Elevated cortisol causing issues?

[Golfboy307]

I just got my recent six month labs from my hormone doc. All my major categories were in the solid end of the ranges, but my cortisol was near the high end of the range. He noted this, but just basically asked if I was having a period of elevated stress. (Aren't we all right now?). He said we should retest in September and use the 3 point saliva test.

For awhile now I have been trying to figure out why I go through periods of poor sleep from 3am-6am feeling wired. During this time my early morning wood disappears and my EQ is lacking. The majority of the time, I sleep great, lots of morning wood, and I seem much less stressed. My protocol is 30mg Test Cyp IM 3X per week, total of around ~ 100mg/week. No AI or HCG. Age 53.

Instead of looking to the usual hormone suspects, I wonder if elevated cortisol can be causing some these periods.

Here are the latest numbers from March from Quest:

Total T 725 ng/dl (250 - 1100)
Free T 110 pg/ml (45 - 224)
SHBG 32
Sensitive E2 21 pg/ml (< 39)
DHEA S 206 (38-313)
PSA 0.2
Cortisol AM 21.7 mcg/dl (4.0 -22.0)
TSH 2.1
HCT 46

I see a lot of info on this site about low cortisol, but can't seem to find anything on lowering high cortisol. Can anyone help me out here, or am I just grasping?

 

[Golfboy307]

bump

 

[Wolverine]

I was like you with serum AM cortisol readings always around 20 ug/dl. Didn't sleep well etc. I started taking 25mg of DHEA daily and now AM cortisol at 11.8 ug/dl. DHEA has an inverse relationship to cortisol.

 

[Golfboy307]

That's helpful. I wasn't sure anyone had seen this thread!

 

[sammmy]

If you sleep great the majority of time, I would suggest not messing with anything.

Pycnogenol is known to improve sleep but it does it by decreasing adrenaline and dopamine, which can make you feel depressed and lacking energy during the day.