro but at about 3 mg a day. I've been impressed by how powerfully it sedates though this does somewhat abate over time. But I'm wondering how anyone can take that much and stay awake, even allowing for some adaptation. Do they stay in bed for a few days?

I've worked up to about 12 mg. daily in the past. It starts to lose the sedation effect the same way 1/2 mg. can lose the effect after a while. I did not take a lot of mg. at one time though, I spread it out over a day. And I increased the dose very gradually.
 
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haidut

haidut

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Blossom said:
post 103479 @haidut or others- I was wondering if as anyone has run across any research where Cushingoid characteristics (in the absence of exogenous corticosteroids use or actual Cushings disease) like supraclavicular swelling, moon face, central obesity and buffalo hump were able to be resolved? Are these physical changes always permanent even when cortisol is normalized?

The studies I have seen show complete resolution of symptoms. That included buffalo hump, moon face, central obesity (often strikingly fast). I have not seen anything on swelling above the clavicle.
 
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Blossom

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haidut said:
post 103532
Blossom said:
post 103479 @haidut or others- I was wondering if as anyone has run across any research where Cushingoid characteristics (in the absence of exogenous corticosteroids use or actual Cushings disease) like supraclavicular swelling, moon face, central obesity and buffalo hump were able to be resolved? Are these physical changes always permanent even when cortisol is normalized?

The studies I have seen show complete resolution of symptoms. That included buffalo hump, moon face, central obesity (often strikingly fast). I have not seen anything on swelling above the clavicle.
Great! Thanks for the reply haidut.
 
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Katty

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cantstoppeating said:
jyb said:
post 103412 Isn't cortisol physiological (protective) in dangerous hypoglycaemia situations? Cortisol must have a purpose, sometimes. I've been thinking something similar about another thread of yours on blunting stress response to very high caffeine intake.

Two weeks ago I decided to take 0.25mg of cyproheptadine in the evening to ward off mild cold/flu like symptoms and within seconds experienced dangerously low blood sugar symptoms (i.e. sudden drastic drop in temperature, high blood pressure, sweaty palms, head rush, panic). I've had similar experiences when taking anything that lowers blood sugar and/or stress hormones like 5mg biotin, >100mg pregnenolone and >2mg DHEA.

It reminded me to support thyroid function with T3/T4 (<100mg pregnenolone works brilliantly too) when concurrently taking something like cyproheptadine to lower excess stress hormones.
So is cypro safe for someone who isn't taking any thyroid meds?
 
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answersfound

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Katty said:
post 106056
cantstoppeating said:
jyb said:
post 103412 Isn't cortisol physiological (protective) in dangerous hypoglycaemia situations? Cortisol must have a purpose, sometimes. I've been thinking something similar about another thread of yours on blunting stress response to very high caffeine intake.

Two weeks ago I decided to take 0.25mg of cyproheptadine in the evening to ward off mild cold/flu like symptoms and within seconds experienced dangerously low blood sugar symptoms (i.e. sudden drastic drop in temperature, high blood pressure, sweaty palms, head rush, panic). I've had similar experiences when taking anything that lowers blood sugar and/or stress hormones like 5mg biotin, >100mg pregnenolone and >2mg DHEA.

It reminded me to support thyroid function with T3/T4 (<100mg pregnenolone works brilliantly too) when concurrently taking something like cyproheptadine to lower excess stress hormones.
So is cypro safe for someone who isn't taking any thyroid meds?

I wouldn't say it's not safe but I would certainly be using thyroid, pregnenolone, or caffeine because it will wipe you out.
 
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tara

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Katty said:
post 106056 So is cypro safe for someone who isn't taking any thyroid meds?
Maybe depends on what your metabolism is like without thyroid supps, and also on dose of cyproheptadine? I'd suggest a very low starting dose, if you are going to try it (eg 0.5 or 0.25 mg), at a time when you can sleep if you need to over the next couple of days. Once you know what effect it has on you, you can decide if it makes sense to increase the quantity.
 
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tara

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SQu said:
post 103515
I'm wondering generally at the moment about the difference between low and high doses on some ( usually) helpful things like aspirin, some of the B vits, etc. I'm wondering if a low functioning body can't tolerate much for reasons like liver but also because they threaten to raise metabolism and the low functioning body fights back for survival reasons - not judging itself and conditions as being able to survive bigger energy demands that accompany it. Thus sabotaging efforts to heal, perpetuating low energy state.
This makes sense to me.
 
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Giraffe

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Peata said:
post 103522
SQu said:
post 103515 This looks promising, and I already swear by cypro but at about 3 mg a day. I've been impressed by how powerfully it sedates though this does somewhat abate over time. But I'm wondering how anyone can take that much and stay awake, even allowing for some adaptation. Do they stay in bed for a few days?

I've worked up to about 12 mg. daily in the past. It starts to lose the sedation effect the same way 1/2 mg. can lose the effect after a while. I did not take a lot of mg. at one time though, I spread it out over a day. And I increased the dose very gradually.
Did you experience any bad effects when getting off cyproheptadine? Peata? Sue? Anyone?
 
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Peata

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Giraffe said:
post 106495
Peata said:
post 103522
SQu said:
post 103515 This looks promising, and I already swear by cypro but at about 3 mg a day. I've been impressed by how powerfully it sedates though this does somewhat abate over time. But I'm wondering how anyone can take that much and stay awake, even allowing for some adaptation. Do they stay in bed for a few days?

I've worked up to about 12 mg. daily in the past. It starts to lose the sedation effect the same way 1/2 mg. can lose the effect after a while. I did not take a lot of mg. at one time though, I spread it out over a day. And I increased the dose very gradually.
Did you experience any bad effects when getting off cyproheptadine? Peata? Sue? Anyone?

Yeah, I made a thread about it at the time. I was up to about 12 mg day when I tapered down and was OK until I went off completely. Then I had mild w/d. I went ahead and took a tiny bit for another day or two and then was fine to go off without any more trouble. The w/d was not terrible, but it was uncomfortable. A feeling of malaise, similar to what I felt going off SSRI's, only much, much milder. The last time I was on cypro for an extended period, I tapered off in early July this year and also had a morning of some mild w/d. Again, it was super mild, but still bothersome, so I took a tiny chip of the cypro and needed none the next day.
 
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superhuman

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The studies I have seen show complete resolution of symptoms. That included buffalo hump, moon face, central obesity (often strikingly fast). I have not seen anything on swelling above the clavicle.

Have you seen any of those studies using low doses? 12-16mg cypro would knock me the f*** out for days. Moon face, high cortisol is a problem i have
 

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