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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 9/7/2007 9:45 AM (GMT -8)
Pred and cortisone are the standard steroids used to suppress the immune system and "put out" inflammation. I presume these are the synthetic versions of cortisol produced by your adrenal glands. Thus is it true to say that in a person with UC (or any other autoimmune disease) the adrenal glands don't produce sufficient cortisol to turn off the immune system?
Posted 9/7/2007 9:52 AM (GMT -8)
Yes, an individual usually produces about 5 to 7 mgs of "prednisone" per day, naturally. When a patient has been on prednisone for more than a month, natural cortisol production is suppressed, and it may take months for the adrenal glands to produce high doses of cortisol and return to normal.

However, I'm not sure it's a case of not producing enough cortisol... I've always heard the theory is more that the immune system over-reacts and attacks inappropriately.
Posted 9/7/2007 11:29 AM (GMT -8)
Its not the case that people with U.C. do not produce enough cortisol. People with auto-immune disease usually have a immune system that overreacts to things healthy immune systems wouldn't.
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