Adrenal Fatigue

Your adrenal glands are two tiny pyramid-shaped pieces of tissuesituated right above each kidney. Their job is to produce andrelease, when appropriate, certain regulatory hormones andchemical messengers.Adrenaline is manufactured in the interior of the adrenal gland,called the adrenal medulla. Cortisol, the other chemical fromthe adrenal gland, is made in the exterior portion of the gland,called the adrenal cortex. The cortex also secretes androgens,estrogens, and progestins. Cortisol, commonly calledhydrocortisone, is the most abundant -- and one of the mostimportant -- of many adrenal cortex hormones. Cortisol helps youhandle longer-term stress situations.In addition to helping you handle stress, these two primaryadrenal hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, along with otherssimilarly produced, help control body fluid balance, bloodpressure, blood sugar, and other central metabolic functions.In the heightened nervous state of adrenal burnout, the bodyoverproduces adrenaline, cortisol and other stress hormones.Constant stress and poor nutrition can weaken the adrenalglands. Eventually, this causes the adrenal glands, the frontline in the stress reaction, to show wear and tear and becomedepleted. This frequently leads to impairment in the thyroidgland, which can cause a further decline in energy level andmood and is one of the reasons why many people have thyroidglands that don't work well.When stress continues over prolonged periods of time, theadrenal glands can deplete the body's hormonal and energyreserves, and the glands may either shrink in size orhypertrophy (enlarge). The overproduction of adrenal hormonescaused by prolonged stress can weaken the immune system andinhibit the production of white blood cells that protect thebody against foreign invaders (in particular lymphocytes andlymph node function).Adrenal dysfunction can disrupt the body's blood sugarmetabolism, causing weakness, fatigue, and a feeling of beingrun down. It can also interfere with normal sleep rhythms andproduce a wakeful, unrelaxing sleep state, making a person feelworn out even after a full night's sleep.Common Causes of Adrenal Stress* Anger * Fear / Worry /Anxiety * Depression * Guilt * Overwork/physical or mental strain * Excessive exercise * Sleepdeprivation * Light-cycle disruption * Going to sleep late *Surgery * Trauma/injury * Chronic inflammation * Chronicinfection * Chronic pain * Temperature extremes * Toxic exposure* Malabsorption * Maldigestion * Chronic illness *Chronic-severe allergies * Hypogycemia * Nutritional deficiencies Testing for Adrenal HealthIn order to determine the health of your adrenal glands you needto have a simple blood, urine, or saliva test performed by yourpractitioner. Cortisol levels can be checked by blood orthroughout the day by a saliva test. DHEA, and Epinephrine, aresome other indicators of adrenal function.Associated Symptoms and Consequences of Impaired AdrenalFunctioning* Low body temperature * Weakness * Unexplained hair loss *Nervousness * Difficulty building muscle * Irritability * Mentaldepression * Difficulty gaining weight * Apprehension *Hypoglycemia * Inability to concentrate * Excessive hunger *Tendency towards inflammation * Moments of confusion *Indigestion * Poor memory * Feelings of frustration *Alternating diarrhea and constipation * Osteoporosis *auto-immune diseases/hepatitis * Lightheadedness * Palpitations[heart fluttering] * Dizziness that occurs upon standing * Poorresistance to infections * Low blood pressure * Insomnia * Foodand/or inhalant allergies * PMS * Craving for sweets * Dry andthin skin * Headaches * Scanty perspiration * Alcohol intoleranceTreatmentLifestyle changes such as:Eating steadily, all day long. Skipping meals is one of theworst things you can do for your body. When you're hungry, yourblood sugar drops, stressing your adrenal glands and triggeringyour sympathetic nervous system. That causes light-headedness,cravings, anxiety and fatigue. Another drawback to skippingmeals: The resulting low blood sugar can affect your ability tothink clearly and shorten your attention span.Skipping breakfast is particularly bad, as it is a sure fire wayto gain, not lose, weight. If you start each morning with a goodbreakfast and "graze" healthfully every two to four hours, yourblood sugar will remain steady throughout the day. You'll feelmore rested and energetic.Eat protein with every meal. Eat Complex carbohydrates such asbrown rice. Avoid sugar, junk food, white pasta, white rice,white bread.Absolutely NO Caffeine. Coffee/Sodas over stimulates youradrenals and they deplete important B vitamins. Coffee does notgive you energy; coffee gives you the illusion of energy. Coffeeactually drains the body of energy and makes you more tired,because of vitamin and adrenal depletion.Exercise to relax. Walking, Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, orstretching. No vigorous or aerobic exercise, which depletes theadrenals.Avoid alcohol, processed foods, and tobacco. Nicotine in tobaccoinitially raises cortisol levels, but chronic use results in lowDHEA, testosterone, and progesterone levels.Reduce stress; learn relaxation techniques such as deepbreathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation.Helpful Supplements The use of small amounts of natural adrenalhormone (hydrocortisone) to bring slightly low adrenal functionup to its proper normal daily range is often helpful. Take adaily multivitamin to provide nutritional support to the adrenalgland. Vitamin C 1,000-3,000 mg a day L-Theanine 100-400 mg aday Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) 300 mg a day Licorice(Glycyrrhiza glabra), no more than 1000 mg of glycyrrhizin