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Higher cortisol levels reduce TSH (through the effect on the hypothalamic-pituitary system), and this reduces T4 to T3 conversion. Lower cortisol levels increase TSH. resulting in an increase in T4 to T3 conversion. Studies have found that in severe cortisol deficiency, the TSH and FT3 are often high. Cortisol (HC) supplementation in these people, normalises the TSH and FT3.

I got asked a question today from a patient who wondered if the adrenals would recover from 'adrenal fatigue' over time or need adrenal cortex support or with the help of correcting iron levels.

I have been asked this a lot and this time I have taken the core of my answer and put it here in a blog post:

I don't think adrenals get weak, or sick, or damaged UNLESS someone has autoimmune disease that is attacking their adrenal glands, or a tumour or an accident that damages them.

This is just a very brief post about something that happened to me a while back.

After a long time being fairly lax about taking supplements I decided to be more organised and disciplined.

So, I started taking B complex, magnesium in two forms, some vitamin C, some multi-minerals and some extra zinc.

I appeared to be doing fine, but then I went rapidly down hill and I soon recognised that it was low cortisol. 

More high cortisol symptoms - high blood pressure and chest pains

I have recently discovered a new twist on the effect that high cortisol can have on the human body.

I already knew that high cortisol can cause raised blood pressure. I now have more of an understanding of the mechanism behind this.

I also now know that high cortisol can cause chest pains and symptoms like Angina.

High cortisol makes the body more sensitive to the effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline, which in turn cause vasoconstriction, or reduced blood flow.