Re: Salt/aldosterone

Cool, a thread on aldosterone...My favourite subject...

Here's an interesting excerpt...

Hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism may also occur in the presence of adequate cortisol secretion. Hyperreninemic hypoaldosteronism has also been seen in patients with severe illness in the intensive care unit. The dissociation of renin and aldosterone during serious illnesses is poorly understood. These patients usually do not have hyperkalemia, presumably owing to the mineralocorticoid effects of the hypercortisolism that accompanies serious illness. Chronic ACTH secretion, as seen in seriously ill patients, has also been shown to decrease aldosterone secretion from the zona glomerulosa. Many patients with AIDS also have impaired aldosterone secretion despite either normal or elevated PRA levels. Patients with critical illness and AIDS have also been reported to have low levels of DHEA with subnormal responsiveness to ACTH administration.

* These findings suggest that there is an adrenocortical adaptation to serious illness with a relative shift in the metabolism of adrenal pregnenolone away from mineralocorticoids and adrenal androgens and toward glucocorticoids. *

I was talking to gavster about "pregnenolone steal", which could be a cause of low aldosterone production in the context of normal cortisol production (hence the highlighted statement above).

Low aldosterone is frankly destroying my life/health/livelihood and I'm getting a little desperate to get to the bottom of this thing now...

Interesting nonetheless!

Thanks for bringing this to the table, which is most appreciated. Comments anyone?

Sayonara!

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