Re: Adrenal support, anyone?

March 19, 2004

Hi,

This is my first time here and your post was perfect timing. I just

have to respond here.

I had asthma for 9 years, before I figured out I have a severe

hormonal problem called 's disease.

I took DHEA, a hormone made in the adrenals for several months (750

mg at the before I found a doc that knew how to help me). During the

time I took the DHEA my asthma disapeared.

It turned out, I learned later, that the DHEA was helping raises my

cortisol level (another adrenal hormone) and my testosterone levels

(adrenals make 25% testosterone in men).

The doc I see put my on hydrocortisone (4 times weaker than

prednisone per mg). After a month he decided hydro was not strong

enough so I was put on prednisolone (same as prednisone but much

easier on the liver).

My asthma is 99% gone. My doc and I don't figure on me having

anymore problems with asthma. I should mention that with the asthma

I had terrible allergy problems (mainly fall and spring, live in St.

Louis). Allergys did not hit last fall and so far have not hit this

spring.

I imagine you all are falling over.. let me explain. Cortisol when

deficient will cause hard to control asthma and when you have a

hormonal deficiency its never just one hormone, so turned out I was

also deficient in Dhea and two steps above my HDL cholesteral was low

(HDL Cholesterol-a hormone makes pregnenolone, which is made into

DHEA, which is made into cortisol, estrogen, testosterone and over a

hundred other hormones).

If you had a stressful event like a bad car accident

(after bad car accident I had PTSD which science has recently found

the cause to be low cortisol levels before and or after the stress of

the event),

months or even over a year before getting asthma and you never had

asthma before, here is probably what happened.

The stress of the event crashed your cortisol production. The asthma

stresses the adrenals, keeping cortisol low, which makes the asthma

continue and possibly get worse. During this time you can get sick

every day for months. I would get sick and as I was getting over it,

another virus would hit. The reason I got sick all the time is that

hormones help keep the immune system working good. Lower the

hormones, the immune system follows. If you get influenza and or

pnuemonia often then your adrenals are stressed out whether or not

the adrenals are the cause.

I don't care how you all got your asthma, asthma is stressful on the

adrenal glands hormone production, consider trying DHEA. Another

symptom of an adrenal insufficiency is IBS (irritable bowel syndrome).

I recommend you read these books before trying DHEA, never take

hormones or herbs without checking it out thoroughly.

" Dhea A Practical Guide " and " Pregnenolone " Ray Sahelian, M.D.

The DHEA Breakthrough Cherniske, M.S.

I also take Pregnenolone which some sourses say is better for women

to take instead of DHEA (women 5 - 10 mg, men 5- 15 mg)

Read this

Pregnenolone Natures Feel Good Hormone Ray Sahelian, M.D.

I mentioned that I took 750 mg daily of DHEA, the normal dose is 25 -

50 mg. Go slow, try 25 mg for a couple of weeks to get your body

adapted and go up higher (add 25 mg extra per week) until you feel

like you are getting a good benefit. Remember this is just a guide

and read the books I mentioned and look at the internet too.

I am on the 's board also.

I hoped this post benefited some of you.

in St. Louis

> Has anyone here used adrenal suppliments?

> Joan

March 19, 2004