Downstream Drug Dysfunction Steroids

A powerful patient education opportunity!  Glucocorticoids are prescribed to aggressively calm the immune system.  A great example of a blessing in medication (e.g. prednisone) where short-term use might prevent a truly life-threatening outcome. However, suppressing the immune system can have lasting and dangerous side effects, especially when they are used chronically (and in non-critical situations where there are likely alternatives!).  Inhaled, over-the-counter steroids can pose the same danger.

This is the post I mention in the video about well-studied allergy drug alternatives.  These are opportunities for rapid relief while you are more thoroughly identifying and addressing the true root causes of their allergies.

Even for these seemingly “low dose” uses, steroids suppress adrenal output of cortisol  (this is enlightening too).  Over time, this can lead to some devastating downstream consequences from low cortisol levels (e.g. lower cellular metabolism, poor sex hormone balance, poor electrolyte balance, lower thyroid hormone efficacy, greater baseline inflammation, high fatigue and lower stamina, and immune system dysregulation e.g. possible greater risk of allergy/asthma).

Get comfortable and confident about education and advising your clients and patients in the downstream dysfunction effects of common medications.  I hope this serves you!

Warmly,

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sharon chud

Hi Tracy. If a patient needs to go on a short term dose of prednisone, what would be the advise as to building the Adrenals back up right after treatment?

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SAFM Team

Reply to  sharon chud

I think it’s important for all of us as practitioners to understand that it can take the body some time to fully bounce back from even a short-term course of prednisone and that a person’s own cortisol secretion may be suppressed for a while, even after the weaning. It’s just going to take some time! Corticosteroid drugs can stop a strong surge of inflammation, but they also impair the immune system. First of all, a slow, progressive taper is key, so it’s important to follow the recommended dosage progression. During and after use is an important time to be very well-rested and avoid highly stressful circumstances. A person may feel the desire to “lay low” and rest more than typical, and I think it’s key to honor that intuition. Cortisol is also key for keeping blood sugar stable in between meals. When cortisol is low, it’s particularly important to eat regularly to avoid low blood sugar, to avoid refined carbohydrates (that could cause blood sugar peaks and crashes), and to avoid strong stimulants (e.g. coffee) that the body isn’t already acclimated to previously. I will also often recommend 500mg acetyl-l-carnitine a couple times a day to ensure optimal fatty acid… Read more »

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