Thought this might be of interest to those battlng CFS, and also because of
recent comments re:excess cortisol and its effects on emotions. This
synopsis is from the most recent issue of "The Lancet" (you can find the
full published report there) ......

Love,  Liza

[log in to unmask] (Liza May)


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Comorbidities are common in chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS), with up to 50% of patients also having major
depression. Reports of mild hypocortisolism in CFS
prompted researchers to look into similarities between the
disease and Addison's disease to evaluate whether low-dose
hydrocortisone therapy may be an effective treatment.
Patients who fulfilled criteria for both conditions were
randomized to receive low-dose hydrocortisone or placebo
for 1 month each. Self-rated fatigue and disability were
significantly reduced in about one-third of the patients
while on hydrocortisone, although pretreatment endocrine
evaluation could not have predicted this response.

Reference: Cleare, A., Heap, E. et al. 1999.
Low-dose hydrocortisone in chronic fatigue
syndrome: A randomised crossover trial. Lancet
353(9151):455-458.