Adrenal
Fatigue Introduction:The
most common adrenal gland dysfunction is adrenal fatigue, a hormone weakness with
varying degrees of reduction in the function of the adrenal glands. Ref. 16 deals
with this condition in great detail. Here I am only giving an overview of this
condition. Our adrenal glands are situated above
the kidneys as this illustration shows. These hormone glands have a circadian
rhythm with the highest amount of adrenal gland hormones being produced in the
morning and a gradual decline throughout the day. Our meals (breakfast, lunch
and dinner) as well as any snacks lead to mini peaks of the adrenal gland hormone
production. If we get enough sleep, there is no excessive stress in our lives
and we do not smoke or abuse alcohol and drugs, most people will not know that
they have adrenals as they are quietly working in the background. However, when
allergies develop to a large amount of food components, every flu is caught that
goes though the community and your energy leaves you mid afternoon for the rest
of the day, there likely is adrenal fatigue setting in. When this is not attended
to, a full blown collapse can occur as a result of adrenal gland failure developing.
This is also known as Addison's disease.
It appears that there are several possible causes of adrenal fatigue. Any prolonged
stress reaction that results in prolonged ACTH stimulation of the adrenal glands
can lead to of adrenal glands exhaustion. Food allergies often also seem to cause
or contribute to adrenal gland fatigue. Several severe emotional stresses and/or
mental disease will be able to overproduce ACTH production. Junk foods, skipped
meals and poor life style choices (drinking habit, drug abuse, smoking, lack of
sleep and excessive caffeine intake) will also produce adrenal gland fatigue as
this leads to failing hormone production of the adrenal glands. Adrenal
Fatigue Symptoms: There are a variety of symptoms that are associated
with adrenal gland fatigue. Dr.
Wilson has provided a test where you can rate yourself to see whether
you likely suffer from this condition. In the questionnaire such symptoms as dizziness,
faintness, excessive drowsiness (particularly after eating) and insomnia are listed.
Various symptoms in the ears, nose or throat can be present , for instance a runny
or stuffy nose, blurred vision, ringing in the ears, a fullness in the ears and
hearing loss, a sore throat, gagging and canker sores; recurrent sinusitis, chronic
itching of the roof of the mouth and a chronic cough may also be present. Heart
palpitations or an increased heart rate (between 85 to 100 beats per minute resting),
chest congestion, frequent hoarseness and asthma can also be symptoms of adrenal
fatigue. Gastrointestinal symptoms include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, belching,
bloating after meals, passing gas (flatulence), abdominal pains or cramps and
feeling full long after having had a meal. Skin symptoms include hives, itching
without any apparent reason, rashes, paleness, dermatitis and eczema. Less specific,
general symptoms are common as well: muscle weakness and chronic fatigue, joint
aches and pains or muscle aches, and swelling of hands, ankles and feet. Other
symptoms may affect the urinary/genital area as for instance urinary frequency
or urgency, vaginal itchiness or vaginal discharge. Excessive hunger or binge
eating can also be a symptom of adrenal fatigue. Psychological symptoms can be
anxiety, depression, irritability, lethargy, cravings, aggressive behavior, confusion,
restlessness, difficulties to concentrate, learning disabilities, slurred speech,
stuttering and others. Even a vague symptom of cloudy thinking or fogginess can
be a symptom of adrenal fatigue. You can take
the test online to determine whether you likely have adrenal gland fatigue
and then read more detalis in Ref. 16. Diagnostic
tests: There are clinical tests and hormone tests that can be used to
determine whether or not a person is suffering from adrenal fatigue. 1.
Dr. Arroyo described an iris
contraction test . Have a friend help you to shine a flash light in your
eye. Normally the pupil gets small (iris contracts) and stays contracted because
of the normal adrenal gland hormones (Adrenaline and Noradrenalin). With adrenal
fatigue this pattern is reversed and the pupil will not stay small despite the
light shining in your eye. This abnormal widening of the pupil despite the continuing
light stimulus will occur within 2 minutes and only after 30 to 45 seconds will
the iris recover and contract again (small pupil). 2. Postural low blood
pressure test: Normally when you take the blood pressure ion the lying position
and then get up, there is an immediate elevation of the blood pressure of 10 to
20 millimeter mercury (mmHg).
With adrenal fatigue there is a paradoxical
lowering of the blood pressure by 10 mmHg or more when standing up (compared to
the baseline supine reading).
3. Sergent's White Line Test: this test
was first detected by a French physician by the name of Emile Sergent. When you
take the dull end of a ballpoint pen and lightly stroke the skin on your abdomen,
a white line initially is followed be a red mark within a few seconds. In a person
with adrenal fatigue the white line stays for approximately 2 minutes and widens.
This test is only positive in moderate to severe adrenal fatigue. 4. Saliva
cortisol tests: Saliva
steroid hormone tests are more reliable than blood tests as the hormone
receptors will remove the hormones from the blood thus transporting the hormone
into the tissue. This is true not only for testosterone, DHEA, estrogens and progesterone,
but also for cortisol (the stress hormone). Saliva tests for cortisol have the
additional advantage of being able to examine the diurnal variation of cortisol
in tissues, which normally follows a curve with the highest level in the morning
and a lower level in the evening. It is with this in mind that the most reliable
laboratory test for adrenal fatigue is a 4 point saliva test (4 separate vials
with saliva) for cortisol. Ref. 17 explains the rationale for doing this test
to get a precise clinical picture of how the adrenal function is during the course
of the day. A cortisol curve for a patient with adrenal fatigue is flat and well
below the normal range for people with normal adrenal function. Physicians who
have an intereset in anti-aging medicine will be able to work with you regarding
this test. Many naturopathic physicians would also be able to help you. 5.
Other tests for adrenal fatigue: A 24 hour urine sample can be helpful when tests
are required for several hormones. For instance, cortisol, aldosterone and sex
hormones can all be analyzed from one urine sample that was collected over 24
hours. An ACTH challenge test combined with measuring 24 hour urine hormones is
sometimes useful in more complicated cases, but saliva hormone tests seem to be
the new norm for most cases.
Treatment
of Adrenal Fatigue: Treatment for adrenal fatigue consists of a comprehensive
holistic approach. To regain your energy you need to pay attention to changing
your lifestyle, watch closely what you eat and drink and pay attention to your
thoughts stresses in your life. Getting regular breaks and a good night's sleep
is all part of the therapy in addition to vitamin and mineral supplements. The
adrenal glands need a lot of vitamin C to produce the adrenal gland hormones.
In addition vitamin B complex is required as well as salts (table salt and magnesium).
Trace minerals (zinc, manganese, selenium, molybdenum, chromium, copper and iodine)
are also required for the adrenal glands to function properly. You need to eliminate
sugar and refined carbohydrates (potatoes, bread, pasta, rice). Replace this with
complex carbohydrates (lettuce, vegetables, and fruit) and add to this organic
meat (lean chicken, buffalo, beef, lamb and pork). You need three meals a day
(do not skip breakfast!) with snacks half-way through the morning and afternoon.
You may also have a snack prior to going to sleep at night. You need regular aerobic
and anaerobic exercises 3 to 5 times per week. Ballroom dancing, swimming, walking
are also acceptable as alternative exercising. You need lots of sleep (more than
a non-adrenal fatigue person). Dr.
Wilson gives details about supplements on this site where herbs, vitamins
and minerals are premixed, so that it is easy to take. The following herbs are
useful in supporting the adrenal glands: Licorice root, Ashwagandha root and leaf,
Korean Ginseng root, Siberian Ginseng root, ginger root and Ginkgo biloba leaf.
There are also herbs that are bad for the adrenal glands an need to be avoided:
avoid Ephedra (MA HUANG), the cola nut, and strong black teas. As stated earlier,
coffee and caffeinated drinks and sodas must be avoided. The only exception is
green tea, which has adrenal gland supportive effects so that the small amount
of caffeine can be tolerated by most except the ones with the more severe form
of adrenal fatigue.
To stabilize severe cases of adrenal fatigue it is useful
to use adrenal
gland extracts. In more severe cases small amounts of bioidentical cortisol
(Cortef tablets) may have to be added by the treating physician. A typical replacement
dose of cortisol (=hydrocortisone) is 10 mg tablet of Cortef in the morning to
mimic the diurnal variation and 5 mg with lunch and 5 mg with dinner. This is
best given together with adrenal gland extract. A physician knowledgeable in treating
adrenal fatigue should supervise this treatment closely. At the end there has
to be a gradual weaning process from the Cortef over several months and sometimes
up to 2 years.
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