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        <title><![CDATA[Endocrine (Hormones) - The Environmental Illness Resource | Reviews]]></title>
        <description><![CDATA[Descriptions and reviews of books, products and treatments relating to environmental illnesses.]]></description>
        <link>http://www.ei-resource.org/</link>
                                        <item>
                <guid isPermaLink="false">2943-501</guid>
                <title><![CDATA[Adrenal Stress Index (ASI): a dhea user for 3 years]]></title>
                                <link>http://www.ei-resource.org/functional-laboratory-tests/endocrine-(hormones)/adrenal-stress-index-(asi)/</link>
                <description><![CDATA[
                                I have used DHEA supplements for the last 3 years. It added energy and a strong sense of wellbeing and a healthy sex drive as well.  I have noticed other things like my hair is thicker...I grew back eyebrows (but have to pluck more like when i was younger) and at age 51 I am constantly told I look like i am in my late 30's.  I have gained a lot of weight in the last 3 years tho and am wondering if this is a side effect.  I dropped about 20 lbs in the first 6 months of using it..(50 mgs a day) but after that i slowly have gained it all back over the course of the last 3 years and mostly in the last 6 months.  If anyone has any info on weight gain and dhea, please let me know.
Thanks,
Tina  lovewillprevail8@yahoo.com                ]]></description>
                <category><![CDATA[Endocrine (Hormones)]]></category>
                <pubDate>Sat, 18 Sep 2010 00:43:33 +0100</pubDate>
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                        <item>
                <guid isPermaLink="false">2943-358</guid>
                <title><![CDATA[Adrenal Stress Index (ASI): Helped explain many symptoms and guided treatment]]></title>
                                <link>http://www.ei-resource.org/functional-laboratory-tests/endocrine-(hormones)/adrenal-stress-index-(asi)/</link>
                <description><![CDATA[
                                Although providing the saliva samples throughout the day is a bit inconvenient (and it is often hard to even produce the required amount of saliva) it is worth it to understand how your adrenal glands are functioning.I have had two ASI tests and the results for cortisol in particular have correlated exactly with my symptoms. 

Cortisol levels are supposed to be highest in the morning to give us the drive and energy to get going. They are then supposed to decline gradually throughout the day, reeaching their lowest level at night to allow sound sleep.

My results show that my cortisol levels are low in the morning, which explains my inability to wake up and get going until late morning (10:30-11:00). They then rise and peak around 12-1 and this is when I am feeling a lot better and am my most productive. My cortisol then falls and reaches a low at 4pm when I experience a corresponding period of drowsiness and it is a real struggle to carry on being active. My results then indicate my cortisol shoots up at night which explains why I find it hard to relax in the evening and don't go to bed until late. My sleep is also of very poor quality.

I should explain that I have suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome for 18 years from the age of 12 and these results are typical of an ME/CFS patient.

The results have been very helpful to me and I have found licorice is effective at boosting my low morning cortisol while phosphatidylserine blunts my high night time levels and allows me to sleep better. The results also showed generally low DHEA and I have found DHEA supplementation to be very useful at improving my stress resistance, mood, and general feelings of well-being.

I'd recommend this test to anyone suffering from chronic stress and associated symptoms as well as those suffering from ME/CFS, fibromyalgia, and unexplained chronic illness.

                 ]]></description>
                <category><![CDATA[Endocrine (Hormones)]]></category>
                <pubDate>Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:18:37 +0100</pubDate>
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