Hey Group,


Well, after a much needed hiatus, I'm back. I still will only be able to post on a limited basis as my life is pretty busy at the moment. So, without further ado...

If you are 6 months post injury and you are still suffering from symptoms, I urge you to get your hormones tested. I have been doing a lot of research in this area and there is definitely a connection between brain injuries and hormone dysfunction. There are also some clinics out there who are specializing in hormone replacement therapy for tbi sufferers and they are seeing remarkable results from it. Below is a list of hormones you should get checked (in no particular order).

1. Cortisol

Cortisol is the only hormone in your body that you need to survive. Without it, you would die. It is also the bodies stress hormone that is responsible for keeping inflammation down when we become injured. That is why athletes get cortisol shots when they are injured and people who have serious infections get shots of prednisone. Your adrenal glands are responsible for producing cortisol and your pituitary gland is responsible for sending the signal to your adrenal gland to regulate cortisol production. In traumatic and/or chronic stressful situations, your adrenal glands are overworked and eventually shut down and stop producing cortisol. In many brain injuries, your pituitary gland is damaged and can't get an accurate signal to your adrenal glands. Too much cortisol production, which happens after a truamatic event, kill brain cells and too little, which happens after prolonged periods of stress, can cause inflamation in the brain. Cortisol is also responsible for escorting thyroid hormones into your cells. If your cortisol is low, you will have to go on physiologic doses of hydrocortisone until your adrenal gland can be restored.

2. Thyroid Hormone

Thyroid hormone is the "energy" hormone in our bodies. It is responsible for keeping our metabolism functioning properly by keeping our bodies at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It receives its signal from the pituitary gland as well. Your thyroid gland is actually located on your throat, so whiplash injuries can damage this gland. You will need to get your TSH, FT3, FT4, RT3 checked with a blood test to ascertain thyroid function. A simple home test you can do is to take your temperature first thing in the morning. If it falls below 98.2 degrees Fahrenheit, you may have thyroid malfunctioning. The treatment for this is getting on T4 and T3 medication. Don't worry if these terms are foreign to you, your doctor will know what your are talking about. Thyroid hormone is also very important in brain functioning and plasticity.

3. Sex Hormones

Your ovaries and testicles also receive their signal hormones from the pituitary gland. So, if you damage your pituitary gland, your sex hormones will be off and will need to be supplemented. There really is no distinction between "female" and "male" hormones because both are needed in specific quantities in both sexes. The hormones to be tested are: testosterone, estrogen, DHEA, progesterone and pregnenalone. These hormones are all important in brain functioning.

4. Growth Hormone

Growth hormone is not just an important hormone for children. In terms of the nervous system, it is important in adults for brain plasticity and repair. This is made directly from the pituitary gland, so damage to this gland results in low growth hormone. The test to get for this is the IGF-1 blood test.

There is loads of information on the internet regarding this. Unfortunately, your GP and neurogist,and many endocrinologists, will not be knowledgeable in this area. So, you will probably have to find a bio identical hormone replacement specialist or anti aging doctor.

Good Luck!