High cortisol can be lethal-are you checking yours?

[drkimcrawford]

HI guys,
I have checked all threads and I see no one discussing or checking cortisols. Yesterday someone posted to have his labs checked-there was nothing in the labs to account for his symptoms other than a case of adrenal fatigue, something I've also posted about. A fasting cortisol NEEDS to be on your lab panels.

If you are on AAS you HAVE high cort. If you are not you likely STILL have high cort. If you are on stimulants of any sort you have high cort. If you are lifting ultra-heavy and/or are under stress....high cort. This can cause all sorts of problems and is fixable. I suggest EVERYONE not familiar with how to control cortisol please read this-it could save your muscles yes...but also could save your life. If you think this is a relevant important article as I most certainly do please message other guys in.

ARTICLE

Very best wishes,
Dr.Kim

 

[Dado5]

Interesting.

have a question. I have been on paxil for last 16 years. Is it ok for me to take cortisol support and adrenal support supplements?
Not sure if mixing them up with paxil is good.
thanks

 

[drkimcrawford]

HI Dado-
Re paxil-have you ever considered weaning off of it an onto 5-HTP...after this amount of time you are not making your own seratonin, most of which is made (believe it or not!) in the GI tract, making you more prone to having things like constipation,etc. Just a thought.

But NO problemo taking adrenal/cortisol (same thing) support when on paxil or any other anti-depressants.

Take care,
Dr.Kim

 

[Dado5]

Hi Dr. Kim
Yes I tried weaning off, also tried going to therapies etc.. but every time I do that it brings me back to where I started and feeling totally off.
I tried 5HTP and just didn’t feel right on it.
I went to 2 specialists and they both told me that in my case it created lots of chemical imbalance and that I can’t get off the pills that easy.
I am on a low dose of 30mg. and I feel great on it.
Thank you for your help 

 

[drkimcrawford]

Oh that is low dose-glad you feel well on it!

 

[roidrage]

Hi Dr.Kim



What are your thoughts regarding supplemantation with phosphatidylserine?

thanks

 

[drkimcrawford]

HI RR-
I love PPS-it's the add on supplement I use with 1200 mg/day of GPC-alpha glyceral PPC....for more brain speed and concentration I'll add PPS....what's great about THESE brain boosters is that they do NOT bump up cortisol-great question,thanks for asking.

(My internationally known area of expertise is brain health BTW)

Dr.Kim/THAT's why I want guys to read this and lower cortisols-one reason anyway-to PROTECT THEIR BRAINS!!!!

 

[nothuman]

I have a checkup with my cardiologist Monday so I'll be sure to request cortisol as something I want tested when I get my blood drawn.

 

[drkimcrawford]

GOOD!
Fasting, before 8:30- AM and your cardiologist will tell you it's worthless. GEt it anyway.

 

[Thebigone]

I just did a four times per day saliva test for cortisol yesterday in the morning afternoon early evening and before bed as well as a blood test for organic acids. I should have my results in about a week.

 

[Thebigone]

I really wish all these companies would stop adding dye to their products like all of the pre-workout drinks and Bcaa drinks, etc. not only does dye effect cortisol but it is cancer-causing and causes a host of other side effects. The worst part is it's not even needed it's just added for color when they could use beet root extract instead. I would take all the artificial sweetener in the world over dye any day.

 

[Swifto]

What are your thoughts on vitamin C supplementation to reduce cortisol?

Post workout cortisol can be lowered by pre and PWO vit C supplementation.

 

[Stewie]

I pull mine every three months. Have for several years

 

[drkimcrawford]

I really wish all these companies would stop adding dye to their products like all of the pre-workout drinks and Bcaa drinks, etc. not only does dye effect cortisol but it is cancer-causing and causes a host of other side effects. The worst part is it's not even needed it's just added for color when they could use beet root extract instead. I would take all the artificial sweetener in the world over dye any day.

Agree which is why my stuff is NOTHING artificial. "BCAA Powder has a great-tasting, natural orange flavor. This product is free of sucrose, fructose and artificial sweeteners, and is sweetened with the natural herb stevia.
Made with non-GMO ingredients." 20% off til 8/1

bcaaaglutamine

Natural orange flavor so good when you put it in my vanilla whey concentrate it tastes like a dreamsicle.

GOOD Stewie-so far the only one who is regular about this.

Vit C in real life has no effect on cort-it's an antioxidant and antioxidants help the cause but can't bring a high one down. For that you need what I talked about in the article.

 

[Swifto]

Agree which is why my stuff is NOTHING artificial. "BCAA Powder has a great-tasting, natural orange flavor. This product is free of sucrose, fructose and artificial sweeteners, and is sweetened with the natural herb stevia.
Made with non-GMO ingredients." 20% off til 8/1

bcaaaglutamine

Natural orange flavor so good when you put it in my vanilla whey concentrate it tastes like a dreamsicle.

GOOD Stewie-so far the only one who is regular about this.

Vit C in real life has no effect on cort-it's an antioxidant and antioxidants help the cause but can't bring a high one down. For that you need what I talked about in the article.

1: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Jun;48(2):217-24.Links

Effect of vitamin C supplementation on lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation after 30-min exercise at 75% VO2max.

Nakhostin-Roohi B, Babaei P, Rahmani-Nia F, Bohlooli S.
Department of Exercise Physiology, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran [email protected].

AIM: Hypothetically, supplementation with the antioxidant vitamins C could alleviate exercise-induced lipid peroxidation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation. METHODS: Sixteen healthy untrained male volunteers participated in a 30-min exercise at 75% Vo2max. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) placebo and 2) vitamin C (VC: 1 000 mg vitamin C). Blood samples were obtained prior to supplementation (baseline), 2 h after supplementation (immediately pre-exercise), post-exercise, 2 and 24 h after exercise. Plasma levels of VC, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), creatine kinase (CK), malondealdehyde (MDA), total leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol were measured. RESULTS: Plasma vitamin C concentrations increased significantly in the VC in response to supplementation and exercise (P<0.05). TAC decreased significantly in Placebo group 24 h after exercise compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Although MDA levels were similar between groups at baseline, it increased significantly 2 h after exercise only in the Placebo group (P<0.05). CK increased immediately and 2 h after exercise in both groups and 24 h after exercise only in placebo group compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Markers of inflammation (total leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts and IL-6) were increased significantly in response to the exercise (P<0.05). In VC group, there was significant increase in lymphocyte counts immediately after exercise compared with pre-exercise (P<0.05). Serum cortisol concentrations significantly declined after supplementation compared with baseline (P<0.05) as well as declined 2 and 24 h after exercise compared with immediately after exercise in VC group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: VC supplementation prevented endurance exercise-induced lipid peroxidation and muscle damage but had no effect on inflammatory markers.

 

[Thebigone]

What are your thoughts on vitamin C supplementation to reduce cortisol?

Post workout cortisol can be lowered by pre and PWO vit C supplementation.

I think vitamin C is great at controlling cortisol but the problem is with regular vitamin C you only absorb about 10% of it. I used to take 10,000 mg per day divided in three doses but recently I switched to 1000 mg twice a day of Liposomal vitamin C as 1000mg is equal to around 5000mg regular vitamin C and much better absorbed.

 

[drkimcrawford]

1: J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 2008 Jun;48(2):217-24.Links

Effect of vitamin C supplementation on lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation after 30-min exercise at 75% VO2max.

Nakhostin-Roohi B, Babaei P, Rahmani-Nia F, Bohlooli S.
Department of Exercise Physiology, Guilan University, Rasht, Iran [email protected].

AIM: Hypothetically, supplementation with the antioxidant vitamins C could alleviate exercise-induced lipid peroxidation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of vitamin C supplementation on exercise-induced lipid peroxidation, muscle damage and inflammation. METHODS: Sixteen healthy untrained male volunteers participated in a 30-min exercise at 75% Vo2max. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: 1) placebo and 2) vitamin C (VC: 1 000 mg vitamin C). Blood samples were obtained prior to supplementation (baseline), 2 h after supplementation (immediately pre-exercise), post-exercise, 2 and 24 h after exercise. Plasma levels of VC, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), creatine kinase (CK), malondealdehyde (MDA), total leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cortisol were measured. RESULTS: Plasma vitamin C concentrations increased significantly in the VC in response to supplementation and exercise (P<0.05). TAC decreased significantly in Placebo group 24 h after exercise compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Although MDA levels were similar between groups at baseline, it increased significantly 2 h after exercise only in the Placebo group (P<0.05). CK increased immediately and 2 h after exercise in both groups and 24 h after exercise only in placebo group compared to pre-exercise (P<0.05). Markers of inflammation (total leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts and IL-6) were increased significantly in response to the exercise (P<0.05). In VC group, there was significant increase in lymphocyte counts immediately after exercise compared with pre-exercise (P<0.05). Serum cortisol concentrations significantly declined after supplementation compared with baseline (P<0.05) as well as declined 2 and 24 h after exercise compared with immediately after exercise in VC group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: VC supplementation prevented endurance exercise-induced lipid peroxidation and muscle damage but had no effect on inflammatory markers.

1. P is NOT statistically significant (needs to be < .01)
2. Flawed study in that there was no control group

Once again in clinical practice Vitamin c via IV DRIP even has NO demonstrable effect on cortisols. If you are selling vit C this is not the basis for a sale. It is time to stop playing stump the doctor here.

 

[Gizmo]

Dr Kim,

I have been looking at your bodybuilding kit, but the thing I am most interested in is the adrenal fatigue part. I sleep pretty horribly in general, have a high stress job and sometimes I feel like it's a vicious circle because sleep deprivation just makes things more stressful and then I sleep worse. I also worked rotating shifts for seven years (my schedule has been a "normal" work week for the last year) and I'm sure that messed up my body somewhat. I see you have a bunch of supplements to help with the adrenal glands. What supplements would you recommend most when looking for energy restoration and sound sleep? I am also considering having an AM cortisol drawn and then (if it's high) start a serious adrenal recovery protocol. Oh.. I forgot to add I also drink quite a bit of coffee (which usually does nothing) and take a pre workout with caffeine in it but doesn't seem to do much either besides have a refreshing taste.

Thank you for whatever insights you can offer.

 

[drkimcrawford]

Hey Gizmo!

Hey Gizmo!
The combo of rotating shifts, training, bad sleep, feeling exhausted, likely drinking coffee (excuse if I'm wrong on that).....makes me KNOW you have adrenal issues/ I have treated so much of this-eveyone,not just BB's-everyone...#1 thing is "I NEED MORE ENERGY DOC"...and it's worse with BB's so I'm sure you have a problem if you even THINK you do.

In your case I really just need a good long history, list of drugs, supplements, lifestyle stuff and I can give you just what you need. This is only a $50 committment. Do NOT buy the bodybuilder kit-this may not be exactly what you need but I can determine exactly what you need my friend. It would be my pleasure. Click on quck guide under my name and I'll "fix you"-pretty much promise unless there is something lurking we don't know about which my intuition tells me is not the case. It will be the best $50 you ever spent.

Very best wishes,
Dr.Kim

 

[drkimcrawford]

GUYS!

Would someone re-post this with my article???? It is killing me that so many young guys take health for granted, use what they use and then have consequences when they are in their family years.

What might appeal to these "ironclad" young guys is that if you have a high cortisol you have LESS GAINS. Plain and simple. So if it's not about health GOOD GRIEF having a high cortisol makes guys spend more for anabolics, feel crappy and so on. Would someone OF INFLUENCE please post my original post?

It seems that unless someone is selling the latest great AAS almost NO ONE is interested. So do your community a favor guys. Re-post this article. I am not one to give up but I'm really close.

Nighty nite,
Dr.Kim