CAN YOU TEST SALIVARY CORTISOL WHILE TAKING ADRENAL CORTEX EXTRACT

[Redlester]

I have been taking Adrenal Cortex Extract(ACE)[Thorne 50mg] for approximately 2 months after having been prescribed them for low cortisol. I am currently on a dose of 3 capsules twice per day. I am due to have a review appointment with the doctor who prescribed this treatment and he wants me to do salivary cortisol testing by way of preparation.

I have checked the Stop the Thyroid Madness site about cortisol testing and they advise that ACE will impact the results of a salivary cortisol test and is one of the supplements which you would need to be off in order to do salivary cortisol testing to get an accurate result

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

I don't want to go off them abruptly in order to do cortisol testing because it is my understanding that you need to taper them down gradually over time. Can anyone confirm that I am right in thinking this and has anyone else been in a similar situation. Other than salivary cortisol testing is there any other way to know how you are doing on ACE? Any help would be much appreciated.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Redlester

Who are you doing your test with?

I do mine with Regenerus who send out quite comprehensive instructions and this is what they say

CORTISOL/GLUCOCORTICOID SUPPLEMENTATION

Consult with your provider for instruction if you are taking a cortisol supplement for adrenal support (or any other glucocorticoid for medical reasons). Note: certain medications, including hydrocortison creams and asthma inhalers, contain cortisol. to evaluation your natural production it is recommended to stop using cortisol-containing products 5 days prior to sample collection. Consult with your provider prior to stopping cortiosl-containing medication.

I have been trying to raise mine for a couple of years, I don't stop 5 days before, I just don't take them on the day of the test.

I'd be interested to see your new results to see how you're getting on with the Thorne supplement, would you mind posting the graph when you have them and let us know if there's much improvement.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Susie .

I am planning to do a Regenerus salivary cortisol test.

When you say that you don't stop taking them 5 days before the test are you talking about ACE or HC? and if it is ACE, and you just don't take them on the day of the test then how do you know whether you are getting a valid result?

I will need to consult guy I am seeing online about what to do re stopping ACE and doing the test - problem is he is hard to get hold of. I am also slightly concerned that if he insists I have to stop taking the ACE for the full 5 days prior to the test my body is going to be in very poor shape for that 5 days if I go from 6 ACE per day to zero. I'll post back and let you know what he advises in case you are interested.

I will of course post any results I get from my test as I would be very interested in feedback from you and any others who might have advice.

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Redlester]

Redlester

When you say that you don't stop taking them 5 days before the test are you talking about ACE or HC? and if it is ACE, and you just don't take them on the day of the test then how do you know whether you are getting a valid result?

I am quoting from their instructions (you will see it on page 4 of the instruction leaflet they enclose), it has nothing to do with what I take other than it says "If you are taking a cortisol supplement for adrenal support" which we both are.

I take an adrenal glandular and I continue taking it up to and including the day before the test. I don't take it on the day of the test and I resume it the day after the test.

As to whether or not you get a valid result, it depends on exactly what you want from the test. I am still in the stages of trying to raise my cortisol level (my results aren't a hundred miles away from yours) so I want to know if what I am taking is the right amount and is continuing to raise my level. If I continue to take them then the test measures what the effect of taking that amount daily is having on my levels. If I stopped taking them 5 days before then logic tells me one of two things -

1) I am being shown what I am holding on to and I can see if my dose enough or

2) My level may have dropped due to lack of support for 5 days

So at the stage I am at I don't want to know what I am holding on to, I want to know what effect my dose is having. If I can see a good improvement then that will tell me it's time to adjust the dose and see what happens.

This is purely my interpretation of it, which may be different from the practioner you consult with.

[Redlester in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Seaside Susie - very helpful - I think I am similar in that I want to know if I am taking the right amount and is raising my level. I'll consult my guy to see what he advises and report back.