Are Steroids immune-suppressive ?

[Slacker78]

Hello Folks, here we are.

The title is pretty simply: are steroids immune-suppressive during on cycle ?

As we know steroids bind to cortisol receptors, blocking cortisol activity; i suppose this could lead to an increase of a immune system reactivity/sensitivity while some people talk about an immune-suppression effect; this seems to be a contradiction....

Is there someone could clarify this concept better ?

Thank you.

[MuscleScience]

If you take and AI or an estrogen blocker it can be. You need some amount of estrogen in your body for proper immune system function.

[Slacker78]

If you take and AI or an estrogen blocker it can be. You need some amount of estrogen in your body for proper immune system function.

Thank you MuscleScience. Do you know instead, what is the interaction with cortisol by steroids ? Leaving estrogens stuff apart, cortisol receptors blocking, affect immune system activity ?

[frank13]

I would think maybe if your not responsible with your cycling and your or hormone levels are all over the place it could leave your immune system slightly compromised but I would really think the opposite do to the fact that they give testosterone trt to people with compromised immune system's people with aids and such

[MuscleScience]

Thank you MuscleScience. Do you know instead, what is the interaction with cortisol by steroids ? Leaving estrogens stuff apart, cortisol receptors blocking, affect immune system activity ?

Cortisol in high circulating levels supresses immune function as well. Many different factors affect its release, mostly high levels of prolonged stressors to the body.

[Heapsreal]

Its mostly deca that has shown improvements in immune function. Im guess it progesterone effects has a flow on to cortisol is a possibility, similar in a way to pregnenolone has flow on effects to progesterone and cortisol??

I wish i had saved the link but there was someone saying how they had low cortisol/adrenal fatigue issues and improved greatly with deca, cant recall if anything else was run with it. I think it was only very low doses like 100mg a week or something along those lines. This person wasnt after bbing effects just improvement in general wellbeing. SO maybe someone with low cortisol given deca that fills empty cortisol receptors, may be enough to improve cortisol levels. Pure speculation though??

Also cortisol isnt totally suppressive of the immune system as it can increase neutrophil numbers etc again i think cortisol improves immune function in those with low cortisol and they are treated to raise their cortisol into a physiological level.

In a few months i will post if my wellbeing cycle(low dose sus/deca) has increased my low neutrophil count.