Insomnia and corticosteroids
How many of you suffer from insomnia and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS)?
Insomnia is a common side effect in patients receiving steroid treatment (anabolic steroids and corticosteroids).
If it is only insomnia, that is good, because these are some other side effects of corticosteroids:
-Muscle pain
-Redness of the skin, rash
-Slow wound healing
-Mood changes
-Changes in blood sugar levels
-Muscle weakness
-Weakening of the immune system
-Stomach ulcer
-Depression and anxiety :O :O :O
What is actually happening?
-The usual symptoms of impaired adrenal gland (glandula suprarenalis) function directly affect the symptoms listed above. These are precisely the same symptoms that indicate an imbalance in hormone secretion and elevated cortisol.
-Long-term corticosteroid intake disrupts the functioning of the adrenal gland, which reaches a point of exhaustion, and balance is lost.
Before describing its hormones and the effects of steroids, imagine taking these medicines as if you removed all the filters, restrictions and limiters from a car and set the throttle and performance to maximum. How long would the engine withstand that pace?
-Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome is also becoming increasingly common in healthy people.
This happens because of stress, a fast-paced life, disrupted biorhythms and heightened activation of a "state of alert".
Let us begin...
The hormones of the adrenal cortex are collectively called corticosteroids, which are divided into three groups according to their biological characteristics (glucocorticoids, mineralocorticoids and sex steroids).
GLUCOCORTICOIDS – the most important and most abundant is cortisol (hydrocortisone), which acts on the metabolism of carbohydrates (glucose), proteins and fats. Its secretion increases in stressful situations.
MINERALOCORTICOIDS – aldosterone, which controls water and salt metabolism.
SEX STEROIDS – androgens, oestrogens and progesterone, which are secreted in small quantities and are mainly produced in the sex glands.
Elevated cortisol levels over a prolonged period exhaust the adrenal glands. Because they can no longer produce as much hormone as "the amount of stress we serve them every day", disturbances occur in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and electrolytes, as well as changes in the tissue of the gland itself or its enlargement (hyperplasia).
The most common effects of cortisol on metabolism:
- unlike insulin, it prevents glucose utilisation in cells, resulting in an increased concentration of glucose in the blood (hyperglycaemia)
- glucose production from amino acids in the liver increases (gluconeogenesis)
- protein production (biosynthesis) in cells decreases, especially in the muscles, bones and lymphatic organs
- protein breakdown in the muscles and bones is stimulated, leading to loss of muscle mass and accelerated osteoporosis; protein levels decrease in the tissues and increase in the blood and liver.
Because proteins are made up of amino acids, the liver uses their increased influx to produce glucose. The increased loss of protein leads to reduced muscle strength and muscle weakness.
Osteoporosis results from increased bone resorption, reduced activity of bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) and reduced calcium stores. Calcium excretion in the urine increases, so kidney stones can also develop.
- mobilisation of fatty acids from subcutaneous adipose tissue accelerates, leading to an increased concentration of free fatty acids in the blood and an accumulation of fat on the trunk and neck and around the peritoneum and internal organs (central or abdominal obesity).
Sources: https://www.vasezdravlje.com/bolesti-i-stanja/kortizol-u-podlozi-metabolickog-poremecaja
Insomnia and poor sleep
Inability to sleep or to sleep deeply is a common symptom of chronic inflammatory disease and may worsen during periods of immunopathology. Restful sleep can help a patient cope with other symptoms. It is not necessary for all restorative sleep to take place at night. In fact, if the patient is able to, sleeping during the day may give them enough energy to fulfil all their responsibilities for the day.
Managing insomnia
Maintain a routine – establish a regular daily routine, getting up at the same time and going to bed at the same time.
Nap in the early afternoon – if nighttime sleep is short, take an afternoon nap during the natural period of increased sleepiness. There is no shame in taking a nap.
Practise relaxation techniques – do relaxation techniques for 30 to 60 minutes, which may be helpful even if you do not sleep.
Make the bedroom completely dark – do not use night lights and make sure the bedroom windows block out all light.
Remove the TV from the bedroom and avoid light after a certain time – According to a recent study, exposure to electric light between dusk and bedtime strongly suppresses melatonin levels and may affect physiological processes regulated by melatonin signalling, such as sleepiness, thermoregulation, blood pressure and glucose homeostasis. 1)
Sleep medications
Main article: Sleep medications
Patients considering the Marshall Protocol (MP) may already be taking medicines to help improve their sleep. No sleep medication is explicitly contraindicated under the Marshall Protocol. They should be regarded as temporary palliative aids and used judiciously only as needed.
Like many medicines, sleep medications can have immunomodulatory effects, sometimes in ways we have yet to understand fully. Although the ultimate goal of someone using sleep medication is to discontinue it, consistent sleep of a minimum quality is essential. To the extent that sleep medications can help MP patients achieve better sleep, they are not contraindicated.
Source: https://mpkb.org/home/symptoms/neurological/sleep