N&PD Moderators: Skorpio
substances that reduce stress hormones/nuerochemicals
psychedelic food
Bluelighter
Does anyone know of or have any experience with substances that reduce stress hormones like cortisol? Seeing as there are many commonly used substances such as caffeine and alcohol the increase them, it would make sense that there are some that decrease them.
Tsukasa
Bluelighter
From my research, here's way's I've found to reduce cortisol, while increasing testosterone.
- loving relationship
- Increase testosterone to estrogen ratio
- highly nutritious diet
- Avoiding threatening stimuli
- Avoiding chronic stress
- potassium deficiency
- do not overtrain
- maintain quality downtime
- atleast 8 hours of sleep a night
- consume high glycemic carbohydrate to increase insulin levels directly after an intense workout for insulin interferes with cortisol
- Vitamins: A and C
- Hormones: Melatonin and DHEA (pref. w/resveratrol)
- Minerals: Magnesium and Zinc
- Amino acids: acetyl L-carnitine, L-glutamine
- Herbs: Siberian Ginseng
- Other: Phosphatidylserine
DHEA is probably the most powerful for cortisol inhibition. It is the mother of all steroid hormones, so it metabolizes into testosterone, estrogens, pheromones, and others. It's also a potent sigma-1 agonist which might explain it's anti-depressant effects. I reccomend taking this supplement with resveratrol (usually included with DHEA), because it acts as a prohormone, preventing testosterone from metabolizing into estrogens, and is also a potent anti-oxidant. Stress can cause a lot of free-radical damage, so taking anti-oxidants like resveratrol and vitamin C would be a good idea.
Here's ways you to reduce activity of adrenergic hormones:
Alpha or Beta-blockers
fresh air
stretching
Moderate excercise
drink glass of water or rehydration drink,
take hot bath or shower,
nap
vision excercises (bates/eye yoga)
high levels of acetylcholine-serotonin-adenosine-PGE-histamine-enkephalin-dopamine-ATP
avoid sugar, stimulants, videogames, life-endangering situations, high-intensity excercise, and threatening stimuli.
Of course, alpha and beta-blockers provide the most instantaneous powerful antagonism of adrenergic receptors, but they can have a rebound effect after prolonged use, and cause an adrenergic overload leading to panic attacks, physical tension, anxiety, and such.
Vasopressin can be inhibited with adequate hydration. Caffeine and alcohol are known to inhibit it as well, explaining the frequent urination.
Endogenous cannabinoids and opioids, prolactin, 5-HT, and other neurotransmitters or hormones are also released in the stress response, but they are less physically detrimental with prolonged activity.
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Tsukasa-
I take vitamin A, vitamin C, melatonin, DHEA, magnesium, zinc, testosterone, letrozole, acetyl-l-carnitine, and phosphatidylserine, and I have noticed virtually no benefits at all. Although, I am not sure what I should be looking for. I don't know what the symptoms are of high cortisol levels besides (rhabdo)myolysis and possibly suppression of neurotrophic factors and thus worsening of mood and memory. I suppose my mood has improved, but only in the sense that I no longer feel crippling, soul-crushing depression with any frequency; I don't actually feel good or have the ability to find beauty in anything.
Perhaps my problem is low cortisol... or perhaps cortisol is largely irrelevant.
Tsukasa
Bluelighter
^ Heres some effects of cortisol
- Agression
- Arousal, anxiety, feeling stressed out
- activates addictions
- surpresses libido
- Associated with depression
- Can be toxic to brain cells
- Breaks down muscles, bones, and joints
- Depresses immune system
- Increases pain
- Clogs arteries, Promotes heart disease and high blood pressure
- Obesity, Diabetes, Osteoporosis
- reduces insulin production
Do you do any of those other things I said would reduce cortisol? like being in a loving relationship with another human or pet, or a minimum of 8 hours sleep?
O = yes
X = no
D = Sorta'
X Loving relationship
O Increase testosterone to oestrogen ratio
D Highly nutritious diet
X Avoiding threatening stimuli
X Avoiding chronic stress
X Potassium deficiency
O Do not overtrain
D Maintain quality downtime
O At least 8 hours of sleep a night
NA Consume high glycemic carbohydrate to increase insulin levels directly after an intense workout for insulin interferes with cortisol
O Agression
O Arousal, anxiety, feeling stressed out
NA activation of addiction
O surpressed libido
O depression
? substantial neurotoxicity
O Low muscle mass and bone mass
X Depressed immune system
? Increased pain
? (I have a high resting heart rate and somewhat elevated blood pressure) Clogs arteries, Promotes heart disease and high blood pressure
X Obesity, Diabetes, Osteoporosis
? reduced insulin production
Tsukasa
Bluelighter
RIP TOTSE
~OMR_duckO
^ I think that a loving relationship is perhaps the most important. I forgot to mention that oxytocin can also inhibits cortisol, to a great degree, just like DHEA, and can also reduce other stress hormones like adrenocorticotropic hormone, and vasopressin. Increased oxytocin comes from things like loving relationships and bonding. Here are ways to increase oxytocin levels:
- Fenugreek - found in supplement form and ingredient in curry powder and cheap maple syrups.
- dietary protein - to provide the building blocks
- sexual arousal and orgasm - partially why masturbation and sex relieve stress so well
- activation of 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors - taking tryptophan, 5-HTP, SSRI's, and psychadelics can trigger release of oxytocin
- high estrogen to testosterone ratio
- intimate relationships
- soothing or reassuring stimuli
- yoga
- excercise
- massage
- nurturing/caring for a pet or person
- joining a support group
- love
- giving selflessly - also causes 5-HT increase studies show
- affectionate touching
Here are the effects and functions of oxytocin in list form:
- spontaneous erections and orgasm, increases sexual receptivety and counteracts impotence
- water retention (slight) - due to similarity in structure to vasopressin
- inhibition of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, and vasopressin
- bonding
- promotes healthy social behavior. Administration of oxytocin reduces symptoms of autism
- reduces antisocial behavior. The administration of oxytocin normalized social behaviors in animals exhibiting schizophrenia.
- decreased repetitive behaviors
- improved interpretation of emotions. Increased empathy.
- Maternal behaviour
- increased trust
- reduces fear. Increased levels of oxytocin inhibit the fight or flight response in the brain.
- Affecting generosity by increasing empathy during perspective taking.
- inhibition of development of tolerance to various drugs (opiates, cocaine, alcohol), and reduced withdrawals. Lessen cravings and addictions
- counters cravings for sweets
- impair learning and memory retrieval in certain aversive memory tasks, but facilitates learning in normal conditions.
- Increase beta-endorphin and testosterone production
- Lowers blood pressure, protects against heart disease
- Increase or decreases dopaminergic activity
- Elevates pain threshold
- Faster wound healing - repairs, heals, and restores
- Increases curiousity
- promotes feelings of calm and connectedness, positive feelings. Oxytocin calms. A single rat injected with oxytocin has a calming effect on a cage full of anxious rats
- oxytocin may increase longevity. Companionship can increase longevity—even among those who are HIV positive
Oxytocin may also explain why, among various species of primates, care-giving parents (whether male or female) live significantly longer
Oxytocin appears be a major reason that SSRI’s ease depression, perhaps because high levels of cortisol are the chief culprits in depression and anxiety disorders.
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negrogesic
Bluelight Crew
"- high estrogen to testosterone ratio "
No thanks...
Tsukasa
Bluelighter
Wow. Thank you. I really appreciate you going to the trouble to write all that up. Very good information there.
It's mostly copy/pasted from my research documents, so no problem.
Negrogesic - it's probably not neccesary if you do any of those other things to boost OXT.
