Tag: cortisol

Skin Deep Look At Hormones

Written by Michelle Violi, PharmD – Women’s International Pharmacy There is no doubt that hormones affect the skin, but do different hormones affect the skin differently? Let’s take a closer look. Estrogen Estrogen appears to affect the skin and its appearance in a number of ways: It supports collagen production, it maintains skin moisture by… Read More »

Human Response Patterns to Stress: Paths to Adrenal Fatigue

Written by James L. Wilson, DC, ND, PhD Many of my patients who suffered from the effects of adrenal fatigue and chronic stress often asked: “How did I end up this way?” The descriptions given below are snapshots of the most common patterns of adrenal fatigue I have seen clinically over the past twenty-four years.… Read More »

The Potential Benefits of “4-Spot Urine Testing” for HPA Axis Assessment

Written by Mark Newman, President of Precision Analytical, Inc. and Carrie Jones, ND The health of the entire hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is critically important for maintaining proper health primarily because of cortisol’s role in the body. Cortisol is known as a glucocorticosteroid because of its effects on blood sugar regulation (gluco), it is made in the… Read More »

Cortisol and HPA Axis Function in Major Depression

Written by James L. Wilson, DC, ND, PhD The World Health Organization lists depression as one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.[i] It is well known that stress can precipitate major depression and influences its incidence, severity and course[ii]. It is also known that many of the features of major depression potentially reflect dysregulation of… Read More »

Cortisol Regulation (an Overview)

By James Wilson, DC, ND, PhD   Cortisol is responsible for many life-sustaining functions. Although cortisol is secreted by the zona fasciculata in the adrenal glands, it is regulated primarily by the brain. The amount of cortisol circulating at any particular moment is regulated by a complex interaction between the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and… Read More »

Interpreting Cortisol Lab Tests in Adrenal Fatigue

By James Wilson, DC, ND, PhD Steroid hormones occur in more than one form in the body, but most lab tests only measure one. This scenario further complicates the problem of proper interpretation of lab data related to adrenal fatigue diagnostics. Cortisol, for example, takes on three forms in the blood: 1) Free, unattached to… Read More »

The Role of DHEA in Adrenal Fatigue & Loss of Libido

By James Wilson, DC, ND, PhD DHEA is one of the androgen hormones secreted by the adrenal glands and is the precursor to several other sex hormones. During adrenal fatigue, DHEA levels often become depressed. A saliva test can determine whether a patient’s DHEA levels are below normal. I usually recommend measuring DHEA-S levels with the saliva… Read More »

PODCAST: BHRT & SLEEP

Physiological hormone balance plays an important role in age-related sleep dysregulation. In this short podcast, you will learn how changing levels of estrogen, progesterone, growth hormone, melatonin and cortisol can effect circadian rhythms and sleep quality. Click the arrow below to listen…   By Jim Paoletti, B.S. Pharmacy, FAARFM, FIACP | Director of Education at Power2Practice   Brought to you… Read More »