Relacore to reduce Abdominal Fat/Increase Energy/Boost Immune System by Controlling Cortisol ?- INA

[jmjm530]

Saw a TV ad for "Relacore" and visited a few web sites.

In short, apparently some recent university studies show a relationship between the stress hormone, Cortisol, and abdominal fat -- the kind of fat that increases the risks of heart attacks.

Relacore and similiar acting products like Cortidrene, Therastress, Cortislim, etc. claim to reduce abdominal fat by controlling the stress hormone cortisone partly through a mild sedative effect of one of its active ingredients, Magnolia Bark.

Since treatment I've noticed a worsening lipid profile as well as more of a propensity for fat to accumulate on my abdomen than pre-treatment. My liver specialist recently admitted that interferon is know to accelerate the metabolic syndrome which is responsible for higher triglicerides, type II diabetes, abdominal fat and a host of other not so good stuff. Therefore my interest in Relacore or similar supplements. I flagged "Ina" (moniker Eisbein) because I believe she recently mentioned doing some research on stress hormones.

Here are some sites from a quick "Google". I know most of them are selling something but would like to get anyone's experience and/or comments. Or at least your take on the list of ingredients, whether anything is good, harmful, etc.

http://www.relacore.tv/ingredients.html
http://www.carter-reedcompany.com/relacore/
http://stress-related-weight-gain.equalitynutrition.com/?source=google/relacore

Any input appreciated.

-- Jim

[jmjm530]

Regarding the interferon and diabetes connection, you might want to check this out. Just one of many similar articles:

http://clinical.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/full/22/1/43

"...Stimulation of immune responses may have deleterious consequences. Cytokine-induced exacerbation of underlying diseases or immune dysregulation are examples. {alpha}-IFN may enhance an ongoing autoimmune process directed against pancreatic {alpha}-cells and be involved in the development of type 1 diabetes in predisposed patients..."

Or, from here: http://www.hepnet.com/nih/dusheiko.html

Hormonal and Metabolic Side Effects

A sustained increase in serum triglyceride levels has been reported. Diabetes mellitus may worsen or develop.

-------------------------

[jmjm530]

And from the FDA's side effect profile on Pegasys under "common but less serious side effects" -- maybe "less serious" to them, not someone like me who is pre-disposed to the metabolic syndrome anyway with major cardiac problems in my family.

"Blood sugar problems:  Some patients may develop a problem with the way their body controls their blood sugar and may develop diabetes."

http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2002/pegihof101602MG.htm

[Cheesegrater]

Really, it never ceases to amaze me how the nutraceutical/herbalists always manage to target a new group of suckers every day.

And even more so,
The suckers suck it all up.

[jmjm530]

I posted this thread to hopefully get some information on Relacore and not to start another debate on post treatment side effects, we've certainly have had plenty of those threads. I suppose I'm partly at fault in that I explained my interested on Relacore in terms of what's been happening to me post treatment. So, this will be my last post in this thread on post treatment side effects, but hopefully those with vitamin/nutrional knowledge will not be turned off by another debate and jump in and give us the benefit of their knowledge on the ingredients in Relacore and how they might help the metabolic syndrome, fat accumulation, etc.
Thanks.

-- Jim  

[jmjm530]

Did not mean to imply at all that my doctor was hiding something. Probably a wrong choice of words reflecting my frustration that most of what I've found about regarding interferon's effects came after I treated and not during or before. But this is not specific to my doctor who I respect, it is fairly common and has been discussed here ad naseum. We just aren't told a lot going into treatment. Would it have made any difference to me if I had been told? No, because as a stage 3, I would have weighed the risks and rewards and treated anyway. But yes, I'll repeat the statment again without the misleading use of the word admitted: My hepatologist recently told me that interferon treatment can accelerate the metabolic syndrome. I'm surprised you're suprised with this statement. It's been discussed here for some time by Double Dose and others. I don't know if HR is on board or not on this, but I wouldn't be surprised by some of his comments on things we should do after treatment. I doubt if all his comments were directed solely at the residual affects of the virus. But regardless, I know what my doctor said and I know what I'm experiencing. You might also want to go over to the Janis Board. There is an interesting thread now going on about treatment and blood lipids.

-- Jim

[Kalio1]

These are some pretty big blanket statements I copied from your post below, do you have any evidence of this or is it just your doctor's claim? I've never heard of this nor seen anything substantiating it. The HCV virus is known to be causal to diabetes II and affects your lipid profile I thought, never heard of some connection to Interferon.

from your post
"My liver specialist recently admitted that interferon is know to accelerate the metabolic syndrome which is responsible for higher triglicerides, type II diabetes, abdominal fat and a host of other not so good stuff."



the way you say "recently admitted" sounds like he was hiding something which seems very odd.