Healthy Pet Network

By Alfred J. Plechner, D.V.M.

William Jefferies, M.D., emeritus clinical professor of internal medicine at the University of Virginia, pioneered long-term, low-dosage cortisone treatments for humans. Now in his eighties, Jefferies has reported for years that this method safely and effectively improves patients with allergies, chronic fatigue, and autoimmune disorders. Yet, just as in veterinary medicine, this effective treatment for humans has been generally ignored.

Until recently, Jefferies and I were not aware of our parallel work—one in human medicine, the other in veterinary medicine. We met for the first time in 2002 when I was invited to present my findings to physicians at a conference sponsored by the Broda O. Barnes M.D. Research Foundation in Trumbull, Connecticut.

Cortisone has a considerable stigma attached to it. But, as both Jefferies and I found independently, the problem of side effects relates largely to the use of powerful, pharmacologic dosages, and not to smaller, physiologic dosages. This is an important distinction. (See Figure 1 for a more detailed comparison between the functions, side effects, and benefits of pharmacologic and physiologic cortisone.) So, too, is the understanding that these small, physiologic dosages of natural cortisol or synthetic cortisone medications are used as a form of hormone replacement to compensate for a hormone defect.

My new book, Pets at Risk: From Allergies to Cancer, Remedies for an Unsuspected Epidemic (NewSage Press 2003), offers detailed instructions on how to perform the blood test I developed to identify cortisol-based endocrine-immune imbalances and how to translate the results into an individually calibrated and effective hormone replacement program.

If followed carefully, the program can significantly and rapidly improve even very sick animals. It is also an approach that I believe may offer significant insights for the treatment of human illnesses.

Some of the information contained in this syllabus has been published in medical and health journals; some is currently scheduled for publication at the time of this printing. My article, “Unrecognized Adrenal- Immune Disturbance in Pets Offers Therapeutic Insights for Multiple Human Disorders,” was previously published under the title “Chaos in the Cortex,” in the April 2003 issue of the Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients. The article gives an overview of the endocrine-immune imbalance mechanism. The subsequent articles present specific perspectives: how pollution and toxicity can damage endocrine-immune homeostasis and the mechanism’s involvement in infertility, vaccination complications, and cancer. Finally, I share clinical perspectives intended to be of practical help to clinicians.

I welcome communication from health professionals interested in exploring the role of endocrineimmune imbalances.

 MALE + FEMALE - PHASE 1 PROTOCOL

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

Determining the source or sources of body estrogen is critical. While the ovaries do indeed produce estrogen, they are far from the only source. Non-ovarian estrogen may enter the body or be produced in any of the following ways:

• The adrenal cortex (zona reticularis and possible interface layer) both produce forms of estrogen.
• Ingesting soy protein may raise estrogen levels, since soy contains estradiol. The amount of soy ingested seems to make no difference; any soy protein may be enough to push a estrogen prominent person into estrogen dominance.
• The enzyme aromatase converts DHEA, DHEAS and various androgens to estrogen in the tissue.

• Taking calcium supplements can bind thyroid hormone if the two enter the body simultaneously. Even though lab results indicate normal levels of thyroid in the blood, the patient’s system may still be thyroid deprived if the hormone is bound by calcium. If both supplements are necessary they should be taken six to eight hours apart.
• Aspirin and other medications containing salicylates may cause severe gastritis in patients undergoing steroid therapy.
• Any patient undergoing steroid therapy should be monitored regularly for fructosamine to determine if an early onset or acceleration of diabetes mellitis may be occurring. The steroid will not cause diabetes mellitis, but it may accelerate disease onset.
• Patients should monitor their blood pressure morning, noon, and night, since thyroid therapy may raise blood pressure levels. Patients with an unidentified pre-coronary condition may be at risk. Those patients with an identified cardiac disease should have thyroid medication dosages adjusted accordingly, and contact their physician immediately should tachycardia or arrhythmia occur. (See Therapy Possibilities, pp. 52, 53 of the Compendium.)

• Birth control pills with estrogen
• Foods that contain estrogen
• Toxins (if possible)
• Xenoestrogens (from black plastic, etc.)
• Stress. If stress cannot be avoided and there are changes in estrogen and immunogolubulins during a high stress period extra hydrocortisone may be indicated to address the adrenaline production, which uses hydrocortisone as a catalyst.

MEASURE PRIMARY E-I LEVELS BEFORE MEASURING OTHER HORMONES AND SUBSTANCES If the Endocrine-Immune panel is run first and the patient’s levels for cortisol, total estrogen, IgA, IgG, and IgM and thyroid are normalized by appropriate treatment and supplements, the normalized blood levels may provide a more realistic baseline for evaluating other hormones and substances. Attempting to measure them without first normalizing the endocrine-immune blood imbalances may well yield confusing results.

• The endocrine system regulates the immune system. Measurements should reflect how hormones in the system are affecting not only the adrenal-pituitary-hypothalamic axis, but how they are regulating the immune system, not just blood hormone levels per se. Even with proper hormone supplementation the availability of the hormone may depend on the patient's ability to absorb through the gut wall.

• Food sensitivities
• Digestive enzyme deficiencies, and
• Ingesting oil-based supplements (These can coat the gut and limit or eliminate the availability of digestive hormone).
• IgA deficiency

• Patients should be tested regularly during and after treatment to monitor progress, particularly if there is risk of a disease like diabetes, which may be accelerated by steroid use. A blood test will reveal whether or not the supplementation or treatment is maintaining the status quo, improving the patient’s health, or contributing to ill health.
• Measuring the E-I blood panel is simple. Running the tests can do no harm; drawing the blood for the panel is no more invasive than drawing blood for a standard CBC and lood chemistry. Having the E-I’s results at one’s disposal does not require any particular action. However, I have found those results invaluable in determining the course of treatment that will best help my patients achieve health, comfort, and a long and happy life.

I offer the specifics of the E-I panel and treatment protocol in the hope that it will provide veterinarians and physicins with added information, and promote better health for their patients. I welcome information and suggestions from those interested in exploring this treatment plan more fully. I urge members of the general public who feel they or their animals may benefit from this treatment plan to contact a qualified physician or veterinarian and discuss the possibilities it may offer.

For more information, please see the Published Works page and Lab Info page to determine where the blood tests need to be sent.

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