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Adrenal Fatigue/ Adrenal “Burnout” |
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We are all familiar with stress; it is a constant element in most of our busy lives. But in today’s society, chronic stress can lead to “adrenal fatigue”. Many people suffer from constant fatigue that is not relieved by rest and sleep. Oftentimes the following symptoms could mean your underlying problem may be adrenal fatigue. |
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- Fatigue
- Feeling tired despite sufficient hours of sleep
- Difficulty concentrating or remembering (brain fog)
- Lightheadedness
- Insomnia
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Poor immune function
- Reliance on stimulants like caffeine
- Hair Loss
- Acne
- Cravings for carbohydrates or sugars
- Cravings for salt
- Intolerance to Cold
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| What are the adrenal glands? |
The adrenal glands are walnut-sized glands located on top of each kidney. They are important control centers for many of the body’s hormones. The outer layer of the gland, called the adrenal cortex, produces hormones including cortisol, DHEA, estrogen and testosterone. The centers of the glands produce adrenaline, the hormone named after them. The basic task of your adrenal glands is to rush all your body’s resources into “fight or flight” mode by increasing production of adrenaline and other hormones. When healthy, your adrenals can instantly increase your heart rate and blood pressure, release your energy stores for immediate use, slow your digestion and other secondary functions, and sharpen your senses. This healthy stress response takes priority over all other metabolic functions but wasn’t designed to last very long. Unlike our ancestors, we live with constant stress. Instead of occasional, acute demands followed by rest, we’re constantly over-worked, under-rested, under-nourished, exposed to environmental toxins , and dealing with financial pressures , raising a family and relationship issues. Every challenge to the mind and body creates a demand on the adrenal glands. The result is adrenal glands that are constantly on high alert. |
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What is cortisol? |
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In its normal function, cortisol helps us meet the challenges and stresses of life by converting proteins into energy, releasing glycogen and counteracting inflammation. For a short period of time, that’s okay. However, sustained levels of cortisol gradually tear down your body. Adrenal fatigue may be a factor in many related conditions including fibromyalgia, hypothyroidism, estrogen/progesterone imbalance, testosterone imbalance, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, premature menopause and others. Sustained high cortisol levels destroy healthy muscle and bone, slow down healing and normal cell regeneration, co-opt biochemicals needed to make other vital hormones, impair digestion, metabolism, mental function, and weaken your immune system. |
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Loss of DHEA |
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When the adrenals are chronically overworked and straining to maintain high cortisol levels, they lose the capacity to produce DHEA in sufficient amounts. DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a precursor hormone to estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. It is necessary to moderate the balance of hormones in your body. Insufficient DHEA contributes to fatigue, bone loss, loss of muscle mass, depression, aching joints, decreased sex drive, and impaired immune function. |
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Testing for Adrenal Fatigue |
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Conventional medicine is wonderful for treating disease conditions. However, its focus on drugs tends to suppress early symptoms rather than treat their underlying causes. This can have an effect of delaying treatment until a disease state has developed. This is true in the case of adrenal fatigue cortisol testing. In the conventional standard of care, any cortisol level within a very broad range is considered normal, and anything outside that range indicates disease. In our practice we measure cortisol levels at several points during the day to track the adrenals’ day-night pattern (called the “diurnal rhythm”) using a panel of simple saliva tests. We hope to see cortisol elevated in the morning to help you get going, lower but steady throughout the day to sustain energy, then fall in the evening to support restful sleep. In the early stages of adrenal dysfunction, cortisol levels are too high during the day and continue to rise in the evening. This is called “hyperadrenia.” In the middle stages, cortisol may rise and fall unevenly as the body struggles to balance itself despite the disruptions of caffeine, carbs, and other factors, but levels are not normal and are typically too high at night. In the advanced stages, when the adrenals are exhausted from overwork, cortisol will never reach normal levels (“hypoadrenia”). Conventional medicine will only detect the extremes of these conditions, when damage to the adrenals has already occurred (Cushing’s Disease and Addison’s Disease). Within those extremes, you can feel miserable and still be told your cortisol levels are normal. But by responding to early-stage symptoms of adrenal fatigue, we can reverse the developing dysfunction. |
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Should you get an adrenal/cortisol test? |
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In general, if you feel happy and well most of the time, have steady energy and emotions, sleep soundly seven to nine hours at night, wake up feeling rested, recover well from stress and maintain a healthy weight without dieting, then your adrenals are probably doing well. On the other hand, if your energy level lags during the day, you feel emotionally unbalanced much of the time, you sleep poorly or less than seven hours a night, you wake after a full nights sleep and still feel exhausted, can’t lose excess weight even while dieting, use caffeine or carbohydrates as “pick-me-ups” you may be experiencing adrenal insufficiency.
The good news is with proper support and interventions you can heal adrenal fatigue and reverse the damaging effects of chronic stress.
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