Cortisol's relationship to hair loss

Schitz Popinov Sat Feb 04, 2017 4:44 am

Question about cortisol's relationship to hair loss.

I have had elevated cortisol levels for the better part of the last 10-15 years (blood serum tested, not saliva). I've read that elevated levels can be caused by chronic infections. When my health started getting funky back in 2006 from an infection (in the gum line of my back bottom left wisdom tooth), one of the first things I noticed was the constant nasal congestion/inflammation. I've never had it checked out by an ENT, but I'm certain something is not right up there. It has severely impacted my breathing and I'm constantly dealing with blockage. At certain points I have even been able to detect a musky smell.

Is it possible that:

1. A chronic sinus infection is causing elevated cortisol
2. The elevated cortisol is causing chronic inflammation
3. The chronic inflammation is causing major damage to the conditions of my scalp (not to mention other areas of the body), which triggered my androgenic alopecia (unconfirmed, but I'm convinced by the shape that it is).

I also wonder if these elevated cortisol levels are contributing to my constant "tense/anxious" state via the pregnenolone steal.

I should note - I also have long running GI issues (which I believe there is inflammation there as well) and my liver produces elevated bilirubin (Gilbert's Syndrome). I've been trying to collect more facts on what kind of impact this has on my hormone levels. In college I also had a pretty rough case of mono that lasted me about 6 months. I still test high for the associated EBV antibodies.