Fatigue and lethargy are some of the most common complaints amongst adult patients. If you have symptoms such as tiredness, fearfulness, allergies, frequent influenza, arthritis, anxiety, depression, reduced memory, difficulties in concentrating, insomnia, worn-out, and the inability to lose weight after extensive effort you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue (technically known as hypoadrenia).
Adrenal Fatigue has a broad spectrum of non-specific, yet often debilitating symptoms. The onset of this condition is often slow and insidious. Patients are told that they are stressed and need to learn to relax more. Yes, we all know that "stress kills" to a large extent. But, the question is how?
The real truth is that stress and Adrenal Fatigue are not a mysterious entity at all. Our body has a built-in mechanism to deal with it. Being able to handle stress is a key to survival, and the control center in our bodies is the adrenal glands.
Adrenal Fatigue was first described in the medical texts in the 1800's as a clinical condition. It was one of the most prevalent conditions, afflicting almost every adult in one way or another. Despite effective diagnostic tools and treatment programs, most conventional physicians were simply not informed of Adrenal Fatigue and not prepared to take Adrenal Fatigue as a serious threat to health. This condition was seldom diagnosed as a sickness for the past 50 years. Instead, Adrenal Fatigue was considered a condition whereby no treatment was available other than to tell the person to "relax" and take anti-depressants. This often makes the condition worse as the root cause is left unresolved. Over time, the condition worsens as the natural progression of this pathology takes its course. Adrenal Fatigue is not a medical condition recognized by mainstream institutions, though it is now being taken seriously by forward looking physicians.
Adrenal Fatigue should not be confused with another medical condition called Addison's disease where the adrenal glands are not functioning. While Addison's disease is often caused by an auto-immune dysfunction, Adrenal Fatigue is largely caused by stress along with a host of other factors. Adrenal Fatigue is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction sub-clinically. Unfortunately, conventional medicine only recognizes Addison's disease as hypoadrenia. As such, do not be surprised if your doctor is unfamiliar with this condition.
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Signs and Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
Tendency to gain weight and unable to lose it, especially around the waist.
High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases and these symptoms tend to last longer than usual.
Tendency to tremble when under pressure.
Reduced sex drive.
Lightheaded when rising from a horizontal position.
Lack of energy in the mornings and in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.
Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal.
Often feel tired from 9 - 10 pm, but resist going to bed.
Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.
Cravings for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.
Increased symptoms of PMS for women; periods are heavy and then stop, or are almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day.
Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reason.
Feels better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation.
If you have many of these signs and symptoms, and you have ruled out other organic pathologies, it is time to consider Adrenal Fatigue as a possible cause.None of the signs or symptoms by themselves can definitively pinpoint Adrenal Fatigue. When taken as a group, these signs and symptoms do form a specific Adrenal Fatigue syndrome or picture of a person under stress. These signs and symptoms are often the end result of acute, severe, chronic, or excessive stress and the inability of the body to reduce such stress. Stress, once a "basket" term used by physicians to explain non-specific symptoms, undetectable by conventional blood tests, is not a mystery to the body at all.
The ability to handle stress, physical or emotional, is a cornerstone to human survival. Our body has a complete set of stress modulation systems in place, and the control center is the adrenal glands. When these glands become dysfunctional, our body's ability to handle stress is reduced.
Adrenal Gland Basics
From our Readers
I am 102 lbs and have been healthy and active until I turned 40 this last March. I have four children and lead a very busy life. A few months before my 40th birthday, I began to shake and feel like I was going to pass out during highly stressful times. My periods, which are usually 28-day cycles, started coming every 21 days. I went to my family Doctor and my OBGYN to see if it was my thyroid or if I was hypoglycemic. They did blood tests and an EKG and said I was the picture of health.
My family doctor thought that I might be suffering from anxiety. My OB doctor was worried about my sugar levels dropping and advised me to always have a little snack with me so I won't pass out. However, I began to feel worse and consequently my period came 3 times a month. I heard about Dr. Lam through a nurse I did yoga with. She had received help from him and felt great with his help. Dr. Lam is an angel! He understood my problem as soon as he understood my medical history, which mostly just consisted of the knowledge that I had my tubes tied after my fourth baby. My doctor said that I would not suffer any consequences from this surgery. However, Dr. Lam informed me that this type of surgery would cause your progesterone to drop, thus explaining my 14 to 21 day periods. He also helped me to understand adrenal gland fatigue, which explained the shaking.
I followed Dr. Lam's advice, using the all-natural personalized program, and thus began my steady ride to recovery. I contacted Dr. Lam the first week in May and he told me that I would begin to feel better in 3 to 4 weeks, good in 6 to 8 weeks, and great in 10 to 12 weeks. He was right on the money. He brought my adrenal glands back to health slowly and steadily and I did not even suffer a crash.
Following his instructions, he brought my period from 21 to 27 days and my energy level rose. Now, I can do power yoga 2 to 3 times a week in a 90 to 95 degree room with no problems. Dr. Lam now has me working on improving my bones and skin as part an anti-aging protocol to keep me in optimum shape. I feel like I did when I was in my 20's. My children, husband, family and I thank Dr. Lam for my great recovery.
Dr. Lam explained to me that even though my body was out of balance and not working in harmony, blood tests show that they are in the normal range. If I had followed the advice of my local medical doctors, I would have been taking prescription anti-depression drugs like the majority of my peers. Dr. Lam has given me a better and more effective way through my problems with his natural approach.
Thank you Dr. Lam, for getting me back on track and feeling better than ever! You are a pioneer for women. Keep doing research to help women stay balanced naturally.
Lisa, TX
The adrenal glands are two small glands, each about the size of a large grape. They are situated on top of the kidneys. Their purpose is to help the body cope with stress and help it to survive. Each adrenal gland has two compartments. The inner or medulla compartment, modulates the sympathetic nervous system through secretion and regulation of two hormones, called epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are responsible for the fight or flight response. The outer adrenal cortex comprises 80 percent of the adrenal gland and is responsible for producing over 50 different types of hormones in three major classes - glucocorticoids, mineralcorticoids and androgens.
The most important glucocorticoid is cortisol. When this is lowered, the body will be unable to deal with stress. This happens in Adrenal Fatigue.
Mineralcorticoids, such as aldosterone, modulate the delicate balance of minerals in the cell, especially sodium and potassium. It therefore regulates our blood pressure and the fluid in the body. Stress increases the release of aldosterone, causing sodium retention (leading to water retention and high blood pressure) and the loss of potassium and magnesium in the early stages of Adrenal Fatigue. Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. When the body lacks magnesium, it will suffer from a variety of pathological conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias.
The adrenal cortex is also responsible for producing all of the sex hormones, although in small amounts. One exception is DHEA, a weak androgenic hormone that is made in large amounts in both sexes. DHEA, together with testosterone and estrogen, are made from pregnenolone.
Pregnenolone also leads to the production of progesterone and is one of the intermediary steps in the making of cortisol. Pregnenolone is therefore one of the most important intermediate hormones being produced in the hormonal cascade. Prolonged deficiencies in pregnenolone, which are found in Adrenal Fatigue, will lead to the reduction of both glucocorticosteroids and mineralcorticoids such as cortisol and aldosterone respectively.
Cortisol (The Hormone of Death)
The most important anti-stress hormone in the body is cortisol. Cortisol protects the body from excessive Adrenal Fatigue by:
Normalizing blood sugar level. Cortisol increases the blood sugar level in the body, thus providing the energy needed for the body to physically escape threat of injury in order to survive. Cortisol works in tandem with insulin from the pancreas to provide adequate glucose to the cells for energy. More energy is required when the body is under stress, from any source, and cortisol is the hormone that makes this happen. In Adrenal Fatigue, more cortisol is secreted during the early stages. In the later stages of Adrenal Fatigue (when the adrenal glands become exhausted), cortisol output is reduced.
Anti-inflammation Response. Cortisol is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent. When we have a minor injury or a muscle strain, our body's inflammatory cascade is initiated, leading to swelling and redness commonly seen when an ankle is sprained or you have an insect bite. Cortisol is secreted as part of the anti-inflammatory response. It's objective is to remove and prevent swelling and redness of nearly all tissues. These anti-inflammatory responses prevent mosquito bites from enlarging, bronchial stress, and eyes from swelling shut from allergies, and Adrenal Fatigue.
Immune System Suppression. People with high cortisol levels are very much weaker from the immunological point of view. Cortisol influences most cells that participate in the immune reaction, especially white blood cells. Cortisol suppresses white blood cells, natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, and mast cells. It also suppresses Adrenal Fatigue.
Vaso-constriction. Cortisol contracts mid-size arteries. People with low cortisol (as in advance stages of Adrenal Fatigue) have low blood pressure and reduced reactivity to other body agents that constrict blood vessels. Cortisol tends to increase blood pressure that is moderated.
Physiology of Stress. People with Adrenal Fatigue cannot tolerate stress and will then succumb to severe stress. As their stress increases, progressively higher levels of cortisol are required. When the cortisol level cannot rise in response to stress, it is impossible to maintain the body in optimum stress response. In this respect, we can conclude that stress does kill.
In summary, cortisol sustains life via two opposite, but related, kinds of regulatory actions: releasing and activating the existing defense mechanisms of the body, while shutting down and modifying the same mechanisms to prevent them.
Cortisol Regulation
The adrenal glands are controlled via the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. There is an existing negative feedback loop that governs the amount of adrenal hormones secreted under normal circumstances in people with Adrenal Fatigue. For example, the HPA axis adjusts cortisol levels according to the body's need via a hormone called Adrenal Corticotrophic Hormone (ACTH) that is secreted from the pituitary gland in response to signals from the hypothalamus. When the ACTH binds to the walls of the adrenal cells, a chain reaction occurs within the cell. This leads to the release of cholesterol where it is manufactured into pregnenolone, the first hormone in the adrenal cascade. After this, cortisol is released into the blood stream where it travels in the circulatory system to all parts of the body and back to the hypothalamus.
Cortisol and ACTH are not secreted uniformly throughout the day. They follow a diurnal pattern, with the highest level secreted at around 8:00 a.m. in the morning after which there is a gradual decline throughout the day. Episodic spikes during the day can also occur when the body is stressed or when certain foods are taken. The cortisol level is at its lowest between midnight and 4:00 a.m.
Comprehensive Article on Adrenal Fatigue
Read the most complete and extensive article on the web about Adrenal Fatigue. This article covers everything you need to know about Adrenal Fatigue.
Ovarian Adrenal Thyroid (OAT) Axis Imbalance
Three of the most important ones for females are ovaries, adrenals, and the thyroid gland. All three organs of this axis must be in a state of optimum balance for a woman to feel good. Find out more on this state of imbalance here.
7 Adrenal Recovery Mistakes
Find out what mistakes you may be making when trying to recover from Adrenal Fatigue. It may be more common than you think!
Adrenal Fatigue Myths
There are many misconceptions about Adrenal Fatigue. Find out common myths about Adrenal Fatigue here.
Adrenal Fatigue and Hormone Therapy
Hormones play an important role in Adrenal Fatigue. Find out what you should know about different hormones here.
Adrenal Exhaustion
Adrenal Exhaustion is the third stage of Adrenal Fatigue. Find out what signs and symptoms to watch out for here and why it affects you.
Adrenal Fatigue and Body Types
Everyone's body deals with Adrenal Fatigue differently. It is important to know which body type you have to help in your recovery. Read more about it here.
Adrenal Crash and Recovery Cycle
Do you have Adrenal Fatigue and have you crashed before? Learn about the crash and recovery cycle and its characteristics to help you and your clinician better manage the crash next time it happens.
Adrenal Fatigue and Exercise
Exercise is very important in recovering from Adrenal Fatigue. Find out the key to a successful Adrenal Fatigue recovery exercise program here.
Adrenal Fatigue Related Health Conditions
A weak adrenal can lead to many systemic decompensatory actions and show many symptoms. Find out what else is being affected by your adrenals here.
Adrenal Fatigue and Hypoglycemia
People with Adrenal Fatigue experience more hypoglycemia than normal. What can you do about it? Find out here.
Adrenal Fatigue and Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is an important indicator of adrenal health and function. Find out more about the correlation between the two here.
Adrenal Fatigue and Toxic Relationships
The most common stressor of Adrenal Fatigue is emotional and mental stress and distress. Find out how your relationships may be causing you stress here.
Adrenal Fatigue and Sleep
Adrenal Fatigue causes a variety of common problems in today's society, from anxiety and depression, to insomnia. Read more to find out how sleep and Adrenal Fatigue go hand in hand.
Adrenal Fatigue vs. Hypothyroidism
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue and Hypothyroidism can be quite close. Learn more about the differences and similarities here.
Adrenal Fatigue Glandular and Herbal Therapy
The use of glandular and herbs for Adrenal Fatigue is widespread. Due to the lack of standardization and research, there is widespread consumer misinformation and misuse. Find out more about the proper use for best results here.
Ask Me Archives about Adrenal Fatigue
Over the years many have asked me great questions about Adrenal Fatigue. Read some of these questions that have been submitted.
Frequently Asked Questions about Adrenal Fatigue
The most common questions regarding Adrenal Fatigue can be found here including who gets Adrenal Fatigue, common causes of Adrenal Fatigue and simple things you can do about Adrenal Fatigue.
Estrogen dominance
Excessive estrogen is a hallmark of Adrenal Fatigue in women when the ovarian system is involved. Common symptoms include PMS, endometriosis, irregular menstrual cycles, heavy periods, hair loss, lumpy breast, and water retention. These usually normalize when the adrenals recover. Learn more here....
Hypothyroidism
Feeling cold? unable to loose weight? Sluggish? You can be sub-clinically hypothyroid and not know it when you have Adrenal Fatigue. Laboratory test results may be normal. Medication dosages frequently miss the mark. Here is what you must know...
Progesterone
Natural progesterone is a good way to balance estrogen dominance. In the presence of Adrenal Fatigue, its use must be timed properly, or results will seldom be good and may backfire. Learn more here...
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