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Adrenal fatigue - saliva test results

Messages
1
I have all the symptoms that show someone is suffering from adrenal fatigue and have been feeling these symptoms over the last 3 years.

I recently got my hormones tested via a saliva test. The test measured saliva at 4 different times in the day with cortisol being measured only once in the day (morning). The results came back like so:

Estradiol - result within expected range
Progesterone - result within expected range
Testosterone - higher than expected range
DHEAS - over twice expected range
Cortisol (morning only test) - within expected range

My testosterone and DHEA came back pretty high with DHEA being over double the expected range. My questions:

1. Are there some assumptions I can draw from these two hormones at high levels?

2. Should I do another test to measure just Cortisol but at 4 different times in the day instead of just in the morning?
 

minkeygirl

But I Look So Good.
Messages
4,678
Location
Left Coast
I just looked at my saliva cortisol tests earlier. I think you get a better picture doing it 4 times. My morning is very low and night is high but normal, which could explain why I have problems getting to sleep.

I think just getting one time done doesn't give you the full picture.

I can't comment on the other hormones.
 

drob31

Senior Member
Messages
1,487
I agree with minkey, not only do you need to do a 4x a day test, you should do at least 3 (4x a day tests) to get a real baseline.
 

ukxmrv

Senior Member
Messages
4,413
Location
London
The idea of adrenal fatigue is found largely on the internet and in alternative medical practitioners offices. There is no scientific proof that it exists or is brought about in the way they claim (I've seen / read them)

It may be useful to ignore this as a theory for why you feel as you so. Especially as your cortisol is normal in the morning. In CFS the morning cortisol is low.

It may be if you did the tests spread over a day that you would see a cortisol pattern that is abnormal but if that is correct what are you going to do about it?

I've got very low cortisol AM and it's higher at night. Been taking vitamins, drugs and supplements for years and no change to my overall ME.

I don't know about the hormones sorry. My DHEAS was low. Tried supplementing.

Do you have a reputable doctor that deals with hormones who could help with this?
 

whodathunkit

Senior Member
Messages
1,160
Adrenal fatigue is not made up. My MD told me I had it based on my symptoms and a saliva test.

However, my cortisol was flatlined below normal throughout the day, with a weak blip into low normal in the mid-afternoon, going right back down again. I took this test while I was experiencing the worst of my CFS symptoms.

I did not discuss with my doctor *all* my CFS symptoms (such as PEM and occasional dizziness upon standing) because I thought they were just due to getting older and I would have to live with them. I now see I was wrong about that, but that's at least part of the reason why I don't have an official CFS diagnosis. But based on my symptoms and my saliva test, my MD did diagnose me with adrenal fatigue.

Correcting adrenal problems can be done. Based on symptom improvement, I have mostly corrected mine. I haven't taken another cortisol saliva test to confirm this because the 4x/day ones are disruptive to routine...you have to store the vials with saliva in a freezer until the test is completed, you have to wake yourself up at 3 a.m. to generate enough spit to fill one of the vials (which can be hard to do), and then you have to immediately FedEx all the vials the next day. Plus, it's expensive. The whole thing is just a PITA that I chose not to do again, because I feel good and I care more about how I feel than about lab values. But I am glad I did it once.

Anyway, based on symptom relief I have mostly corrected my adrenal problems. I still have to be careful with my adrenals (too much coffee or bad food or lack of sleep will start hurting them pretty quickly) but my symptoms are pretty much gone. I corrected them with adrenal supplements, co-factor supplements like vitamin C, methylation supplements, and diet & lifestyle improvement. It took years, but I was able to do it.

That said, if your morning cortisol is normal it's unlikely you have adrenal fatigue. You might have the beginnings of some dysfunction, but without the 4x/day test you can't know. Readings out of whack at other times of the day can indicate dysfunction and the beginning of real problems if not corrected. I wish I'd done more to address my problems when they were in the beginnings. Could have saved myself a lot of time, trouble, and money.

I wish I could offer something with respect to the DHEA, but I can't. Mine was low but I didn't do anything about it because supplemental DHEA made my hair fall out one time. So I'm NEVER doing that again and just try not to worry about DHEA.
 

tango

Senior Member
Messages
165
Location
New Zealand
I think it's worth examining where you are in the ranges. If your cortisol is near the bottom of the "normal" range then with some labs that would actually be low. Mine is always at the very bottom of the normal range for our labs in our country but looking at labs in other countries I am below normal range. Vitamin A is the same. I show as bottom of normal range but according to USA labs I would be well below the normal range.