Safe Uses Of Cortisol

The Third Edition of this popular book brings up to date the material that so many readers found helpful in the previous editions. The text has been revised and reorganized with current chapters focusing on the history of cortisol use, sources of confusion regarding cortisol therapy, the significance of normal adrenocortical function, generally accepted uses of physiological dosage, viral infections, miscellaneous clinical conditions, and future directions for research and therapy. The author provides explanation and confirmation of the rationale for the effectiveness and safety of the uses of physiological dosages of cortisol in the treatment, not only of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders, but also of patients with chronic allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, gonadal dysfunction, infertility, shingles, acne, hirsutism, respiratory infections, and other less common disorders. It is a known fact that the influenza virus attacks the human body by impairing the production of the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which, in turn, impairs the production of cortisol; the only hormone that is absolutely essential for life. In addition, within the past two years, a new infection has developed in central China and has been labeled Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The ACTH hormone and the SARS epidemic is addressed, and it is hoped that this type of cortisol therapy will not only be helpful in the treatment of the various disorders mentioned but will lead to a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the development of these disorders and ultimately contribute towards their prevention.

Why does stress make you fat? What can you ultimately do about it? Shawn Talbott answered these questions in THE CORTISOL CONNECTION. Cortisol is the body's main stress hormone, prompting our fight or flight mechanism when dealing with a highly stressful situation, like being chased by a lion. However, the human body was made to deal with short bursts of stress (like being chased by a lion), not prolonged, continuous levels of stress (like mortgage payments, project deadlines, and traffic jams). This kind of stress causes the body's cortisol levels to rise, and scientific research has shown that high cortisol levels are associated with obesity, diabetes, fatigue, and even Alzheimer's disease. This new edition describes the results of the latest research about the connection between cortisol and HSD, and cortisol and testosterone. If we keep cortisol and HSD and testosterone within normal ranges, we're able to maximize the metabolic effect of diet and exercise regimen – and improve weight loss. In the first edition, Talbott introduced his SENSE program, that teaches participants how to manage stress and reduce cortisol levels. The program has been refined in the second edition with the help of the new research and the results of Talbott's test of the SENSE program over the past 5 years – he know it works. For the past 5 years, he has been actively researching (and refining and tweaking) this popular program to make it more and more effective in helping people to lose weight. SENSE is a program that combines Stress management, Exercise, Nutrition, Supplementation, and Evaluation into a comprehensive and highly effective (yet easy to follow) program that delivers results. During these 5 years, Talbott has combined different dietary approaches with varied exercise regimens and myriad supplement combinations – until finding just the right combination that works best for the majority of people. This edition contains 25% new material and a revised program to help everyone manage cortisol, stress, and their weight.

The brain is the most complex organ in our body. Indeed, it is perhaps the most complex structure we have ever encountered in nature. Both structurally and functionally, there are many peculiarities that differentiate the brain from all other organs. The brain is our connection to the world around us and by governing nervous system and higher function, any disturbance induces severe neurological and psychiatric disorders that can have a devastating effect on quality of life. Our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of the brain has improved dramatically in the last two decades. In particular, the critical role of cations, including magnesium, has become evident, even if incompletely understood at a mechanistic level. The exact role and regulation of magnesium, in particular, remains elusive, largely because intracellular levels are so difficult to routinely quantify. Nonetheless, the importance of magnesium to normal central nervous system activity is self-evident given the complicated homeostatic mechanisms that maintain the concentration of this cation within strict limits essential for normal physiology and metabolism. There is also considerable accumulating evidence to suggest alterations to some brain functions in both normal and pathological conditions may be linked to alterations in local magnesium concentration. This book, containing chapters written by some of the foremost experts in the field of magnesium research, brings together the latest in experimental and clinical magnesium research as it relates to the central nervous system. It offers a complete and updated view of magnesiums involvement in central nervous system function and in so doing, brings together two main pillars of contemporary neuroscience research, namely providing an explanation for the molecular mechanisms involved in brain function, and emphasizing the connections between the molecular changes and behavior. It is the untiring efforts of those magnesium researchers who have dedicated their lives to unraveling the mysteries of magnesiums role in biological systems that has inspired the collation of this volume of work.

This important book fills a need in the developing area of Pain Medicine. It provides physicians with an up-to-date resource that details the current understanding about the basic science underlying the mechanism of action of the various CAM therapies used for pain. It summarizes the clinical evidence both for efficacy and safety, and finishes with practical guidelines about how such treatments could be successfully and safely integrated into a Pain practice.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis controls reactions to stress and regulates various body processes such as digestion, the immune system, mood and sexuality, and energy usage. This volume focuses on the role it plays in the immune system and provides substantive experimental and clinical data to support current understanding in the field, and potential applications of this knowledge in the treatment of disease. * Evidence presented in this book suggests that the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems form the Neuroendoimmune Supersystem, which integrates all the biological functions of higher organisms both in health and disease for their entire life cycle. * Contributors include both the scientists who initiated the work on the HPA axis and on the autonomic nervous system, and those who joined the field later.

This report from the Committee on Military Nutrition Research reviews the history of caffeine usage, the metabolism of caffeine, and its physiological effects. The effects of caffeine on physical performance, cognitive function and alertness, and alleviation of sleep deprivation impairments are discussed in light of recent scientific literature. The impact of caffeine consumption on various aspects of health, including cardiovascular disease, reproduction, bone mineral density, and fluid homeostasis are reviewed. The behavioral effects of caffeine are also discussed, including the effect of caffeine on reaction to stress, withdrawal effects, and detrimental effects of high intakes. The amounts of caffeine found to enhance vigilance and reaction time consistently are reviewed and recommendations are made with respect to amounts of caffeine appropriate for maintaining alertness of military personnel during field operations. Recommendations are also provided on the need for appropriate labeling of caffeine-containing supplements, and education of military personnel on the use of these supplements. A brief review of some alternatives to caffeine is also provided.

In 1948, when “Mrs. G.,” hospitalized with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, became the first person to receive a mysterious new compound—cortisone—her physicians were awestruck by her transformation from enervated to energized. After eighteen years of biochemical research, the most intensively hunted biological agent of all time had finally been isolated, identified, synthesized, and put to the test. And it worked. But the discovery of a long-sought “magic bullet” came at an unanticipated cost in the form of strange side effects. This fascinating history recounts the discovery of cortisone and pulls the curtain back on the peculiar cast of characters responsible for its advent, including two enigmatic scientists, Edward Kendall and Philip Hench, who went on to receive the Nobel Prize. The book also explores the key role the Mayo Clinic played in fostering cortisone’s development, and looks at drugs that owe their heritage to the so-called “King of Steroids.”

Renowned primatologist Robert Sapolsky offers a completely revised and updated edition of his most popular work, with over 225,000 copies in print Now in a third edition, Robert M. Sapolsky's acclaimed and successful Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into anxiety and personality disorder and the impact of spirituality on managing stress. As Sapolsky explains, most of us do not lie awake at night worrying about whether we have leprosy or malaria. Instead, the diseases we fear-and the ones that plague us now-are illnesses brought on by the slow accumulation of damage, such as heart disease and cancer. When we worry or experience stress, our body turns on the same physiological responses that an animal's does, but we do not resolve conflict in the same way-through fighting or fleeing. Over time, this activation of a stress response makes us literally sick. Combining cutting-edge research with a healthy dose of good humor and practical advice, Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers explains how prolonged stress causes or intensifies a range of physical and mental afflictions, including depression, ulcers, colitis, heart disease, and more. It also provides essential guidance to controlling our stress responses. This new edition promises to be the most comprehensive and engaging one yet.