how do we know the hormone CRH isn't our problem?

[Guest guest]

I read a study that said some who experience persistent fatigue and low cortisol

levels may

have a problem with the brain chemical corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH).

And that

may be why supplementing these patients with hydrocortisone did not work in the

study. I

posted a couple paragraphs from the study below...

" Other studies by Dr. Straus and his colleagues indicated that the low cortisol

levels in the

CFS patients might be due to deficiencies in corticotropin-releasing hormone

(CRH), a brain

chemical that helps regulate cortisol secretion. In response to a stressor, the

hypothalamus, a

small area at the base of the brain, secretes CRH, which activates the pituitary

gland to

secrete adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH), which in turn stimulates the adrenal

gland to

produce cortisol.

What the trial results mean about their earlier laboratory findings of reduced

cortisol levels is

uncertain, says Dr. Straus. " The fact that the treatment worked to some degree

was

encouraging, but we would expect to see a greater benefit if low cortisol levels

were directly

responsible for symptoms of CFS. The amount of CRH may be more important than

the

amount of circulating cortisol because CRH receptors are located in the brain

and it is an

important substance for stimulating mood, attention and activity. Unfortunately,

we don't

have convenient ways of supplementing CRH. "

[Guest guest]

Did the study say how much HC they supplemented the participants with?

And whether they doses it like we do here (i.e. mimic of a natural

cortisol rhythm)?

sol

aln9834 wrote:

> " The fact that the treatment worked to some degree was

> encouraging, but we would expect to see a greater benefit if low cortisol

levels were directly

> responsible for symptoms of CFS.

[Guest guest]

yes, they did reach doses that we do here on this site. not sure how they

spread it out

during the day, and night.

> > " The fact that the treatment worked to some degree was

> > encouraging, but we would expect to see a greater benefit if low cortisol

levels were

directly

> > responsible for symptoms of CFS.

>