Customer Reviews

Safe Uses of Cortisol

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"I feel wiped out--dead tired all the time." "The least little thing leaves me exhausted." "I can't even make the bed without collapsing." "The weakness, dizziness and brain fog are the worst."

If you've ever said these things to your doctor, or had a patient say them to you, then you need to own, "Safe Uses of Cortisone." This book is not about learning to get by and accept less out of life. It's not about using gentle new age exercises and expensive herbs to get over a serious medical condition. "Safe Uses of Cortisone" is about using safe, sane, normal, natural levels of adrenaline to correct very real and measurable medical problems.

While there is a fair amount of medical jargon in the book, the writing style is approachable, clear and easy to follow. For example, at the beginning of "Chapter 2: Sources of Confusion," Jefferies writes, "That cortisone and hydrocortisone are normal hormones of the adrenal cortex implies that in physiological dosages they must be safe." Doctors, and those with an interest biology, will have no trouble following the text.

Dr. Jefferies, with 1,000 patient years of experience using cortisone therapy, explains the sources of confusion about cortisone, the significance of normal adrenocortical function and accepted uses of physiological dosages. Then he goes on to discuss using cortisone in gonadal dysfunction, rheumatic disorders, allergies and other autoimmune disorders. He closes with chapters on respiratory infections and other conditions that could benefit from physiological dosages of glucocorticoids.

Them there is some big words, but well worth reading for anyone with chronic fatigue, allergies, Fibromyalgia, acne, mood swings, exercise intolerance, horrible menstrual periods or low blood sugar.

In this book, Dr. Jefferies makes an excellent case for the safety of cortisone in doses that mimic our natural levels. One thing he doesn't talk about is cost. The cost of cortisone is shocking--shockingly low. In 1998 dollars, without any help from insurance, this life saving hormonal therapy cost between $10 and $30 per month.

Buy this book. In fact, buy two copies and give one to your doctor or local library.

The Safe Use of Cortisol by William McK Jefferies MD is a medical classic, and along with its companion classic by Broda Barnes, Hypothyroidism, the Unsuspected Illness, both books should be required reading by every medical student and MD and deserve a prominent place in every medical library. I have read both numerous times, and plan to re-read both again.

This book contains a condensation of clinical knowledge from the career of a medical giant, and a wealth of knowledge not found anywhere else, and is complete with references to the medical literature, case histories, laboratory studies and dosages.

In this slim volume, Safe Use of Cortisol, Dr. McK Jefferies points out an important distinction which is not widely known by mainstream doctors or the public. This is the distinction between the lower and completely safe, physiologic doses of cortisol, and the dangerous higher pharmacologic dosage levels commonly used by mainstream doctors to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other auto-immune diseases.

While the lower cortisol doses below 40 mg per day are safe, above this dosage level is increased risk of adrenal suppression, and increased risk of adverse side effects including moon face, osteoporosis with spontaneous fractures, thinning of skin with easy bruising, striae, subcutaneous hemorrhages, fluid retention with edema, and cataracts.

Cortisol is widely available as inexpensive Cortef from the corner drug store, and is the bio-identical hormone secreted by the adrenal gland. Since it is a natural hormone, it cannot be patented, explaining the lack of funding for research by the pharmaceutical companies.

Chapter 4 of the book discusses generally accepted uses of Cortisol, starting with the most logical use which is adrenal insufficiency, also called Addison's disease. However, McK Jefferies also discusses mild adrenal insufficiency, which is not usually recognized by mainstream doctors, and should be. Other uses of low dose cortisol include ovarian dysfunction with infertility, chronic fatigue, allergies and auto-immune diseases.

McK Jefferies relies on the Cortrosyn ACTH stimulation test to evaluate adrenal function, as well as urinary cortisol metabolites and serum cortisol tests. He also addresses thyroid function as part of the overall clinical picture; hence the connection with Broda Barnes and the continued advocacy of McK Jefferies' work by the Broda Barnes Institute.

I found Chapter 5, Gonadal Dysfunction and Infertility, to be the most fascinating and clinically useful chapter. McK Jefferies used low dose cortisol to successfully treat thousands of young women suffering from irregular menstrual cycles, ovarian dysfunction, hirsutism (facial hair, and acne, both signs of elevated testosterone).

Nowadays, teenagers with irregular menstrual bleeding are routinely given birth control pills with synthetic hormones to regulate their cycles. The synthetic hormones in BCPs are associated adverse side effects and do not address the underlying fertility issues.

Unknown to the mainstream medical system, the real treatment for irregular menstrual bleeding is found in this medical classic book, namely low dose cortisol and thyroid which successfully normalizes menstrual cycles and restores fertility. Dr. McK Jefferies suggests that the cause of the infertility and irregular periods in these patients is usually excess adrenal production of either androgen (PCOS) or estrogen, and the low dose cortisol serves to suppress this excess hormone production by the adrenals and allow normal ovarian function.

Now recognized as the most common genetic disorder in the population, (CYP21A2) non-classical 21-hydroxylase deficiency is associated with menstrual irregularities, hirsutism and acne from elevated testosterone. Rather than low dose cortisol, current practice is to use similar low dose dexamethasone (See the 2006 review in J Clin Endo & Metab Vol. 91, No. 11 4205-4214, by Maria I New). Perhaps non-classical 21-OH should be renamed McJefferies Syndrome to give proper credit to this great clinician.

McJefferies stresses that normalization of thyroid function is also required for menstrual regularity and fertility. Broda Barnes agrees with McK Jefferies on the importance of thyroid for normalizing menstrual cycles, and both treat with thyroid medication even though the thyroid blood tests may be completely normal. They have found the blood tests to be unreliable. This is at variance with mainstream medical practice which clings dogmatically to the thyroid blood tests. Most mainstream doctors would refuse to offer thyroid medication unless there is a documented "out of range" lab value.

Chapter 9 deals with using low dose cortisol for viral infections such as influenza. Although there was some initial concern that low dose cortisol would reduce immunity in some way, Dr. Mc Jefferies was surprised to find in clinical practice that his patients maintained on low dose cortisol typically reported fewer common colds and other viral illnesses than their family members, suggesting an enhancement of immunity. Another practice he used was to increase the cortisol dosage when patients felt a common cold or viral influenza coming on. He found that this enabled the patient to ward off or recover from the illness more quickly. Of course, he also points out that excess doses of cortisol would have the opposite effect and impair resistance to infection.

The final chapters of the book discuss the use of low dose physiologic cortisol for rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, auto-immune disease, chronic fatigue.

In addition to the ACTH stimulation tests still in use today, we now have the newer, salivary cortisol testing which I am sure Mc Jefferies would have found useful in his day. What he would have written about the use of salivary cortisol testing ? Unfortunately we will never know. Perhaps a future medical author will build on McK Jefferies work and incorporate salivary testing and other new developments in a future book.

I reviewed the third edition which was published in 2004. The first edition was published in 1983. Other books recommended along side this one are, Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson, Hypothyroidism, the Unsuspected Illness by Broda Barnes, From Fatigued to Fantastic: by Jacob Teitelbaum, Your Thyroid and How to Keep it Healthy by Barry Durrant Peatfield.

Jeffrey Dach MD

This book saved my life. If I could meet this doctor I would kiss his feet. I went from absolutely no medical problems all my life until I was 35. At that time, I was under severe stress for a very prolonged period of time and went from 118 lbs - all my life, to 280 lbs. I developed hyperinsulimia - which I diagnosed through reading and research- my regular doctor didn't understand and I had to go to an endocrinologist to get a blood test and a diagnosis - but no help - I knew my adrenal glands became exhausted and couldn't get a doctor to comprehend this either.

After going to Suzanne Somers web site I learned of the Born Clinic in Grand Rapids. I made an appointment and I had a saliva test done that said my coritsol was abnormally low.

I knew that my cortisol was extremely high before it became low, as I gained 160 lbs. Most doctors don't understand this - and even many of the ones who do won't try cortisol in small doses. Years ago doctors were giving people such high doses (even for ADD)and causing their bodies great harm - but never thought to only replace what their bodies were missing/not making. It's unbelieveable as it is like common sense to me.

I was exhausted for four years and couldn't get out of bed. I couldn't shop as I would be exhausted by the time I got into the store. I had dizziness and ringing in my ears that Univeristy of Michigan could not explain or find anything wrong with me. I had facial, arm, fingers and leg numbness that they looked at me like I was a mental patient. I had problems breathing and my heart rate would go up to 120-130 just by walking to the bathroom. I had weakness in my arms just trying to wash my hair. I heard every reason in the world from doctors for my problems - none of which were true. My tolerance for heat was horrible and I would sweat like a pig just from walking. My attention span diminished - I had never had a problem with my ablity to concentrate ever!

For me, all of this greatly dimished or went away when I started taking 7.5 mg of cortisol four times per day. Food cravings stopped as well as waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep. I had developed dark red marks under my arms accompanied with ithcing. My neck developed dark spots on it that looked like my neck was dirty. This started to go away - just like the doctor said it would.

This doctor talks about almost all of my symptoms and I was amazed!

The bad part is in trying to find a doctor to help you. I thank God that I have found one but it wasn't easy. I suffered for a very long time and am angry at a medical community that pretends it is God when it knows next to nothing about the human body and poo hoos doctors like this one.

NO, there is no research being done because as one of the writers points out - it's cheap. The drug companies and our government cannot make any money - it doesn't matter that people are dying and living lives that are not really living at all.

If you have problems that doctors are not healing, buy this book you won't be sorry. It is only $45.00 new from the publisher on line.

This book is NOT out of print. The third edition just came out and includes the use of cortisol for influenza.

Low adrenal reserve has been implicated in many conditions: chronic fatigue syndrome, auto-immune and thyroid diseases, allergies, anxiety/panic disorders, depression, hypoglycemia, etc. The treatment is safe, cheap, and very effective!

Beware that most doctors are not educated on this topic. The only condition they recognize is Addison's Disesase as established by the ACTH stimulation test. While Addison's disease is a near complete and permanent adrenal failure, the low adrenal reserve is a partial one and not always permanent. The ACTH stimulation test doesn't reveal it. So if you need a test, insist on other tests such as 24-hour urine, serum AM cortisol level, or saliva cortisol. The best test though is a trial adminstration of Cortisol. If it works, you have it, if it doesn't, you don't.

A lot of folks who have been under stress for long time or on a very restrictive diet end up with low cortisol. Many recover on their own, while others don't. They end up with what seems like a permanent flue that doesn't go away and go on to develop chronic fatigue, anxiety disorders, depression, auto-immune diseases, etc. If that happened to you, supplemental Cortisol is the answer.

Dr McK Jefferies who sadly passed away recently was a pioneer in the use of low does cortisone. Mention the word cortisone to most people and they react with predictable horror due to the well documented side effects of long term usage at supra-normal doses. What the good doctor discovered over many years of case histories which he documents in this book, is that in low doses, cortisone can benefit any number of maladies and can be used safely for an indefinite period of time. RIP, you will be missed.

Aside from a few technical terms, this book was very readable for the average person. It's an excellent book, full of very useful information that will have you saying "ah-ha" throughout. Physiological doses of cortisone seems so common sense to me, that I wonder why it is not used more often. Great book. Highly recommend!

Borrowing this book from my doctor has literally changed my life. It's clear, approachable and empowering, and the science is solid. The best thing is that I now know how to stop viral infections in their tracks and that information alone makes this book a must read.

I know the theory works because I've used it to recover from a virus without difficulty in two days instead of three weeks, and my husband in four days instead of the usual six weeks. It's spectacular!

Dr Jefferies gives a concise history of the discovery of and research about adrenal hormones and their use and function, and explains why so many doctors are reluctant to use these helpful substances to treat many illness today. The text is full of case histories from his own 50+ years of practice and it is easy to see yourself in them.

The biggest problem you may have after reading this book is wanting your own doctor to read it so you can start using the information it contains to your benefit.

This is the best book on the market on Hydrocortisol. I Have been taking Cortef for the past 3 years and it saved my life. My white blood count went up, it is now in the normal range. My vision stopped going down and I never had an infection, cold or flu ever since. Thanks Dr. Jeffries, Joanne.

This book should be required reading for all people in the medical field. Specifically family practice and endocrinolgist doctors would benefit from the information in this book. A MUST READ for anyone with adrenal fatigue symptoms!