Cortisol

**zaggahamma** · 06-11-2006, 02:52 PM

Anyone have Cortisol level checked on bloodwork? Any thoughts on cortisol and the ability to burn fat, etc.?

**cmax** · 06-11-2006, 06:32 PM

No, but I explicitly asked my endo to run this test and he said that it was "not necessary".

He says since I hold very little fat in my abdominal area, I clearly do not have a problem with cortisol.

I was tempted to just write this on the labcorp sheet that he gave to me for my other blood tests, but decided against doing this. I was not sure if this would really piss him off.

**zaggahamma** · 06-11-2006, 07:34 PM

yeh, i like the idea of making our own notes....

well, my endo thought cortisol overactivity was worth checking....when mine came back in range...the idea of high cortisol was dismissed...but I keep hearing about high cortisol and mine was actually towards the high end of the reference range....that's why i was curious...if the lower the cortisol...THE BETTER...and always wondered if glucose levels had a similar impact since everyone always talks about eating low glycemic for weight control/loss...my glucose is also around high normal when done by labs

food for thought

bump for more O's

**vermin** · 06-11-2006, 08:31 PM

I get a cortisol with every blood assay and mine is always on the low edge of normal - and all of my fat is abdominal....

**zaggahamma** · 06-11-2006, 08:36 PM

well, i guess in a 2 people study...we can rule out high cortisol=jelly belly

**Oasis** · 06-11-2006, 08:52 PM

JPKMAN,

Cortisol is important to have tested. We do cortisol testing via blood testing but if you truly concerned about getting this tested I would suggest on getting a 24hr saliva test done for this. Cortisol fluctuates during the day and you will get a better idea on your levels. There are some things to look for when dealing with cortisol. To high of cortisol levels can increase belly fat. Also on the flip side a person that is deficient in cortisol will have certain sugar craving that can also in time increase this abdominal fat as well. There are other hormonal effects that can be disrupted by higher cortisol levels. I have came across a few times in reading and lectures that higher cortisol levels can block HGH therapy. So there can really be more to look into regarding cortisol levels and testing them. I think a very good book and author regarding HRT is "The Hormone Solution: Stay Younger Longer w/ Natural Hormone & Nutrition Therapies by Thierry Hertoghe M.D.

I have read this book and heard him speak in person. There are many other books that I can recommend just send me a PM.

Oasis Longevity & Rejuvenation Mngmt
1-877-548-3968
www.oasisrejuvenation.com

**zaggahamma** · 06-11-2006, 08:57 PM

thanks...that reminds me....i did read somewhere where cortisol was checked at several times during the day....when i had mine tested it was a 2day test, both at 8am (precisely) the second day was after a hydrocortisone tablet the night before at 11:00PM....never really found out what that was for, but it made my level almost nil and therefore I passed the cortisol test in my endo's mind...since I was low on T....we went that route...and that has proven slightly beneficial thus far, however, dosage is a hard one to get right with all the reference ranges, etc.
thanks again

**Oasis** · 06-11-2006, 09:04 PM

JPKMAN,

There are many reference ranges that are used for testosterone . The one key thing that any really good doctor will recommend to their patient for HRT is that you simply use the blood test to monitor the patient's health and assure that nothing else may be occurring. You may also use the blood test to see what may be happening with the testosterone that you are currently producing or supplementing. Really the HRT doctor should be treating the symptoms of the patient. The whole goal of HRT is to feel better. You may have high testosterone levels but if you don't feel better you are defeating the purpose of begining your HRT program in the first place. Though I do admit that it may take a while to find that right spot and dosage for each individual once you have it you will know and will then use the additional blood testing to make sure everything else is in check example would be estrogen levels, Hematocrit, Red Blood Cells and so on.

Oasis Longevity & Rejuvention Mngmt
1-877-548-3968
www.oasisrejuvenation.com

**vermin** · 06-11-2006, 09:07 PM

Not sure if it matters, though while all of my fat is abdominal (I "pinch" arms, legs etc. like a 3% BF guy) it is "hard" (no jelly belly) - I think I have mostly organ fat, because sometimes you can see my abs even though if I were female you might think I was pregnant...could be the difference between cortisol fat and others.

**zaggahamma** · 06-12-2006, 09:04 AM

oh, you got the "wrestler" gut? how do you know there is fat there..ie organ fat....does it show when doing a under water BF%? So you have a fairly large waist? Are you saying you think your abdominal fat is related to having LOW
cortisol?

**vermin** · 06-12-2006, 03:16 PM

I have wanted to get a water BF% to help calibrate the calipers - I suspect my physique throws them off more than some. Then again, I think that the measurements are all relative to me and my former measures, so who cares what the absolute number is?

As to cortisol, I suspect nothing at the moment. Folks have indicated a build like mine is aften associated with diabetes, but my sugars are always rock solid, so at the moment I just consider it "bio diversity".

As far as the cortisol thread is concerned, I was just jumping in to clarify that since I have a large waist (largest at the navel, technically a bit above the waist) but not much "jelly" I may be an outlyer as far as conclusions about cortisol and belly fat. I had not really thought about that until the "jelly belly" comment was made.

**zaggahamma** · 06-12-2006, 05:29 PM

well, then...i am guessing that even though you say that most of your bf is in abdominal area...you are of very low bf totally...so the cortisol being low in your case could confirm or at least not rule out that high cortisol levels could cause "jelly belly"...in my case , with the high cortisol and the fatty gut....i've been working out for the last couple years steady(cardio also) and hit a plateau with the abdominal area and found out low testosterone ...while on trt for 3 months...i've have only noticed slight strength gains (up from the plateau) and slightly better LBM...this being from low doses of test(androgel )...so I still am trying to boost metabolism with a higher dose of test....i guess it wouldn't hurt to take a cortisol type supp?

**vermin** · 06-12-2006, 09:30 PM

Well, my BF pinches at about 14%, so not that low. I just started HRT about a month ago and I think at least the test is starting to kick in. Right now I am getting 300mg test-e a week, which is about the top of the "HRT" level dosages. I have come to conclude that the low/real low stuff from some docs tends to be just enough to bump your numbers into something kosher, but not enough to really feel any major effects.

I am not at all familiar with cortisol supplements, but I would suspect that given the major aspect of the system anything that does not require a script is probably either bogus or limited to a miniscule effect.

Anyway, at 300/wk the average 20wk result is supposed to be about a 10% boost in LBM, so I am hoping it will help me turn the corner....

**zaggahamma** · 06-13-2006, 07:01 AM

I have an appt. with the doc that prescribed the cortisol test...i will bring it up again and ask some more ?'s like i posted here and if there is a script to lower it that is better than the over the counter or t.v. products....good luck with your hrt and thanks again

**vermin** · 06-13-2006, 11:16 AM

Good luck!

**john5** · 07-06-2006, 09:45 AM

i actually take 5 mg of pred a day after doing a 4 times a day saliva test and finding my levels below normal for each hr tested! my levels were low yrs ago also and a endo put me on but i stopped after a yr since there were no majr diff. but as i got older i started getting severe excema on my face and 5 mg seems to keep it in check, so since my levels are low (probally from adrenal fatigue do to anxiety) i dont feel to bad taking 5 mgs and from what i read you dont shutdown till you take 7.5 and higher!

actually i was put on test also , but that made my conditions worse plus made me cold and sweaty. so i really cant handle any increase in test even though my levels are low normal!

this is wacky , but my best combo for feeling and looking well without going over board is
5 mg valium daily
5 to 7.5 mg predisone daily
growth hormone (i only had a small sample yrs since it was like 60 bucks per 4 iu)

now with access to these much lower costs i can give jintropin a test drive, im hoping i can cut off the v's do to the hgh since it promotes a feeling of well being!