This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

I have noticed that cortisol is mentioned in more and more articles lately. Just this week study results were published in the European Heart Journal which found a link between stress and heart attacks/strokes (We have known this intuitively for years, haven't we? Here is proof!). Cortisol levels seem to have a key role.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... troke.html

I find I have a new interest in cortisol after reading the Mayo Clinic article "Stress: Win control over the stress in your life" which says of cortisol: "the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream,...It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes."

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/stress/SR00001

Since I have been unable to reduce my insulin level by diet alone, I am now looking at all sources of glucose (insulin is generously secreted in respone to the glucose level), including cortisol. I have not had my cortisol level tested, but suspect it may be the source of my blood glucose.

Perhaps this can explain the observation that stress worsens MS symptoms.

hi lc i'm on this track too at the moment.. adrenal insufficiency etc

I have been dependent on corticosteroids since the mid ninetiesdue to another autoimmune, everyone tells me to get off, but have no plan for me to do so.
I went to an endocrinologist the other day, and he changed my prednisone, toa shorter acting corticosteroid which I take 2 x's a day. At the end of a month, I will have cortisol levels checked 1st thing in the morning before the 1st dose, to see is my raisins of adrenal glands have awakened.
Actually this guy told me something really interesting, he said the the adrenals have 2 parts, one surrounding the other like a fist in you other hand. Oh dang, I was going somewhere with that and I can't remember where!!!*&^%?
LOL it's all I can do....

msmything--Corticosteroids contribute to osteopenia and the worse case, osteoporosis. Consider asking your physician for a bone scan to stay informed about your bone density.

Yes, i've always been careful, Lots of dexas, I've got very very mild osteopenia, normal for my age group. I just found a product called bone grow, that guarantees growth after 3 months of use. If you take a before and after dexa..like who's gonna do that, but I tried to buck up on exercise thoughout the 3 months as well..

Lyndacarol
a bit off topic, but have this at my fingertips, and will forget later.
If i recall, you often bring up insulin and MS ??
anyway, this abstract might interest you--was study with men, but probably similar with women--re: excess iron (and that of course is an ongoing debate--seems what we consider normal might indeed by excess)--and how it adversely affects insulin.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19641304

shye -- You are absolutely correct: I am the "insulin girl." Thank you so much for thinking of me; I had not read the abstract about iron stores, oxidative stress and insulin resistance. I had not considered that, as the abstract states, "higher body iron stores may contribute to impair insulin sensitivity..." Definitely food for thought. Thank you again.

Mohr, David and Pelletier, Daniel 2006 A temporal framework for understanding the effects of stressful life events on inflammation in patients with multiple sclerosis

isn't that interesting?

This seems to me to be the most logical place to post this information about vitamin C and cortisol from one of this week's episodes of the Dr. Mehmet Oz TV program:

"Vitamin C allows the body to quickly clear out cortisol, a primary stress hormone that increases sugars in the bloodstream. Although helpful in a fight or flight scenario, regularly elevated levels of cortisol in your body suppress normal functioning of the digestive system, reproductive system and growth processes. Vitamin C helps to regulate cortisol and prevent blood pressure from spiking in response to stressful situations."

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/less-stress-5-minutes

Now this week (5/14/10) on the ABC TV program, "The Doctors," one brief discussion mentioned cortisol. Dr. Lisa Masterson, the OB/GYN, stated that cortisol lowers metabolism and contributes to belly fat.

I suspect that it is cortisol lowering the metabolic rate that allows for bears to hibernate. The following study of bears found that glucocorticoids (cortisol) were affected and lowered by the photoperiod (length of daylight-period).

http://www.bearbiology.com/fileadmin/tp ... _16_2_.pdf

I have always been looking for a reason why Vitamin C helps me so much...now I know:) It also helps to protect the liver and is a great antioxident. I had high cortisol levels for a long time which led to high insulin levels which then led to severe attacks of hypoglycemia. Thankfully all back in check now x

hmm, glad i take this daily. but will have to double check amounts. and of course the iron-wary will be cautious.

I was thinking the same thing. I told my diabetic friend that maybe he didnt have insulin deficiency but rather the supression of insulin by cortisol. I thought about that because I suffer from hypoglycemia from the ulcers and small intestinal errosion my stomach behaves like it had gastric bypass and my glucose levels are high sometimes up to 200 when I dont eat and then plummet after I eat to where I get mean. when I got on prednisone it helped that alot.

I did my follow up blood work to the shorter acting form of prednisone...

it seems that my body was able to squeeze out 1 mg of it's very own cortisol.

The normal biological production is about 5mg/day, but it means that I've been able to produce SOMETHING on my own, so that's reallt good news to me, perhaps in the coming months I'll be able to take another medication off of my list YEAH!

BUT! Oh My, the emothional torture I went through not having the 5 - 10 mg of external (pill) prednisone to help with stress.

I was actually driven to tears like 3 times by the complete bi*** of a boss that I have who is very not worth a single of my tears....

I'm better now, but it would be cool to be able to have biological response to stress rather than a meltdown...someday soon....

I've been at it again -- watching the Dr. Oz TV program. On July 15, 2010, one topic dealt with osteoporosis. As you can see in this video (about 4:30) he offered the usual calcium and vitamin D as strengthening bones; he also mentions vitamin K2 (found in kefir, a fermented yogurt).

I post this here because it may be of interest to any people who have osteopenia or osteoporosis due to taking steroids.

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/warning- ... teoporosis

thanks lc.. possibly also good info re vit K, for those here with scoliosis as a comorbidity (high association with osteopoenia etc)