Tag Archives: hormone

Hmmm – I Drink Coffee All Day

Posted on by MaryO

coffee-maker

This article says differently:

You’re probably drinking coffee at the wrong time of day

Wake up and smell the coffee beans. Many of us start the day in this manner, but sometimes that caffeine kick we’re after doesn’t actually kick. Turns out there’s a good reason – if you’re missing out on an energy boost from that morning cup, science has the answer.

The daily coffee habit isn’t just a delicious ritual, it’s also a vehicle for the planet’s most popular psychoactive drug, caffeine. People the world over rely on this central nervous system stimulant for its ability to keep them alert, despite the myriad side effects including possible anxiety and heartburn (everything in moderation, people).

However, as anyone who’s not a coffee addict will attest, humans are perfectly capable of staying awake without chemical help. This is thanks to our own internal chemistry, and, more specifically, a hormone called cortisol.

As with any hormone, cortisol has several influences on the body, and is most commonly associated with metabolism. Produced in the adrenal cortex above the kidneys, it also plays a role in our stress and alertness levels.

And this is where it gets really interesting. Research has found that cortisol has a natural peak-and-fall cycle in the human body, with the highest levels occurring on average between 8 to 9 am.

Cortisol – and therefore your natural, unaided alertness levels – are important to consider in relation to your caffeine intake. Right when you wake up, your cortisol is already on the climb, which means that the morning coffee shot is going to have a lesser effect.

“If we are drinking caffeine at a time when your cortisol concentration in the blood is at its peak, you probably should not be drinking it,” writes neuroscientist Steven L. Miller. “One of the key principles of pharmacology is use a drug when it is needed [..] Otherwise, we can develop tolerance to a drug administered at the same dose.”

So drinking coffee first thing in the morning makes you more resistant to its effects. Of course, if you’re just drinking it for the taste, go nuts.

But when should you enjoy your coffee, then?

To optimise your coffee break, it’s best to have it between 9.30 and 11.30am. Because cortisol levels peak and rise a couple times during the day, your next window of alertness is between noon and 1pm, and then again between 5.30 and 6.30pm.

Drink coffee in-between these times to reap maximum caffeine benefits, but don’t leave it too late in the day if you want to get a good night’s sleep.

 

 

Am I likely to change my habits?  Probably not.  My cortisol levels have been screwed up for over 30 years anyway!

 

coffee-machine

Early Detection, Treatment Needed To Reduce Risk Of Death, Cardiovascular Disease In Cushing’s Disease Patients

Posted on by MaryO

Possible double whammy?

 

Even after successful treatment, patients with Cushing’s disease who were older when diagnosed or had prolonged exposure to excess cortisol face a greater risk of dying or developing cardiovascular disease, according to a recent study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM).

Cushing’s disease is a rare condition where the body is exposed to excess cortisol – a stress hormone produced in the adrenal gland – for long periods of time.

Researchers have long known that patients who have Cushing’s disease are at greater risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease than the average person. This study examined whether the risk could be eliminated or reduced when the disease is controlled. Researchers found that these risk factors remained long after patients were exposed to excess cortisol.

“The longer patients with Cushing’s disease are exposed to excess cortisol and the older they are when diagnosed, the more likely they are to experience these challenges,” said Eliza B. Geer, MD, of Mount Sinai Medical Center and lead author of the study. “The findings demonstrate just how critical it is for Cushing’s disease to be diagnosed and treated quickly. Patients also need long-term follow-up care to help them achieve good outcomes.”

The study found cured Cushing’s disease patients who had depression when they started to experience symptoms of the disease had an elevated risk of mortality and cardiovascular disease. Men were more at risk than women, a trend that may be explained by a lack of follow-up care, according to the study. In addition, patients who had both Cushing’s syndrome and diabetes were more likely to develop cardiovascular disease.

The study examined one of the largest cohorts of Cushing’s disease patients operated on by a single surgeon. The researchers retrospectively reviewed charts for 346 Cushing’s disease patients who were treated between 1980 and 2011. Researchers estimated the duration of exposure to excess cortisol by calculating how long symptoms lasted before the patient went into remission. The patients who were studied had an average exposure period of 40 months.

The findings may have implications for people who take steroid medications, Geer said. People treated with high doses of steroid medications such as prednisone, hydrocortisone or dexamethasone are exposed to high levels of cortisol and may experience similar conditions as Cushing’s disease patients.

“While steroid medications are useful for treating patients with a variety of conditions, the data suggests health care providers need to be aware that older patients or those who take steroid medications for long periods could be facing higher risk,” Geer said. “These patients should be monitored carefully while more study is done in this area.”

From http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/256284.php