High cortisol? Bloating or visceral fat?

[Dasein88]

How can I tell whether my gut is due to visceral fat or bloating? What kind of doctors, if any should I go to to get this checked out? What else can I do in my life to remedy the problem?

I had my AM cortisol checked on Thursday and it was a little high: 23.5 mcg/dL (4.0-22.0 lab range). Should I be concerned or is this basically normal? I've had trouble getting clear answers about what is a high AM cortisol level. I realize that the 4 point cortisol test is more accurate but it's also more costly. I am struggling here. Any thoughts?

I have been feeling somewhat rundown lately due to being undermedicated on thyroid meds, having digestive troubles, and feeling bloating (without excessive burping or farting). I have upped my thyroid meds and I am taking betaine HCL and digestive enzymes for my digestive issues, with some indication of improvement.

Even at low body fat, 12-13% I have had a problem with my gut sticking out for years (seems worse lately). I find it embarassing, and I am considering going to a doctor to have it looked at. Even so, doctors are usually so unconcerned and incompetent that I don't want to spend any money on doctors visits that give me few answers and that don't allow me to address the issues I am having.

I am 33 years old, 5'6 and 155 lbs. I have been on TRT since November. I don't feel like I've seen major benefits from TRT, and, in fact, I have had many complaints. Part of the problem has been due to having sub-optimal thyroid levels (I am taking care of that). I have also experienced problems lately with low stomach acid and related digestive issues. What should I do?

I am going to eat smaller portion sizes; do intermittent fasting; limit or exclude grains, dairy, sodium and soy sauce; and incorporate more cardio or HIIT in my workouts. I am so bothered at this point that I am not worried about losing some muscle mass if I can get rid of my gut.

 

[fifty]

Dexa scan?

 

[Dasein88]

Thank you. I will look into that.

 

[Gianluca]

How can I tell whether my gut is due to visceral fat or bloating? What kind of doctors, if any should I go to to get this checked out? What else can I do in my life to remedy the problem?

I had my AM cortisol checked on Thursday and it was a little high: 23.5 mcg/dL (4.0-22.0 lab range). Should I be concerned or is this basically normal? I've had trouble getting clear answers about what is a high AM cortisol level. I realize that the 4 point cortisol test is more accurate but it's also more costly. I am struggling here. Any thoughts?

I have been feeling somewhat rundown lately due to being undermedicated on thyroid meds, having digestive troubles, and feeling bloating (without excessive burping or farting). I have upped my thyroid meds and I am taking betaine HCL and digestive enzymes for my digestive issues, with some indication of improvement.

Even at low body fat, 12-13% I have had a problem with my gut sticking out for years (seems worse lately). I find it embarassing, and I am considering going to a doctor to have it looked at. Even so, doctors are usually so unconcerned and incompetent that I don't want to spend any money on doctors visits that give me few answers and that don't allow me to address the issues I am having.

I am 33 years old, 5'6 and 155 lbs. I have been on TRT since November. I don't feel like I've seen major benefits from TRT, and, in fact, I have had many complaints. Part of the problem has been due to having sub-optimal thyroid levels (I am taking care of that). I have also experienced problems lately with low stomach acid and related digestive issues. What should I do?

I am going to eat smaller portion sizes; do intermittent fasting; limit or exclude grains, dairy, sodium and soy sauce; and incorporate more cardio or HIIT in my workouts. I am so bothered at this point that I am not worried about losing some muscle mass if I can get rid of my gut.

How is your diet?

 

[JohnTaylorHK]

Getting to 12-13% bodyfat is quite an achievement. Sticking out abs can be due to loss of muscle tone in that area (do traditional hip flexor situps AND ab crunches), I found I had to do hundreds per day to make any difference, but, if it is a muscle tone issue, the abs will eventually pull in. If not a muscle tone issue, then there are many foods that can cause bloating, try to eliminate any suspects one by one, at least a week at a time. I found I had an allergy to one of the local "vegetables", which made me quite sick and took more than a month to resolve. Namaste.

 

[Dasein88]

How is your diet?

That is too much to get into. I am in the process of doing the autoimmune protocol whereby I have to eliminate a number of foods from my diet, soy, dairy, grains, nightshades, and coffee, for instance. I haven't eliminated coffee or dairy yet.

Everything points to this being a gut issue, e.g. leaky gut, candida, and possibly sibo. So, I am going do what I need to do to heal my gut, drink bone broth, eat lots of vegetables and fermented foods, and eliminate foods that are feeding the bad bacteria and exacerbating my symptoms.

As it is, I consume a lot of eggs, beef, chicken, dairy, and to a lesser extent seafood. I consume a decent amount of vegetables (but not enough, I am told), celery, broccoli, onions, cucumbers, olives, and some others. I'm a bachelor who doesn't like to spend too much time preparing food, but I don't eat any junk food or fast food.

 

[Dasein88]

Getting to 12-13% bodyfat is quite an achievement. Sticking out abs can be due to loss of muscle tone in that area

It's not that incredible. It's genetic. I'd rather be tall than have low body fat. Low body fat doesn't impress the right people. I get men complimenting my body all the time and it's weird and creepy.

I'm having health issues right now that are so bad that I cannot even go to the gym. Besides that, I don't believe my complaints have anything to do with lack of muscle strength or tone. I have gut issues.

 

[appleheadq]

If it is bloating, you are eating a lot of the wrong things. Try looking up the FODMAP diet and eliminating gas producing foods like onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, and others listed. If you do that you will feel a lot better and decrease the burping, farting and bloating. I use almond milk in place of milk with no problems and you can still eat some cheeses without problems for dairy. Click on FODMAP FOOD LIST link to go to the website that tells you what to eat and not to eat to improve your situation. I know following the diet improved my symptoms and I also had to get tested by a doctor for SIBO by blowing air into test tubes and sending them in to get results and then taking antibiotics to improve my symptoms.

FODMAP FOOD LIST LINK

Good luck!