Get An Adrenal Fatigue Test
You can just follow the advice at the bottom of this article , but if you want to be really sure that you have adrenal fatigue, I recommend getting a cortisol test from a functional medicine doctor.
Standard doctors often dismiss cortisol test results because they fall within the normal range of cortisol. But feeling like crap isnt normal, and you shouldnt accept it. Its similar with testosterone: 300 ng/dL is within the normal range, and so is 900 ng/dL. But if you triple your testosterone levels, I promise youll feel a lot different.
Its the same with cortisol. In the morning, normal cortisol is anywhere from 7-28 ug/dL in the afternoon, its 2-18 ug/dL.Thats a huge range, and the reason I dont suggest a standard doctor for a cortisol test. You dont want normal you want optimal.
A functional medicine doctor will look more carefully at your cortisol levels and be able to tell you if you have adrenal fatigue.
How To Finally Overcome Adrenal Fatigue
I want to be clear, you cannot supplement yourself out of adrenal fatigue.
You need to identify and treat the underlying or root cause. Only then will supplementation be effective. To overcome adrenal fatigue for good the best place to start is with the food you eat. Check out my online course to help you identify exactly which foods you should be eating to overcome fatigue!
Now, I want to hear from you.
What supplements have you found helpful in treating adrenal fatigue?
What supplements made your symptoms worse?
Leave your answers in the comments section below!
Second Stage: Increased Alarm
As the alarm increases, a person starts to generate even more stress coping hormones, like cortisol. This results in the decreased level of other, seemingly less important in the circumstances, hormones. DHEA and sex level hormones are the first ones to drop.
The second stage is characterized by increased alarm and arousal. The body generates a lot of adrenaline, which makes a person feel alert throughout the day and exhausted by the evening. It is important to note that a lot of people going through the second stage of Adrenal Fatigue become caffeine-addicts. All in all, the common feeling during this stage can be described as anxious and exhausted.
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Listening To Your Bodys Symptoms
Adrenal Fatigue symptoms must be handled with care. They are messages from the body of underlying dysfunction. Our job is to listen to the messages and find solutions for the root issues. We can only learn how to heal Adrenal Fatigue as it manifests in each unique body, if we listen to our own set of symptoms.
Imagine this: You get a headache, but you shut the message off with an analgesic like Tylenol. Because of that analgesic, you can no longer assess the underlying cause of the headache, which may be low blood sugar or dehydration.
We cannot assess the real cause of that headache if we keep masking it. Although it may be hard to reduce or eliminate the use of painkillers or other prescription drugs, this is a crucial step. It needs to be done slowly, carefully, and with the guidance of a doctor. We can only understand how our bodies respond to natural treatments and supplements when we are free of conventional medicine crutches.
Is Adrenal Fatigue Real
The term adrenal fatigue was first used in 1988 by the alternative medicine expert James Wilson. Even though the term is VERY popular, it is not yet recognized as a valid medical condition by The Endocrine Society or the medical experts society overall.
In fact, there is no established way to validate that someone suffers from adrenal fatigue. Some doctors might take blood or saliva tests, but these are not scientific validation that you have the condition.
Simply matching the symptoms with adrenal fatigue can also distract you from discovering a more serious health problem which has the same symptoms. These include adrenal insufficiency, anxiety, and depression.
Also, the misleading diagnosis might be the reason for taking the wrong medicine. Being prescribed adrenal hormone medicine solely on the vague symptoms can cause temporary adrenal glands dysfunctions or even lead to a condition called adrenal crisis.
On the other hand, if you know you dont have any underlying conditions, you can fight off the adrenal fatigue symptoms in a healthier way, instead of drowning yourself in caffeine.
Decreasing your alcohol intake, having more exercise and less stress in your life always has a positive effect on your overall health and energy levels.
You can start by switching to a diet that will help with your adrenal fatigue. Combine that with the right natural supplements and youll be as good as new.
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What Supplements Help Adrenal Fatigue
There are several categories of supplements that can help to treat adrenal fatigue. They should be used in combination with lifestyle changes like avoiding stress, improving diet, and getting more sleep.
There are a few basic nutrients that are particularly important for supporting the adrenal glands and HPA axis, especially during times of stress. These include vitamins B5, B6, and B12, vitamin C, and magnesium. Omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10, and probiotics can also be tremendously supportive during this time.
Herbal supplements can be useful for regulating cortisol levels and moderating the stress response. These include ashwagandha, licorice, Rhodiola rosea, Siberian ginseng, and maca.
For the best results, discuss your supplementation with your healthcare professional. Here is some more information on supplements for adrenal fatigue.
Fish Oil For Easing Mental Stress
Omega 3 fatty acidsresearch has shown it may help support adrenal health by easing the bodys response to mental stress. Fish oil is anti-inflammatory and supports cell fluidity which is important for healthy communication between cells. As catecholamines, cortisol, insulin, and other hormones are being overproduced during stress, cells will begin to get numb or deaf to these messages from overexposure.
As the cell becomes more resistant, the body does not respond to the messages resulting in fatigue, insulin resistance, inflammation and poor immune health. Fish oil can resensitize these receptors and support these chemical pathways in the body.
Take a high potency fish oil delivered in the natural triglyceride form. Take 800-1000 mg each of EPA and DHA. Look on the back of the label to see each of these listed out, dont pay attention to the 1000 mg listed on the front of most labels.
Only use fish oil products that are molecularly distilled and filtered to ensure purity and to maximize the removal of heavy metals, pesticides, solvents, PCBs, and other contaminants.
To make it easier for you, I have also created the Adrenal Repair Kit which consists of all the critical vitamins, minerals, and herbs. Getting the Kit will also save you 15% as compared to getting the single products.
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Using A Cortisol Supplement For Treating Adrenal Fatigue
In contrast to adrenal glandulars that help boost your adrenal glands’ function, a cortisol supplement actually supresses your adrenal glands’ production of cortisol, and takes over the job completely. While prescribing a cortisol supplement is likely to be a conventional physician’s first step, and may get you results you think you like, those results will be deceiving. Taking the hormone directly is far more difficult to regulate, and you will spend a fair amount of time feeling like a rubber ball, bouncing all around as you try to figure out exactly how much to take, and how often to take it. But more importantly, shutting down your adrenal glands also affects production of other hormones, and weakens your immune system. Messing with your hormones like that is never a good first choice, and usually leads to a whole different set of problems.
That said, cortisol supplements can be useful as a short-term therapy, allowing your adrenals time to completely rest and “reset” themselves, similar to the way your electronic devices need to be unplugged and reset occasionally. Generally, cortisol treatment is not necessary except in the most extreme cases, and then only as a temporary measure. Long-term shut-down of the adrenal glands may actually prevent your adrenal glands from ever being able to function on their own again.
What Is Adrenal Fatigue Steps To Overcome It Naturally
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Did you know that chronic stress can affect your bodys ability to recuperate from physical, mental or emotional stress? This is likely why most people have dealt with adrenal fatigue at some point in their lives.
Many proponents of this condition estimate that almost every person can experience adrenal fatigue, also known as hypoadrenia, to some degree at a particularly stressful point in his or her life.
Because the adrenals influence many parts of the body, symptoms of adrenal fatigue can mimic a number of disorders and isnt always easily recognizable.
Adrenal fatigue symptoms, like brain fog, moodiness and trouble sleeping, can be indicative of many disorders and are often overlooked by doctors. But more and more people are starting to realize that a combination of these health issues often indicate the onset of adrenal fatigue.
If you have adrenal fatigue, it can have significant effects on your overall health. Luckily, you can improve this common issue naturally by focusing on your nutrient intake and lifestyle choices.
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Now You Know How To Heal Adrenal Fatigue So Lets Start Healing
It may sound like there are a lot of steps to reversing Adrenal Fatigue, but its well worth the effort and time. The adrenal glands play a vital role in the function of all the systems of our body, especially when it comes to energy, quality sleep, a strong immune system, hormonal balance, and proper weight management. When theyre functioning normally, we feel energized and our body functions properly.
For anyone who has been struggling with Adrenal Fatigue for years, it is hopeful to note that long-term healing and recovery is truly possible by implementing an individualized whole-body treatment approach.
With dedication, care, and the proper guidance, the road toward healing Adrenal Fatigue can be followed with success and the rewards are endless.
Chinese Medicine And Adrenal Fatigue
My approach to treating adrenal fatigue has always been to look at the condition through the paradigm of traditional East Asian medicine. By pinpointing and targeting exactly which way the body is imbalanced, we can prescribe a specific treatment to bring it back to balance.
In Chinese medicine, we work to figure out exactly how and in exactly what way your individual body is imbalanced. By perceiving it that way, we can start to understand how people who have the same diagnosis also exhibit different symptoms, requiring different treatments.
Chinese medicine also gives us a way to take the different symptom patterns you experience and put them in a single picture. By figuring out exactly how your body is unstable or unhealthy, we can begin to bring it back to center using natural treatments like acupuncture, osteopathic manipulation, and traditional herbs.
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What Is Adrenal Fatigue
A relatively new term, adrenal fatigue was proposed as a new condition in 1998 by Dr. James L. Wilson, a naturopath and chiropractor. His assumption was that an overstimulation of the adrenal glands by long-term stress could lead to an inconsistent level of cortisol in the bloodstream.
In addition to this overload or improper stress hormone levels, people with adrenal fatigue often dont have enough DHEA, the parent hormone responsible for the creation of many necessary hormones in the body.
Dr. Wilson describes the unique progression of adrenal fatigue throughout the day as follows:
- You wake up and are unable to function without a significant amount of caffeine.
- You finally feel a boost of energy during the early part of the day.
- Then your energy levels crash around 2 p.m., rise around 6 p.m. and fall again around 9 p.m.
- Your energy finally peaks again at 11 p.m.
Is Adrenal Fatigue Real?
The major issue with recognizing or diagnosing adrenal fatigue is the inability to distinguish its symptoms and patterns from other disorders. The parameters for this condition are nonspecific, which, unfortunately, has led to a great controversy around this topic, even though the very nature of cortisol and bodily hormones is that the effects are far-reaching.
A diagnosis for this condition is difficult because stress hormone levels typically fall in what conventional medicine would call inside the normal range, although the symptoms are clear to those suffering from the condition.
C: Connection + Vitamin C
Connection: Connecting with others and maintaining our social interactions is a vital part of managing stress. Isolating ourselves can increase anxiety, depression, and feelings of overwhelm. Our social interactions can help provide a sense of connection and safety during times of stress. This includes intimacy with our partner, maintaining friendships, and quality time with our children, parents, and other loved ones.
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Tip: We spend a lot more time with technology instead of with other people these days. Take the time to really connect to those around you, without technology intervening. Make a conscious effort to put your phone away and spend some real quality face to face time with others.
Vitamin C– Your adrenal glands have a high concentration of vitamin C and require vitamin C to produce cortisol. This means your adrenals are using up vitamin C at a more rapid rate, and need extra replenishment, during and after periods of high stress.
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Tip: Add some kiwi, grapefruit, strawberries, bell pepper, broccoli, oranges, and Brussels sprouts to your menu for the week to load up on vitamin C.
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Vitamin C supplementation has been shown to help lower cortisol levels, especially after intense stress .
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Note: If youre going to supplement, quality and source matter. Some vitamin C supplements are high in sugar watch out! Also, look for a vitamin c supplement that is from a non-corn source to allow you to take higher doses without undesireable side effects.
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The Four Main Stages Of Adrenal Fatigue
The definition of Adrenal Fatigue is a rather vague one, since it can describe various symptoms that include several physiological systems affecting different aspects of your health. Adrenal Fatigue progresses along 4 advancing stages, each advancing stage comes with more severe symptoms. Luckily, most people suffering from Adrenal Fatigue fall into the first two stages and can typically recover on their own, without any professional medical assistance. In other words, few patients ever reach latter stages of Adrenal Fatigue the ones that are more severe as is further described below.
Depending on the stage of the disease, hormone levels can vary significantly. In addition, current lab tests, aimed at the detection of the Adrenal Fatigue, should be analyzed very carefully. To diagnose Adrenal Fatigue, one should have a clear understanding of the way a person reacts to the hormonal changes and fluctuations. This is the only way to properly diagnose the exact stage of Adrenal Fatigue and come up with an appropriate treatment solution.
One can point out four stages of Adrenal Fatigue. Each of these stages has a certain development pattern, which makes it possible to diagnose the symptoms and get a better understanding of this complicated process.
What Functions Does The Adrenal Gland Regulate
Aldosterone helps balance sodium and potassium levels, which regulate blood pressure. Cortisol helps regulate metabolism and blood-sugar levels. Adrenaline and noradrenaline work in conjunction with aldosterone and cortisol to regulate the bodys stress reactions.1
Signals from the pituitary gland in the brain tell the adrenal gland how much of each of these hormone to release out into the body in response to various stimuli. For example, if your patient is in a stressful situation, such as running late for an important business meeting, their pituitary gland signals their adrenal glands to release extra adrenaline in response to that stressful situation.
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Herbal Adrenal Fatigue Supplements
A lot of people think that since herbs are natural and plant-based, they are safe and easy on the system. This is another common mistake that wed like you to avoid making. Herbs can cause strong reactions, both positive and negative. For all the following herbs, you should not take them if you are pregnant or have a serious health condition. Also, they should only be taken in the earlier stages of AFS, as in later stages they may be too stimulatory, which can increase fatigue, anxiety, and other symptoms.
Licorice Root
Licorice is an anti-stress herb that helps with endurance and vitality. It is one of the most commonly used herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and it can help block the conversion of cortisol into cortisone. It is also used to ward off feelings of low blood sugar, which is a common symptom in AFS. And it helps increase the production of another commonly deficient hormone in advanced AFS aldosterone.
Ashwagandha Root and Leaf
This ayurvedic adaptogen is also a cardiotropic and cardioprotective herb. It has direct effects on adrenal function and helps you get more strength and energy. Its also used as a mild aphrodisiac. Ashwagandha is one of the few secondary adrenal fatigue supplements that may be tolerated in advanced stages of AFS, but if that is the case, it needs to be taken under medical supervision.
Rhodiola Rosea
Ginkgo Biloba
Maca Root
Ginger Root
Ginseng Root
How Sex Hormones Are Affected
In addition to cortisol and catecholamines, the adrenal glands make the great-grandmother of all sex hormones called pregnenolone. Pregnenolone is crucial for fertility and hormone production of DHEA, progesterone, and cortisol. DHEA is the grandmother hormone and makes testosterone and estrogen. So, an interesting thing happens when there is stress in the body and more cortisol production is needed. The body diverts pregnenolone from converting to progesterone and it is converted into cortisol.
This is one of the main reasons why a woman who is under stress of any kind may have trouble getting pregnant. Its really a safety mechanism by the body to prevent a pregnancy when there is stress. This diversion of pregnenolone usually causes a decrease in progesterone and DHEA levels and subsequently estrogen and testosterone.
If you need to get a deeper education and appreciation for this important hormonal imbalance, I suggest reading a comprehensive article I wrote about adrenal fatigue here.
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