In a paper from January 2009, doctors out of Canada proposed a new theory about treating a suppressed HPA axis (which may be an issue for CFS patients), by suppressing it further.

The HPA axis is regulated by a complicated system of feedback loops. In the case of a suppressed HPA axis, there is a malfunction in one of these feedback mechanisms. This causes it to be stuck producing hormones at a lower than normal level.

If hormones are further suppressed, the hope is that the body will naturally want to compensate for this and increase levels of hormone production and bring the body back to its normal state.

These doctors propose to suppress cortisol by 30% of the patients baseline levels, then the treatment will be stopped after a short period of time.