Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms, Causes & Assessment (part 1 of 2)

Adrenal Fatigue: Symptoms, Causes and Assessing Adrenal Function (part 1 of 2)

Right up there with the obesity epidemic is an invisible epidemic: adrenal insufficiency, adrenal fatigue, adrenal dysfunction, adrenal burnout and exhausted adrenal glands. Just about everyone of us seems to be experiencing some stage of adrenal dysfunction whether it’s the alarm stage, resistance stage or exhaustion stage.

Many individuals live stress-filled, fast-paced, sympathetic dominant lives full of an excessive amount of stress, busyness with lack of down time or restoration, insomnia and endless commitments. Our body does not differentiate between real or imagined stressors, or fearful emotions and thoughts. Many individuals fail to take care of their basic needs such as eating healthy food, drinking clean water, and valuing the importance of recovery, relaxation and restful sleep for optimal health and well-being, vitality, longevity and fat loss.

Adrenal dysfunction affects close to 80 percent of the population and causes a multitude of health problems from exhaustion and weight gain to decreased immune function and autoimmune disorders. Adrenal depletion can result in mood disorders, depression, hypertension, insomnia, fibromyalgia, diabetes, yeast, Candida and fungal infections, hypothyroid, kidney disease, even cancer…and, the list goes on.

The majority of individuals suffering with weak adrenal function don't realize that adrenal insufficiency is the underlying cause of their symptoms, or that they can heal their adrenals and restore their health naturally. The majority of doctors ignore adrenal dysfunction unless it’s severe or part of an illness such as Addison’s (an underproduction of cortisol) or Cushing’s (an overproduction of cortisol).

What caused my adrenal fatigue	What I did to heal my adrenals
Owned and ran two businesses (15 hour days)	Deepened my existing relationship with God
Built and designed a custom home	Changed my workouts to support my adrenals
Lost $250k in investments with “friends”	Positive mindset, focused on blessings & gratitude
Got a divorce after 11 years of marriage	Nourished my body with nutrient-dense foods
Moved and remodeled a home	Prioritized sleep, more rest & relaxation
Younger sister committed suicide	Spent more time in nature. Daily walks.
Lost my beloved Rottweiler, Teddy Bear	Took nutrients to support & restore my adrenals
Had heavy metal toxicity (lead)	Learned to honor myself & stand in my power
Wrote & self-published my first book	Extended forgiveness to others & myself
Invested time & energy to grow my business	Practiced restorative yoga, meditation & breathing

These life events happened in a matter of a few years, depleting my energy reserves. We all faces challenges in life. Whether our struggles are relational, physical, vocational or financial, we can be certain that nobody’s exempt. Our attitudes, values, beliefs, thoughts, the quality of the food we eat, our lifestyle choices, environment, and who and what we surround ourselves with has a profound impact that can empower and inspire us to heal and become stronger, wiser, healthier and better.

The adrenal glands weigh less than a grape. They are two tiny, walnut-sized glands located above each kidney. The adrenals are the control center for many hormones including cortisol, adrenaline, DHEA, progesterone, aldosterone, estrogen and testosterone. Cortisol, the fight or flight hormone is produced in response to stressors such as pain and inflammation, glycemic control and psychological overload. It’s required for survival, balancing blood sugar and optimizing immune function.

The primary role of the adrenal glands is to control energy levels and keep you alive during stressful events. Studies have shown that for every minute you experience stress, it takes 60 minutes to remove the flood of stress hormones from the bloodstream. Chronic, ongoing stress creates a continuous production of cortisol which in turn overproduces cell-damaging, free radicals causing your body to break down and age faster than you’d like.

Cortisol is a necessary hormone that is responsible for fuel regulation and is released while exercising, eating, awakening and psychosocial stress. However, if there is too much cortisol in circulation for extended periods of time…..

• blood sugar will be impaired: high (hyperglycemia) or low (hypoglycemia)
• thyroid hormones are affected
• sleep is disturbed
• belly fat increases and muscle mass decreases
• digestion is impaired
• the thymus gland shrinks, the immune system weakens and risk for autoimmune disorders increase
• appetite increases and cravings for sugar intensify
• blood pressure increases and cholesterol rises
• production of sex hormones come to a halt
• telomeres shorten and the aging process accelerates
• metabolism declines
• brain chemistry is altered
• all other hormones are disrupted
• bone density decreases
• oxidative stress and inflammation increases
• tendency to experience brain fog, memory loss, anxiety, irritability, fatigue
• Cortisol also indirectly influences appetite by regulating other chemicals that are released during stress such as CRH (corticotrophin releasing hormone), leptin, and neuropeptide Y (NPY), High levels of NPY and CRH and reduced levels of leptin have been shown to stimulate appetite.

Subjective indicators. Adrenal dysfunction, burnout and fatigue causes…

• Asthma, bronchitis, frequent colds or frequently sick
• Autoimmune disorders
• Bloating, swelling and water retention
• Blood sugar imbalances; hypoglycemia or high blood sugar
• Increased belly fat 
• Chronic GI issues, heartburn or indigestion and digestive difficulties
• Sugar or salt cravings
• Excessive urination. Waking up in the middle of the night to use the restroom (even when you don't drink lots water in the evening)
• You’re exhausted around 3-4pm, feel as though you need to lay down, but instead reach for sugar, coffee or some other stimulant
• Low libido; zero sex drive
• Candida, yeast, and fungal infections
• Dizziness when standing up suddenly
• Chronic inflammation
• Elevated LDL cholesterol (excess cholesterol is manufactured in times of psychological stress) Cholesterol can increase 100 point just with a stressful event (real or perceived).
• Hair loss. Thin skin
• Having to have a cup of strong tea or coffee in the morning to get going
• Hypothyroid,, Hashimoto’s and thyroid dysfunction
• Low capacity to tolerate or handle stress; Irritable; Mental fogginess; Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Intolerance to exercise
• Lower than normal blood pressure
• Osteoporosis and muscle atrophy
• Poor memory, acuity and concentration
• Tenderness at the medial knee
• Severely cracked, painful heels (also an indication of essential fatty acid deficiency)
• Tend to be a night person
• Tendency of a “need” to wear sunglasses; sensitive to light
• Sensitivity and tenderness at low back under the 12^th rib area

The adrenals are your backup pharmacy. When the adrenals are depleted and chronically overworked, production of all other hormones will be compromised. Cholesterol is a precursor to all hormones. Those with adrenal dysfunction tend to be low in DHEA, a precursor to hormones such as estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Insufficient DHEA contributes to fatigue, bone loss, muscle atrophy, accelerated aging, decreased sex drive, depression, brain fog, achy joints, and impaired immune function.

Over time, when cortisol stays up, DHEA goes down and telomeres shorten and the aging process accelerates. Individuals with the highest levels of perceived stress tend to have the shortest telomeres, indicating that they have a cell age 10 years ahead of their biological age. Excessive levels of cortisol prevent the immune system from functioning properly leading to diseases of aging – the three killer insults: inflammation, oxidation and immune dysfunction.

According to the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, the more stress in a woman's life, the greater her weight. Another study in Molecular Psychiatry found that women are more sensitive to the stress hormone cortisol and are less able to adapt when levels are high. When cortisol is released in high amounts, production of sex hormones come to a halt and instead more stress hormones are produced.

Adrenal hormones act as important reserves after menopause and andropause. If the adrenals are exhausted or adrenal insufficiency was not addressed properly at age 30, meno/andropause symptoms will intensify. Therefore, it is especially important that women prioritize healthy functioning adrenals before entering into menopause since the adrenal glands produce 40 percent of sex hormones before menopause and 90 percent after menopause. The stronger your adrenals are BEFORE menopause, the easier and smoother your transition will be as you enter into meno/andropause.

To experience your highest level of health and well-being, balanced hormones, and lose body fat, and in order to look, think and feel your best, prioritizing healthy functioning adrenals is crucial and mandatory. Each person is individual in susceptibility to adrenal dysfunction based on their genetics. HOWEVER, we can choose which genes to turn on and which genes to turn off (epigenetics) through our diet, environment and lifestyle choices.

Many children today are born with weak adrenals due to their parents’ nutritional deficiencies. This is not a genetic problem. Instead, it is due to the nutritional imbalances of the mother, in particular. These are passed through the placenta to the unborn child.

A child or fetus in the womb that experiences trauma whether physical, electromagnetic, emotional, environmental or psychological will have a lower stress threshold in adult life. Also, it’s important to factor in that the nervous system, endocrine system and immune system are all interconnected and that hormones work in synergy – they do not work independently. What affects one hormone, impacts all of them.

Causes of Adrenal Insufficiency. Any imbalance that taxes one’s physiology in an attempt to maintain homeostasis results in altered stress hormones. This includes:

• Eating inflammatory foods your body is sensitive to and cannot tolerate
• Insufficient rest and relaxation. Constant on-the-go, non-stop busyness.
• Consistently staying up late at night (past 10:30 pm) and disrupted circadian rhythms.
• Getting less than 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Just one night of poor sleep can increase cortisol by 45 percent!
• Long-term steroid drug use for arthritis, asthma, allergies or MS which cause the adrenals to shrink in size.
• Over-exercising, under-recovery and excessive cardio/aerobic exercise
• Persistent injuries that cause inflammation. Chronic pain. Illness.
• Long-term use of OTC and prescription drugs. Antibiotic and NSAIDS overuse.
• Prolonged stress, including emotional, mental, environmental, electromagnetic, and spiritual stress.
• Genetic defects can be a cause of physical and emotional stress that can weaken the adrenals.
• Relationships. Divorce. Death of a loved one. Finances. Economy. Occupation. Retirement.
• EMF exposure, WiFi and 24/7 exposure to wireless devices
• Skipping meals, insulin resistance and blood sugar imbalances
• Addiction to stimulants, sugar, alcohol or drugs
• Heavy metal toxicity. Exposure to toxins, pesticides, glyphosate, GMOs
• Noise pollution. Air pollution.
• Digestive dysfunction and leaky gut
• Infections (viral, bacterial, yeast, Candida, parasites, H.pylori, SIBO)
• Liver dysfunction

Diagnosing adrenal function is important to determine the appropriate recovery protocol, although subjective indicators are very reliable. Testing may include:

• Rogoff’s Sign
• Pupil Constriction
• Ragland’s Blood Pressure Test: lie down and rest for 5 minutes. Take a blood pressure reading. Systolic blood pressure should be <120. Diastolic blood pressure should be <80. Wait one minute, then stand up and take another reading. Systolic blood pressure should rise approximately 5 points. If it drops, your adrenals are most likely working poorly.
• Urine Sodium
• Adrenal Stress Index (ASI) testing via saliva is non-invasive and evaluates how well the adrenal glands function by tracking their 24-hour circadian rhythm. Saliva samples are taken four times/day for one day to determine your basic cortisol rhythm. According to one of my mentors, Harry Eidenier, Jr, PhD, the adrenal saliva test is invaluable and has a wide margin of error in detecting adrenal function. He prefers the 4-rhythm cortisol urine test, which will be available to practitioners and the public very soon.
• Include a thyroid panel, along with a CBC, Metabolic panel and inflammatory markers: C-Reactive Protein and Homocysteine. Order Your Own Lab Tests here!

  Part 2 – How to Heal Adrenal Fatigue Naturally & Balance Cortisol 

A functional health practitioner understands that the body is connected, identifies the root cause and slowly "peels away the layers of the onion" so vibrant health can be experienced for a lifetime! Schedule a free 15-minute consultation! I consult with clients locally in the Phoenix area and with men and women around the world via telephone or Skype. Thank you!

Copyright © Paula Owens. All Rights Reserved.

The material in this article and on this blog is copyright material and may NOT be reproduced or copied without written permission. Reproduction of the articles on this blog may be shared and are permissible ONLY when instructions found at the bottom of this blog are followed. Thank you.

Related Articles

• 12 Menopause Solutions
• Love Your Liver
• Balance Neurotransmitters
• Strategies to Blast Belly Fat
• 5-Step Formula for a Healthy Gut
• Hypothyroid
• Are you Overtraining and Under-Recovering?

Technorati Tags: adrenal fatigue,paulaowens.com,hormones,adrenal dysfunction