Adrenal function?

[luke77]

Hey guys,
I've been reading up on my own about all this trt stuff because I am hypogonadal, and I have come across some stuff on adrenal function and it seems to be linked to all this stuff. I'm having trouble finding much on this topic, though, and adrenal function doesn't seem to be as well understood as stuff like thyroid, testosterone, etc. Does anyone have a link to a site/article explaining adrenal function? And is there a standard blood test that is used to test adrenal function?

Thanks very much,
Luke

 

[MANWHORE]

http://www.mercola.com/2000/aug/27/adrenals.htm

 

[stat1951]

Hey guys,
I've been reading up on my own about all this trt stuff because I am hypogonadal, and I have come across some stuff on adrenal function and it seems to be linked to all this stuff. I'm having trouble finding much on this topic, though, and adrenal function doesn't seem to be as well understood as stuff like thyroid, testosterone, etc. Does anyone have a link to a site/article explaining adrenal function? And is there a standard blood test that is used to test adrenal function?

Thanks very much,
Luke

If there is ANY concern that you may have highly elevated cortisol (and hypercortisolism can very definitely cause hypogonadism) then what you want is not a blood test or even a saliva test, but a "24-hour UFC Test" (Urinary Free Cortisol Test)....

Believe me, I know.....

Larry

 

[Cryptochid]

Partial Adrenal insificiency

PAI is rare and presents with superimposed psychiatric symptoms of depression, confusion, and apathy. PAI is associated with fatigue, weakness, anorexia, and weight loss. These problems may present insidiously over a prolonged period. The acute presentation of PAI includes nausea, vomiting, and hypertension.
PAI may present with acute psychiatric problems, such as psychosis, depression, apathy, or a schizophrenia like syndrome.
http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic109.htm

 

[stat1951]

PAI is rare and presents with superimposed psychiatric symptoms of depression, confusion, and apathy. PAI is associated with fatigue, weakness, anorexia, and weight loss. These problems may present insidiously over a prolonged period. The acute presentation of PAI includes nausea, vomiting, and hypertension.
PAI may present with acute psychiatric problems, such as psychosis, depression, apathy, or a schizophrenia like syndrome.
http://www.emedicine.com/pmr/topic109.htm

Not sure, but I believe that this link refers to PAI in situations involving head injuries - hence the title "Post Head Injury Endocrine Complications". More specific info on PAI in general (not just when related to TBI developed following severe head injury) can be found here:

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic16.htm
"Adrenal Insufficiency and Adrenal Crisis"

Primary Adrenal Insufficiency is "uncommon" in the US, however generalized adrenal insufficiency (i.e., "adrenal fatigue") is quite a bit more common with eMedicine estimating "approximately 6,000,000 persons in the United States are considered to have undiagnosed adrenal insufficiency".

Personally I have not researched much information concerning adrenal insufficiency as I have the opposite problem where the HPA Axis has become dysfunctional and the adrenal glands have become hyperactive. Initially high levels of the adrenaline hormone as well as cortisol were being produced, but eventually the cortisol became the "top dog" and hypercortisolism set in. At that point the production of cortisol took over primary focus and demand of raw materials for production. Testosterone production dropped WAY down, dopamine production dropped, serotonin production dropped, and even production of the adrenaline hormones dropped (at last test dopamine was low, epinephrine was low normal, and norepinephrine was way below normal).

I do not know if adrenal fatigue (generalized adrenal insufficiency) can cause a state of hypogonadism or not... but I do know that hypercortisolism very definitely can cause a hypogonadal state and do so very quickly.

Anyway, the only was that you'll really know for sure if you have hypercortisolism is to take a 24-hour UFC Test. My initial ones were so high that my initial Endo was convinced that I had "Cushing's Disease" or "Cushing's Syndrome". Many more advanced tests finally ruled those out and my technical diagnosis was "Pseudo Cushing's" (Cushing's simply refers to a state of hypercortisolism... the other wordings are descriptors of what type of hypercortisolism it is).

Larry

 

[Cryptochid]

Larry
You are correct about PAI. It also includes Salt wasting. For me it was just another way of getting there, as it also involves damaged cranial nerves (TBI) with protein.
Crypto

 

[Ozzie]

Larry - would be interested to know particular protocol you invoked to counter elevated cortisol levels.

Thanks, ozzie