Cortisol is a hormone that is naturally produced in the adrenal glands. Cortisol helps control metabolism, regulate blood pressure and promote proper immune system function, which is why it is very important to maintain healthy cortisol levels in your body. Cortisol deficiency is a serious condition that could indicate that your adrenal glands are not functioning properly. See Step 1 to learn how to increase your cortisol production to healthy levels.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Determining If You Have Low Cortisol Levels
Step 1. See if you have any symptoms of cortisol deficiency
Many people fear having too much cortisol, because high cortisol levels can cause weight gain, fatigue, and more serious symptoms. But having too little cortisol is just as dangerous for your health. If your adrenal glands are damaged, your body will not be able to produce enough cortisol to properly regulate your blood pressure and immune system. The following are common symptoms of cortisol deficiency:
- Loss of weight and decreased appetite
- Low blood pressure
- Faint
- Fatigue
- Vomiting, nausea and pain in the digestive tract
- Desire to eat salty food
- Hyperpigmentation (dark spots on the skin)
- Muscle weakness or muscle pain
- Easily angry and depressed
- For women, loss of body hair and decreased libido
Step 2. Check your cortisol levels
If you suspect your cortisol levels are low, make an appointment with your doctor to schedule a cortisol test. A cortisol test involves taking a sample of your blood and sending the sample to a laboratory to check the level of cortisol in your blood. Cortisol levels are usually highest in the morning and lower in the afternoon and evening, and in some cases your doctor may decide to check your cortisol levels twice in the same day to compare your cortisol levels in the morning and evening. Your doctor will be able to determine whether you have low cortisol or have Addison's disease by comparing your cortisol levels to normal cortisol levels.
- The range of "normal" cortisol levels varies by laboratory, but in general, the average morning cortisol level for an adult or child is 5-23 micrograms per deciliter (mcg/dL), or 138-635. nanomoles per liter (nmol/L). The average afternoon cortisol level for adults or children is 3-16 mcg/dL or 83-441 nmol/L.
- Make sure your cortisol levels are tested by a doctor, not at home. Saliva testing kits advertised online are not as reliable as laboratory-analyzed blood tests.
- There are various factors that can affect the effectiveness of the test, so you will need to have your cortisol levels checked more than once. For example, if you are under stress, are pregnant, are taking certain medications, or if you exercise right before the test, it can affect the level of cortisol in your blood.
Step 3. Determine why your cortisol levels are low
Once your doctor has confirmed that your cortisol is low, the next step is to find out what affects cortisol production in your adrenal glands. The treatment your doctor prescribes will largely be determined based on the source of the problem.
- Primary adrenal insufficiency, or Addison's disease, occurs when your adrenal glands don't function properly to produce cortisol because they are damaged. It can be caused by autoimmune disease, tuberculosis, infection of the adrenal glands, cancer of the adrenal glands, or bleeding in the adrenal glands.
- Secondary adrenal insufficiency It occurs when the pituitary gland, which produces hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands, becomes diseased. The adrenal glands may be fine, but because they are not stimulated properly by the pituitary gland, they don't produce enough cortisol. Secondary adrenal insufficiency can also occur when people taking corticosteroid medications suddenly stop taking them.
Part 2 of 3: Using Medical Treatment for Cortisol Hormone Deficiency
Step 1. Take cortisol replacement therapy medication
The most common way to treat cortisol deficiency is through hormone replacement therapy. If your cortisol levels are low enough to require a synthetic substitute, your doctor will prescribe oral corticosteroid medications, such as hydrocortisone, prednisone or cortisone acetate. Taking your prescription medication in tablet form every day will increase your production of the hormone cortisone.
- You should check your cortisol levels regularly during hormone replacement therapy to make sure you don't have too much or too little cortisol in your body.
- Oral corticosteroids have a wide range of side effects; these drugs can cause weight gain, mood swings, and other unpleasant symptoms. Talk to your doctor about things you can do to reduce these side effects.
Step 2. Ask your doctor about cortisol injections
If your cortisol levels are very low, getting into stressful situations can be dangerous for you. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress, and without this hormone, your body is likely to go into a coma. Your doctor can teach you how to do a cortisol injection yourself in an emergency. When stressful situations arise, you will give yourself a shot of cortisol so that your body can adequately handle the crisis without endangering your health.
Step 3. Get treatment for the underlying problem
Hormone replacement therapy improves the symptoms, but it's not the underlying problem that's preventing your body from producing enough cortisol. Talk to your doctor about treatment options that can help your adrenal glands function normally.
- If your adrenal glands have been permanently damaged, or if you have a permanent condition that will always cause your adrenal glands to function suboptimally, continuing hormone replacement therapy may be the best option.
- However, if the cause of your cortisol deficiency is related to secondary factors such as pituitary gland disease, cancer, tuberculosis, or bleeding, there are other treatment options that will restore your body's capacity to produce adequate amounts of cortisol.
Part 3 of 3: Treating Cortisol Deficiency Using Natural Ways
Step 1. Deal with your stress
If your cortisol levels are low, but not low enough to require hormone replacement therapy, it is still important that you live a life with as little stress as possible. Learning to manage and reduce stress in your life will allow cortisol to build up in your system gradually, rather than being produced all at once in high pressure situations. The more stress you experience, the faster your cortisol will decrease.
Try stress management techniques such as journaling, yoga or meditation to train your body to produce cortisol regularly and keep its production levels at healthy levels
Step 2. Maintain a regular sleep schedule
The body naturally produces cortisol during the time you are asleep. Get 6 to 8 hours of sleep each night and try to go to bed around the same time every night.
Create a quiet environment without light or sound so you can sleep soundly and help increase the hormone cortisol
Step 3. Set a balanced diet
Foods high in sugar and refined flour can cause cortisol levels to spike or drop to unhealthy levels. Eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables to help raise cortisol levels to healthy amounts.
Step 4. Eat grapefruit
This fruit and citrus will break down the enzymes that limit the production of cortisol. Adding red grapefruit to your diet on a regular basis can help the adrenal glands increase cortisol production.
Step 5. Try taking a licorice supplement
Licorice contains glycerin, which inhibits an enzyme in the body that breaks down the hormone cortisol. Deactivating this enzyme will help gradually increase cortisol levels. Licorice is considered a very useful substance for increasing cortisol.
- Look for liquorice herbal supplements in tablet or capsule form at a vitamin or health food and supplement store.
- Avoid using liquorice gum as a supplement. This lozenge does not contain high enough glycerin to be effective.
Warning
- Check with your doctor or pharmacist before making changes to your diet or taking over-the-counter medications or supplements to help increase your cortisol levels. They will be able to ensure that this addition will have no contraindications to any other medicines you are currently taking
- Licorice also lowers testosterone levels, so don't overdo it. The most important thing is balance.
