Low Cortisol = Adrenaline?

[Vince Carter]

I've had two sets of 4 point saliva Cortisol tests Ive attached one here for your review. It was low enough that Dr Saya and I discussed low dose HC @ 5mg 1xD. I really didn't want to go down this road with HC and only took it a few times and stopped.

I've gotten more curious of late that my low(ish) Cortisol is being supplanted by Adrenaline, further more for it's apparent vaso-constricting properties. Where I'm going with this is my ED. I've been having pretty good experience with 25-50mg of Viagra and a lot of Citrulline (>5g/serving 2xD). I've been thinking that I have an NO problem...I'm using a lot of Citrulline, and Agmatine (lately), AAKG/Arginine, with pretty good results. Good pump in the gym. But I'm using a lot like I'm trying to overcome, something...I keep reading of Endothelial cells/dysfunction and things like that.

I have a rather short history with PPI's that interfere with NO, notorious ED side effects. Once I stopped those I really didn't see an improvement in ED.

In terms of Libido I have ton's of interest, very visual guy, I'm all about checking out the ladies almost constantly...but the physical response is missing...and I'm thinking blood flow so I'v been entrenched in this NO subject.

I do have a minor heart condition called Mitral Valve Prolapse...nothing serious, I was accepted for military service with it. But its always for me been marked by Tachycardia (pulse > 90) and some palpitations, even some sensation of my heart beating out of my chest with great force, for no apparent reason. A recent cardiac exam left me with no answers, barely a diagnosis of anything but prescribed a low dose Beta Blocker, Metoprolol @ 25mg/D, which has taken the edge off a little bit of these Cardiac symptoms.

But I'm on to Adrenaline now as my ED source or contributor...I have some Doxazosin Alpha-Blocker that I'm trying to see if it will counter the constricting properties of Adrenaline and work as a vaso-dilator...some of you might know or remember that Doxazosin in a component of Gene's NO stack.

I wondered if there are similar low Cortisol being substituted by elevated Adrenaline.

 

[Vince Carter]

Lab Results

 

[Vettester Chris]

Vince, totally with you on the adrenaline subject and ED. Never knew about the correlation, researched it at one point and it made sense. I also take a low dose beta blocker on occasion.

Yes, the obvious on the results is that the optimal world for the adrenals is when the AM cortisol is at the top 80%-90% area of the reference range. It would be good "if" somehow, someway they also provided a DHEA correlation report with that, but I think ZRT is the only place doing that (?). Anyhow, I think that's a relevant subject, if trying to assess any particular stage of adrenal fatigue, i.e., Maladaptation, Stress Adapt w/divergence, Non-Adapted, etc.

In my case, my AM was a little less than mid range. Long & short, for me I was able to counter my imbalance with adding DHEA at the PM. Yours is right at the bottom, I totally agree with the HC therapy. Without it, you leave yourself vulnerable with the body's ability to cope with stress, energy regulation, immune, homeostasis, etc... The list goes on. The thyroid is also depending on it, so it indeed carries a big stick in the endocrine chain!

Keep in mind that a lot of the adrenal imbalance can stem from Pregnenolone depletion, which tends to be par for the course with the imbalances of the endocrine system as we age. I know you have the knowledge background with all of this, but I don't know off the top if you have taken (or take) DHEA, Preg, HCG, anything for back filling pathways?

 

[Vince Carter]

Im doing HCG @ 250iu E3.5D, and like DHEA and Preg...I don't feel it does much for me. Obviously my nuts are not shriveled up but that's about it. DHEA I don't have much to say about it that's good, I've been way up over lab range and then I've been <30% and not had a tangible benefit. I did feel that it was prone to Aromatase and that's primarily why I eliminated it completely. Preg I have a little less history with nothing good or bad. I am presently trying some Prog cream in the AM though.

But that's been my thought that in the absence of Cortisol Im just running on Adrenaline, so to speak. I wake pretty easily @ 4AM and I'm pretty good thru the morning and most of the day but 6pm...I'm beat dead tired for the most part, but I've had a day at work and total day approaching 15hrs so I get it that I'm tired. I actually like that rhythm of 4am to 7pm. But also those cardiac symptoms where I tell my Nurse and Cardiologist that I've got no reason my BP elevated, pulse so high, or why my heart is beating so hard...

I did take a 1mg Dox + 25mg Viagra last nite and I was 100%...very very pleased with EQ.