Member Comments are provided by individuals and reflect their personal opinions only. Under NO circumstances should you act on any advice or opinion posted in this forum. ALWAYS check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health! MedHelp International and our partners, sponsors and affiliates have no obligation to monitor any comments posted on this site, or the content and/or accuracy of such exchanges. MedHelp International does not endorse the views of any user.
Mental Health (Expert Forum)
medications that don't raise cortisol levels
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
medications that don't raise cortisol levels
by babycat, Oct 15, 2001 12:00AM
I have read that elevated cortisol levels go along with depression and anxiety disorders. Ann Blake Tracey states in her book (Prozac Panacea or Pandora) that Prozac and other ssri's actually raise cortisol levels. If all this is true how can the ssri's help someone suffering with depression. I have also read that there is a new medication(Tineaptine) which seems to lower
cortisol and prevent brain damage associated with elevated cortisol. It is supposed to work in an opposite way that the ssri's work(by accelerating the use of seratonin).
My question to you is: Do the ssri's really raise cortisol levels and if so could this promote brain damage and worsening of the depresson. Also what do you think of the medication Tineaptine and do you think it will ever be available here?
cortisol and prevent brain damage associated with elevated cortisol. It is supposed to work in an opposite way that the ssri's work(by accelerating the use of seratonin).
My question to you is: Do the ssri's really raise cortisol levels and if so could this promote brain damage and worsening of the depresson. Also what do you think of the medication Tineaptine and do you think it will ever be available here?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Oct 16, 2001 12:00AM
, Oct 16, 2001 12:00AM
There is no credible information, to my knowledge, that the effect on cortisol levels of medication is significant or causes damage. These medications have been used extensively. Cortisol does increase in depression because depression is always mixed with anxiety and stress on the system but in most cases that elevation is a natural protective mechanism, not a harmful mechanism.
I don't know anything about Tineaptine.
I don't know anything about Tineaptine.
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/tianep.htm