Adrenal Exhaustion/Adrenal Fatigue

Adrenal exhaustion or adrenal fatigue is a 21st century stress syndrome. It has been estimated that 80% of adults suffer some sort of adrenal fatigue however it is one of the most under diagnosed illnesses in western society. Adrenal fatigue, also known as hypoadrenia, non-Addison's hypoadrenia and in its most severe form Addison's disease, is a deficiency in the function of the adrenal glands.

The most common signs of adrenal fatigue include: continued fatigue, trouble getting out of bed, sugar and/or salt cravings, lack of energy, increased effort to do everyday tasks, decreased sex drive, decreased ability to handle stress, light headed when standing up, low body temperature, more prone to colds and flu, depression, poor memory and less tolerance. As a result of decreased adrenal hormones people with adrenal fatigue frequently also have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar levels), allergies, arthritic pain and low immune response. Women with it also have increased difficulty with PMS and menopause.

Adrenal fatigue can be caused by: stress whether it be physical, emotional or psychological, lack of sleep, overexertion, poor diet, alcohol, smoking, caffeine, too much sugar, allergies, infections, toxins, excessive copper levels, heavy metal toxicity, fear, marital stress, problems at work, death of a loved one, illness, accidents, negative attitudes, drugs, candida, parasites, etc.

Unfortunately modern medicine does not recognise adrenal exhaustion as a distinct syndrome, only recognising the most severe form being Addison's disease. The attitude of the medical profession to ignore this disease results in many unnecessary health problems for many sufferers. Adrenal fatigue syndrome is a fully recognisable condition which can be alleviated with natural hormones and safe substances. The first step is to find a sympathetic doctor who will order the necessary blood/saliva tests in order to properly diagnose this condition. This may prove to be very difficult!

The main adrenal hormones of interest with adrenal exhaustion are DHEA and cortisol as these two hormones are continuously secreted in response to long term chronic stress. Other adrenal hormones which include adrenaline and noradrenaline are secreted in short bursts in response to an acute situation which is referred to as the fight and flight response. These two hormones are generally not considered significant in adrenal exhaustion. Conditions where these two hormones are continuously secreted (dysautonia) cause the following symptoms: anxiety, nervousness, overstimulated, insomnia, jittery, palpitations, shortness of breath, etc. This requires the CNS to be balanced with inhibitory neurotransmitters such as GABA to counteract the excessive excitation.

Cortisol

A normal functioning adrenal gland produces a whole array of hormones but of particular interest is cortisol. The adrenal glands of a healthy person produces about 20mg of cortisol each day. Normal cortisol levels are responsible for maintaining normal blood sugar levels, it immobilises fat and protein stores for more energy, it is an anti-inflammatory, controls and modifies most blood cells that participate in immune and/or inflammatory reations, effects blood vessels and therefore blood pressure, and electrolyte levels in the heart tissue, heart beat, as well as influencing the central nervous system controlling mood and behaviour.

During early stage adrenal stress cortisol levels are usually elevated which can increase obesity, cholesterol, blood pressure, alters brain chemistry which causes depression and anxiety, causes insulin resistance and osteoporosis, to name a few.

During later stage adrenal exhaustion the once high levels of cortisol plumet to very low levels where it is insufficient to to adequately maintain normal physiological function. Therfore it is very important that cortisol levels are maintained at a normal healthy optimal level for normal physiological function.

DHEA

Another adrenal hormone of particular interest that declines during periods of stress is DHEA. If low DHEA levels are not rectified a hormonal cascade effect could occur resulting with a deficiency of other sex hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. If these hormones get too low then a whole range of other systems and problems can also occur such as PMS, Menopause, andropause and hypothyroidism.

During periods of stress the adrenal gland initially increase the production of cortisol to cope with the stress. In response to high cortisol levels the thyroid gland secretes less thyroid hormones in an attempt to reverse the adrenal overdrive. This low thyroid production can make us feel tired and heavy as our metabolic rate slows down. When your adrenals finally become exhausted and cortisol levels decline there is less suppression of inflammation and allergy response which may result with an inflamed thyroid gland thus decreasing thyroid hormone secretion even further resulting with hypothyroidism. Eventually this will place further stress the adrenal gland.

It is obvious that adrenal exhaustion can be devastating to your overall hormonal health. It causes diminished cortisol and DHEA levels which adversely effects thyroid and sex hormone levels. Without appropriate treatment the adverse hormonal cascade effect will be amplified resulting in very poor health. In order to effectively treat adrenal exhaustion it is essential to determine at which stage of the condition you are at in order to treat it effectively thus preventing it from progressing any further.

Stages of Adrenal Exhaustion

There are three stages of adrenal exhaustion which include:

Stage 1

The first stage, which is called hyper-adrenalism, is characterised by abnormally high cortisol levels and subnormal DHEA levels. With the high cortisol levels you may still have energy, perhaps too much, and you may not be sleeping well or restfully. You may be losing muscle mass because cortisol cannibalises muscle for energy resulting in weakness. It may also cause moon face and weight gain around the trunk as well as fluid retention and glucose intolerance. Cortisol decreases serotonin levels which may cause depression, it also decreases melatonin levels which adds to poor sleep. It is also immunosuppressive which may result in frequent infections and illness. High cortisol can cause hot flushes in women which is often considered only an estrogen deficient symptom. Sugar cravings, confusion and muscle weakness may also occur.

Stage 2

Stage 2 is where cortisol supplies have finally run low but have not run out yet. For a year or so cortisol and DHEA will hover in the low-normal range leaving you feeling tired and stressed, but functional.

Stage 3

Stage 3 is where cortisol and DHEA levels are low for most of the day leaving you with low energy levels. Common signs and symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include: inability to tolerate exercise, depression, dark circles under the eyes, lack of mental alertness, headaches, oedema, salt and/or sugar cravings, feeling tired all the time, mentally and emotionally overstressed, light headedness, heartburn, low blood pressure, recurrent infections and trouble sleeping.

Treatments

Treatment of this condition may include bioidentical adrenal hormone supplementation to restore optimal adrenal hormone levels, good nutrition and adequate rest and sleep.

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