Hi,
Has anybode found that they have had high cortisol levels whilst on finasteride? Did they return back to normal after cessation?
Many thanks,
Tom
Mine were over the range after stopping.
Did you have them checked before stopping?
And have you had them checked months after stopping to see if they returned back to normal??
No, had no reason to. Will check them soon.
Let me guess, you are looking for a reason for the sudden loss of your facial fat?
I have done extensive research and I believe it could be a factor.
It is the only thing that showed up abnormal from my blood results. Cortisol plays part in fat distribution as well as other androgens.
The fact that you have thin skin in its self points towards cortisol elevation.
From what I have read I think fat distribution back to the face can occur but it is a slow process and of course relies on hormone levels returning to within normal ranges. I also think having a low DHT to T ratio has a big effect on atrophy of subcutaneous fat, but this is new research that is only starting to be investigated.
Another thing that should be noted is that fin only really blocks type 2 at the doses we take it at (despite what some people claim on the forum) and therefore a certain amount is produced in the skin (as type 1 is most prevalent there).
How you considered treating the atrophy another way? I believe it can be corrected pretty well with dermal fillers like sculptra / bioalcamid. Another (but permanent) solution is PMMA. People with lipoatrophy have reported successful stories having this done to replace subcutaneous fat.
Please post links to these studies. This is not on the top of my list of priorities at the moment
Edit: Oh, and I thought really high cortisol (i.e. Cushing syndrome) causes the face to swell/round up (moon face) and not the other way around.
Onni. Did you finaly do Progesteron test hah?
Did not have a progesteron test. Will test cortisol and do an LRH-test next week…
Hey Blondie, I’m Matt Skiba from the other forums.
I personally got bags under the eyes from the shit, and some facial fat redistribution to the cheeks. I didn’t exactly end up looking like the crypt keeper, but I did look worse than how I was.
As of now I’m happy to say that my face looks a little more… shall I say wholesome. Bags still haven’t fully gone away though, but I’m thinking of taking some stuff to help control cortisol.
Although I can’t understand how fin could affect cortisol?
Blondie sent me a private message with a link to a paper way back in September on a hair loss forum.
Apparently it states that 5-alpha reductase is involved in metabolizing cortisol. I probably should’ve shared this with the forum a lot earlier.
Check out the paper here:
Thanks for the study Softie.
From the study Big Softie just posted, they state:
“interestingly, finasteride, a relatively specific inhibitor of 5-reductase type 2, does alter the relative excretion of cortisol metabolites in men”
The footnote (#49) the authors used to conclude the above is from the following study:
propeciahelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=658
Note they refer to adrenal/corticosteroid ratios.
Bump
So how is everyone faring with regards to the loss of facial fat?
Mine if getting pretty bad. There was not a lot to lose in the first instance so I am quite worried.
Do we think its cortisol related?
Most of us have high blood cortisol. and many claim that they were under stress during fin use. I don’t know to what extent this is true but today read an interesting news. it is in my language I am translating it, so there might be spelling mistakes. Maybe someone will find the original text.
A professor(neurology professore Mr.Dack swab from Amsterdam university) claims that during pregnancy
high stressful life,high Drinking, smoking, Drugs use causes stress hormone cortisol to go high which
interferes with sex hormones and decreases sex hormone production and caus birth of bi-sexual babies. and causes birth of Gay and lasbiens. He made this claims while talking to Sunday Times.
It has taken a year but the fat is finally back in my face. No problems there.
Supplements that have helped me with cortisol are Seriphos Phosphatidylserine, transdermal magnesium and magnesium threonate, and L Theanine.
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Hi there Jamie
Tiredcoopsies re-posted your comment above in: viewtopic.php?f=25&t=9303&start=40
I just wanted to clarify I few things with you if that’s okay.
Did you ever get your cortisol levels checked?
Are you saying that the supplements you listed are what you believe contributed to you regaining the fat loss to your face?
It would be absolutely fantastic if I regained the fat loss to my face and posts like this give me hope.
Cheers.
Those supplements did help but the biggest contributor was Seroquel- a powerful sedative that brings my cortisol down.
Did you ever get your cortisol levels checked Jamie?