Hello, I wonder if someone might be able to guide me with my regenerus saliva cortisol test results. They appear to be low and their comments say I have evolving (phase 2) HPA axis (adrenal gland) dysfunction. What do i do now? Is this something i can self treat (if so, how or what?) or do I need to see a specialist (if so who?).
Results (for some reason the photo wont upload!):
Cortisol AM30 1.3 nmol/L range 14.0 - 25.0
Cortisol Noon 2.9 nmol/L range 5.0-10.0
Cortisol Evening 0.94 nmol/L range 2.0 - 5.0
Cortisol Night 1.1 nmol/L range 1.0 - 4.0
DHEA 128 pg/mL range 106-300
Thank you so much!
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RachelP03
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Try putting your picture in a reply rather than your opening post, someone else was having trouble yesterday but the picture was accepted in a "Reply".
Ah, so your AM30 is not 1.3 as you put in your opening post, I was very worried about that, it's actually 13. If it had been 1.3 I was going to suggest you saw your GP pretty quickly! So it's within the reference interval and just one point short of the low end of the optimal range.
I would suggest that people always use the standard reference intervals rather than the optimal range. Companies never tell you (at least that I've seen) how they came up with their optimal ranges.
Your results :
1) Cortisol AM30 13 nmol/L range 7 - 30 *** 26% of the way through the range
2) Cortisol Noon 2.9 nmol/L range 2.1 - 14 *** 6.7% of the way through the range
3) Cortisol Evening 0.94 nmol/L range 1.5 - 8 *** UNDER the range
4) Cortisol Night 1.1 nmol/L range 0.33 - 7 *** 11.5% of the way through the range
5) DHEA 128 pg/mL range 106-300 *** 11% of the way through the range
Optimal results :
• Morning at the top of the range --- with your range this is 30
• Noon approximately 75% of the range --- with your range this is 11.025
• Evening close to 50% of the range --- with your range this is 4.75
• Nighttime at the bottom of the range --- with your range this is 0.33
Compare your results to the optimal results :
1) Optimal = 30 --- Yours = 13 --- You produce 43% of optimal
2) Optimal = 11.025 --- Yours = 2.9 ---You produce 26% of optimal
3) Optimal = 4.75 --- Yours = 0.94 --- You produce 20% of optimal
4) Optimal = 0.33 --- Yours = 1.1 --- You produce 333% of optimal
Totals) Optimal = 46.105 --- Yours = 17.94 ---You produce 39% of optimal
Your results show that you don't produce sufficient cortisol, but apart from sample 3 your results are all in range.
This doesn't suggest that you currently have Adrenal Insufficiency, which is extremely serious and potentially fatal, and which must be treated with lifelong steroids. This condition cannot be cured, it can only be treated for life.
Instead, it seems most likely that you have Adrenal Fatigue, a condition that doctors don't believe in. Your adrenals are not functioning well, but given the right conditions they should get healthier, and your cortisol output should improve.
Your DHEA is still in range, which is good. I don't know what the optimal levels are for DHEA but I know that it reduces with ageing. In the following link watch out for differences in units of measurement - I tried doing a conversion of your result to the units used in the link but got a nonsense result, so I gave up!
It used to be possible in the UK for people to supplement DHEA. But it got categorised as an anabolic steroid and then was banned. In other countries it can be bought over the counter. Insane, isn't it?
If you want to know the relationships between hormones this picture is possibly useful.
Relationship between hormones starting with cholesterol, includes cortisol and DHEA.
If you find any broken links, let me know and I'll update it.
Disclaimer : I have no medical training of any kind whatsoever. Please double and triple check anything I say before following any of my suggestions, and any suggestions are followed at your own risk!
Hi HumanBean - I wondered if you have a moment, would you look at my most recent post? It is an adrenal result. I am a bit concerned and wondered if I need steroids. So grateful for your time if you can look at it x
Your levels are on the low side so it's worth getting our GP to do an early morning blood cortisol to see what that shows. If it is still low then you need to be referred to an Endo who is conversant with pituitary/adrenal issues todo a short synacthen test to see how your adrenal glands respond to the artificial ACTH they inject you with. You should also have blood taken for an ACTH level, as that determines whether the issue is a pituitary one.
Have you had your thyroid hormones tested T4, TSH and T3. When I had low cortisol I also had very low T3 results. I’m a poor converter of T4 Levothyroxine. I also have the faulty gene DI02 confirmed by Regenerus Laboratories. What I found was that as soon as I started my T3 medication trial that my cortisol shot up too. It was 68(155-607). It went up to 450 within a few weeks. It’s now steady around 250/300 each time I get it checked every 3 months. I also had a Synacthen test and that was fine. It wasn’t adrenal related, it was lack of T3. So please check your T3 if you haven’t already.
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