Re: / Repeat cry for help!!!

[Guest guest]

,

After posting yesterday I continued researching on this and you just

answered all the questions that came up in the process. Apparently

my understanding of stuff was not necessarily correct. Thanks again

for your input. I may need to reassess.

Anne

> >

> > I was happy to find you. Even though I have taken Andy's

> > recommendation of supporting the adrenals with adrenal cortex

> > extract, pantothenic acid, licorice (deglycerrized sp?), etc.,

and

> > have forgone the option to use Isorcort, I appreciate your

knowledge

> > in this area and am very grateful for your willingness to help

all

> > of us. We are still titrating my son's Armour dose, but I am

sure

> > we will get where we need to go, many thanks to you.

> >

> > Anne

> >

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

,

Here is my synopsis. Please correct where wrong.

So, all adrenal cortex extract has cortisol in it.

The amount of cortisol in Isocort is established at 2.5 mg/pill.

The amount of cortisol in other adrenal cortex extract products

(except maybe Cortef) is not known and may not be consistent.

Andy recommends vigorously against cortisol supplementation unless

absolutely necessary. This is from post # 171011:

" : Andy, can you use small amounts of cortisol for kids,

like say the 2.5 grams that are in Isocort for kids on Armour for

whom adrenal glandulars are not strong enough?

Andy: 2.5 MILLI grams, yes.

: What are the parameters of using cortisol for kids?

Andy: Use only if necessary and just enough to do the trick, divide

their weight by 7 and don't use more than that many mg a day for

more than a few days unless really necessary, don't use any OTHER

adrenal steroids like pregnenolone or DHEA AT ALL, try lots and lots

of adrenal cortex supplement, and use the " adrenal support " herbs

like licorice if they are tolerated. "

What am I missing here? Is there a difference between " adrenal

cortex supplement " and " adrenal cortex extract " ? I didn't think so.

Assuming I am not wrong on this, why does Andy say okay to adrenal

cortex extract and no to cortisol?

Does my question make any sense?

Anne

> > >

> > > Isocort is just another form of adrenal cortex. The only

advantage

> > to using

> > > it is that the amount of cortisol in each pellet is known:

2.5mg -

> > which

> > > makes it very easy to regulate/titrate doses. Some drawbacks of

> > Isocort are

> > > price and the fact that it also contains Echinacea to which

some

> > folks are

> > > allergic.

> > >

> > > The problem with other OTC adrenal cortex supplements is that

the

> > amount of

> > > cortisol is not assayed or predictable...

> > >

> > > The drawback with all cortex supplements is that they also

contain

> > > epinephrines (adrenalines) which aggravate adrenal stress.

> > >

> > > I will add another caution for licorice. The action of

licorice is

> > only to

> > > keep the cortisol in the blood stream longer. As I recall this

is

> > > accomplished by slowing the metabolism of cortisol. Since Free

T3

> > cannot be

> > > utilised by cells without the cortisol, this does not alleviate

> > symptoms. A

> > > very serious concern with licorice is that it can shoot blood

> > pressure up.

> > > This happened to me, and it took a long time to re-regulate

that

> > > licorice-caused high BP...

> > >

> > > The other safe option is hydrocortisone, either orally, or as

Andy

> > has

> > > recommended at times - " slathering some OTC hydrocortisone

cream

> > on " . (I

> > > could have avoided several years of meltdowns with this trick,

> > alone!)

> > >

> > > I highly recommend Jeffries', *Safe Uses of Cortisol*. So many

of

> > us mercury

> > > poisoned moms and kids (dads, too) suffer from adrenal

> > stress/exhaustion of

> > > the kind that is aided by cortisol supplementation...

> > >

> > > ...

> >

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

when adrenals are stressed, especially when they have over-worked in effort

to make up for low thyroid, the body is not getting what it needs for the

functions of growth, development and maintenance. This causes impairment of

incredible variety. In children the damage can be permanent. IMHO this

qualifies for " *unless really necessary .* "

Again, I highly recommend Jeffries', *Safe Uses Of Cortisol*.

As for adrenal cortex supplement and adrenal cortex extract and what Andy

says. Some folks use the terms interchangeably. I only say that it is useful

to know what amounts of the active ingredients that I take or give my child.

I like to use a known amount ot cortisol (cortisone or hydrocortisone.)

Supplements are not allowed to assay nor to guarantee the amount of cortisol

in their supplement. (Except for Isocort which cannot label that it contains

2.5 mg cortisol per pellet but it is a known amount.)

Andy's body weight divided by 7 is a good ballpark. The scant cortisol

literature as well as the experience of many folks taking adrenal

support shows it is very important in adrenal stress to start low and build

up. Andy alludes to the danger of inducing high blood pressure with licorice

when he says " if they are tolerated. " Unfortunately the action of licorice

doesn't add cortisol, it keeps the cortisol that one already has from

breaking down, thus circulating longer. This doesn't usually give the much

needed support... My careful licorice trials gave me horrible headaches to

go with super high BP.

Those of us moms who have kids taking adrenal support saw the end of

meltdowns - which IMHO are signs of adrenal stress...This is healing our

kids not giving them mood/behavior mod-drugs...

hth,

....

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: anneecbrynn <abrynn@...>

Date: Apr 27, 2006 7:24 AM

Subject: [ ] Re: / Repeat cry for help!!!

,

Here is my synopsis. Please correct where wrong.

So, all adrenal cortex extract has cortisol in it.

The amount of cortisol in Isocort is established at 2.5 mg/pill.

The amount of cortisol in other adrenal cortex extract products

(except maybe Cortef) is not known and may not be consistent.

Andy recommends vigorously against cortisol supplementation unless

absolutely necessary. This is from post # 171011:

" : Andy, can you use small amounts of cortisol for kids,

like say the 2.5 grams that are in Isocort for kids on Armour for

whom adrenal glandulars are not strong enough?

Andy: 2.5 MILLI grams, yes.

: What are the parameters of using cortisol for kids?

Andy: Use only if necessary and just enough to do the trick, divide

their weight by 7 and don't use more than that many mg a day for

more than a few days *unless really necessary [emphasis added]*, don't use

any OTHER adrenal steroids like pregnenolone or DHEA AT ALL, try lots and

lots of adrenal cortex supplement, and use the " adrenal support " herbs like

licorice if they are tolerated. "

What am I missing here? Is there a difference between " adrenal

cortex supplement " and " adrenal cortex extract " ? I didn't think so.

Assuming I am not wrong on this, why does Andy say okay to adrenal

cortex extract and no to cortisol?

Does my question make any sense?

Anne

> > >

> > > Isocort is just another form of adrenal cortex. The only

advantage

> > to using

> > > it is that the amount of cortisol in each pellet is known:

2.5mg -

> > which

> > > makes it very easy to regulate/titrate doses. Some drawbacks of

> > Isocort are

> > > price and the fact that it also contains Echinacea to which

some

> > folks are

> > > allergic.

> > >

> > > The problem with other OTC adrenal cortex supplements is that

the

> > amount of

> > > cortisol is not assayed or predictable...

> > >

> > > The drawback with all cortex supplements is that they also

contain

> > > epinephrines (adrenalines) which aggravate adrenal stress.

> > >

> > > I will add another caution for licorice. The action of

licorice is

> > only to

> > > keep the cortisol in the blood stream longer. As I recall this

is

> > > accomplished by slowing the metabolism of cortisol. Since Free

T3

> > cannot be

> > > utilised by cells without the cortisol, this does not alleviate

> > symptoms. A

> > > very serious concern with licorice is that it can shoot blood

> > pressure up.

> > > This happened to me, and it took a long time to re-regulate

that

> > > licorice-caused high BP...

> > >

> > > The other safe option is hydrocortisone, either orally, or as

Andy

> > has

> > > recommended at times - " slathering some OTC hydrocortisone

cream

> > on " . (I

> > > could have avoided several years of meltdowns with this trick,

> > alone!)

> > >

> > > I highly recommend Jeffries', *Safe Uses of Cortisol*. So many

of

> > us mercury

> > > poisoned moms and kids (dads, too) suffer from adrenal

> > stress/exhaustion of

> > > the kind that is aided by cortisol supplementation...

> > >

> > > ...

[Guest guest]

,

Thanks. I know I need to supplement to make the adrenals work

better. I am just trying to find out how to do that in the safest,

most effective way taking into consideration potential long term

effects. I will order Jeffries' book and follow up on the licorice

question. Based on what you wrote, I am feeling mighty lucky that

we have relied so much more on the adrenal cortex extract than on

licorice. That said, the licorice I got my little guy (chewable and

he doesn't like it much, so he hasn't gotten much) says that it is

formulated to not have the adverse blood pressure reaction. Just so

you know, no, I don't believe everything I read....

So, if I were to use the Isocort until the Jeffries book gets here

and I get a chance to read it, I would give my kid, who weighs 38

lbs, two Isorcort, totalling 2.5 mgs cortisol. In your experience,

is it best to give in divided doses? Or all at once (presumably in

the am).

Thanks for your help. Getting this thyroid/adrenal thing correct

has been a challenge, to say the least. Add in the chelation, and

his needs seem to change often! Is that common?

Anne

> > > >

> > > > Isocort is just another form of adrenal cortex. The only

> advantage

> > > to using

> > > > it is that the amount of cortisol in each pellet is known:

> 2.5mg -

> > > which

> > > > makes it very easy to regulate/titrate doses. Some drawbacks

of

> > > Isocort are

> > > > price and the fact that it also contains Echinacea to which

> some

> > > folks are

> > > > allergic.

> > > >

> > > > The problem with other OTC adrenal cortex supplements is that

> the

> > > amount of

> > > > cortisol is not assayed or predictable...

> > > >

> > > > The drawback with all cortex supplements is that they also

> contain

> > > > epinephrines (adrenalines) which aggravate adrenal stress.

> > > >

> > > > I will add another caution for licorice. The action of

> licorice is

> > > only to

> > > > keep the cortisol in the blood stream longer. As I recall

this

> is

> > > > accomplished by slowing the metabolism of cortisol. Since

Free

> T3

> > > cannot be

> > > > utilised by cells without the cortisol, this does not

alleviate

> > > symptoms. A

> > > > very serious concern with licorice is that it can shoot blood

> > > pressure up.

> > > > This happened to me, and it took a long time to re-regulate

> that

> > > > licorice-caused high BP...

> > > >

> > > > The other safe option is hydrocortisone, either orally, or as

> Andy

> > > has

> > > > recommended at times - " slathering some OTC hydrocortisone

> cream

> > > on " . (I

> > > > could have avoided several years of meltdowns with this

trick,

> > > alone!)

> > > >

> > > > I highly recommend Jeffries', *Safe Uses of Cortisol*. So

many

> of

> > > us mercury

> > > > poisoned moms and kids (dads, too) suffer from adrenal

> > > stress/exhaustion of

> > > > the kind that is aided by cortisol supplementation...

> > > >

> > > > ...

>

>

>