Stopping Adrenal Support Prior to Testing : Cortisone, DHEA and Adrenal Glandulars

The first obvious question is “When can I come off them?”

The answer depends on how well you are. If everything has gone to plan, and (perhaps with thyroid supplementation) one feels perfectly well, then it is likely but not certain that the adrenals will pick up. So, it’s best to consolidate for a few months, and then, one by one, reduce the adrenal supplementation, taking several weeks in the process. The adrenal cortex extract is an excellent idea during this phase, and later, this can be reduced as well.

I don’t really think that tests are of much value, since you have to stop the support several days before for them to be useful. It’s certainly NOT dangerous to stop them; but you might have a few bad days which would, of course, answer the question.

One has to take the supplements as long as it takes, and sometimes forever. But remember, these doses are physiological: are merely recreating normality, and so are perfectly safe to take so long as they are needed”

Dr Barry Durrant-Peatfield
_____________________

The following recommendations are from Genova Diagnostics regarding how long one should stop taking adrenal supplements and hydrocortisone before having the 24 hour salivary adrenal profile done:

“It would be best to stop the glandulars for a week beforehand if possible.

By HC do you mean hydro-cortisone? This will depend on the patient. We do not advise any patients to come off medication, however the steroid will directly influence the results so if the patient is on it every day, we wouldn’t recommend they conduct this test. If they can finish the course of medication they are on, and wait for at least 2 weeks prior to starting the Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) that should be sufficient.”

Laura Stirling, Dip BCNH, mBANT
Nutritional Therapy Council registered Practitioner
Practitioner Support