Dr. Joseph Mercola - Take Control of Your Health Adrenal Shutdown: The Silent Crisis Behind Long-Term Steroid Use - AI Podcast
Jun 14, 2025
Explore the hidden dangers of corticosteroid use and how even short-term usage can lead to adrenal shutdown. A European study reveals alarming rates of adrenal insufficiency linked to both oral and inhaled steroids. Discover the critical need for medical supervision during tapering to avoid life-threatening crises. Learn practical strategies for restoring adrenal health through metabolic repair, focusing on lifestyle changes and diet to optimize your body's natural cortisol production.
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Short-Term Steroids Shut Down Adrenals
- Even short-term steroid use as brief as two weeks can shut down adrenal glands.
- This leaves the body without natural cortisol needed to handle stress or crises.
Steroids Greatly Raise Adrenal Risk
- Steroid users show over six times higher adrenal insufficiency than non-steroid users.
- Even inhaled steroids increase adrenal suppression risk by 55%.
Adrenal Suppression Begins Quickly
- Adrenal suppression can start after only 14 continuous days of steroid use.
- Repeated short courses accumulate, deepening suppression without obvious symptoms.