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.
How Chronic Stress Contributes To Adrenal Fatigue
It is estimated that 75-90 percent of visits to primary care physicians is related to either acute or chronic symptoms of stress. Stress is the natural response of the body when it feels that it is in danger.
Imagine that you are about to be attacked by a bear. The body shuts down processes like digestion and pumps out stress hormones to make you more alert to run for your life. Once the danger has passed, the stress hormones decrease and everyday processes like digestion resume.
This scenario is called the fight or flight response and it is critical for dangerous situations. However, in todays fast-paced society with long commutes, deadlines, financial obligations, sedentary lifestyles, the fight or flight response is happening all day, every day.
Unfortunately, this chronic low-grade stress is a recipe for developing adrenal fatigue, which is the underlying culprit to many chronic diseases like cardiovascular disease and immune insufficiency.
The Adrenal Glands Rely On A High Level Of Vitamin C To Function Optimally So You Should Make Sure You Include It In Your Adrenal Fatigue Diet
The adrenal glands are where you will find the highest concentration of Vitamin C in the human body. Similar to B vitamins, Vitamin C is used up quickly in the adrenal glands when it produces cortisol and stress response hormones.
Using up Vitamin C at a high rate wears out the adrenal glands. It needs more Vitamin C replenished during and after high-stress periods. This necessity of this refill makes it beneficial to take Vitamin C supplements for adrenal fatigue.
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What Are Adrenal Extracts
The glands of animals like cows and pigs are gathered from slaughterhouses and made into adrenal extracts. Extracts are made either from the whole gland or just the outer parts. The main active ingredient in the extract is the hormone hydrocortisone.
In the early twentieth century, adrenal extracts were used for a variety of purposes, and were mostly available as an injection. Along with Addisons disease, they were used to treat:
As other medications were developed, they mostly fell out of use.
Today, adrenal extract is available only in pill form. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration barred imported adrenal extract in 1989. In 1996, it recalled injectable extracts.
It also issued public warnings against the use of adrenal extract after discovering that more than 80 people developed infections from contaminated products.
The FDA regulates dietary supplements differently than they do drugs. The FDA does not review these products for safety and efficacy before they are marketed. They receive reports of adverse reactions and can take supplements off the market if found unsafe or sold with misleading claims.
What Supplements Support Adrenal Function
The 3 Best Supplements for Adrenal Fatigue
Also Check: What Can Help Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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How Do You Know If You Have Adrenal Fatigue
The fact that adrenal fatigue isnt an official condition doesnt mean the symptoms youre experiencing arent very real.
Those who believe in adrenal fatigue argue that high stress is the culprit. The theory is that during times of high stress your adrenal glands cant keep up with the increased hormonal demands, since high stress means more cortisol production. As a result of not getting the hormones it needs, your body starts to experience pesky, frustrating symptoms. Some of these symptoms include:
- Difficulty waking up or falling asleep
Depending on the severity of the adrenal fatigue, it can take months or even up to two years to restore proper balance. If you have any of these symptoms, its advisable to talk to your doctor about whether youre experiencing a form of adrenal insufficiency.
Best Supplements For Adrenal Fatigue
The right adrenal fatigue supplements can make a world of difference in improving your symptoms. Find out which six supplements are the top recommended by professionals to help heal your adrenal fatigue.
If you have adrenal fatigue, recovery is so important since the constant tiredness can be debilitating to your work, family, health and social life. You wake up tired in the morning, you feel like you need a nap around 3pm and you feel wired but tired at night rendering yourself unlikely to sleep well during the night.
Does this scenario sound familiar to you? This is all too common for those suffering with adrenal fatigue.
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Adrenal Fatigue Treatment: 5 Essential Vitamins And Minerals
Are you tired all the time? Experience brain fog frequently? Body aches especially in the upper back?
Those are some of the symptoms stress can cause in addition to numerous others such as multiple allergies, unexplained headaches, shakiness under pressure, and muscle weakness.
With essential vitamins and minerals I was able to improve my adrenal health and have more energy again.
Note 2021: I wrote this post a long time ago.
If you want to learn more about fatigue and how to support your health and create a recovery plan, check out Jess at Study In Fitness. She has lots of current info and an amazing recovery story.
This post contains affiliate links.IM NOT A DOCTOR. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any treatments.
Or Is It Mitochondrial Dysfunction
Commonly called the powerhouses of our cells, mitochondria are found in almost all cells in the human bodyand are especially concentrated in cells with high-energy needs, like those in the heart, liver, muscles, and brainand their main function is to create the energy that powers our bodies. To produce the large amounts of energy our bodies need to function, mitochondria must be in optimal health, if they are not, mitochondrial dysfunction occurs. This can result from nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, stress, and inflammation and oxidative damage, especially the oxidative damage that is created within the mitochondria as a byproduct of producing all of that energy. Mitochondrial dysfunction is also related to aging as well as chronic disease, and can be a contributing factor to metabolic diseases like type-2 diabetes and obesity, heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.3 4 5 Mitochondrial dysfunction also appears to alter the bodys stress response and may even contribute to adrenal dysfunction.6 And it is directly related to severe fatigue.
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So Is Adrenal Fatigue Real
Many doctors and naturopathic doctors in the alternative medicine realm believe that adrenal fatigue is a significant medical problem that can be helped with supplements and dietary changes. The doctors who validate adrenal fatigue believe that it is a lesser version of adrenal insufficiency.
However, according to conventional medicine, adrenal fatigue isnt an accepted medical diagnosis. On this side of the argument, doctors say that non-specific symptoms, such as dizziness, fatigue, depression, and low blood sugar are found in many other diseases and conditions. Narrowing down your mental and physical health problems to just adrenal fatigue can prevent you from finding other underlying causes of your symptoms.
Fleseriu finds that that the diagnosis is more of a feeling than an actual medical condition. She tells Womans World readers, The idea of the adrenal getting tired from stress has not been proven at all and additionally, we have clear-cut clinical studies showing that cortisol gets actually high and not low with stress. Interestingly, the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, are very vague, multi-organ, non-specific, are not even overlapping too much with the ones caused by adrenal insufficiency.
The Best Supplements For Adrenal Fatigue
In an ideal world, wed get all the nutrients we need to restore adrenal health from a well-balanced diet. However, adaptogenic herbs arent typically part of everyday foods, and no matter how well we eat, a stressful day can really burn through all our nutrient stockpiles. The best supplements for adrenal fatigue are those formulated to address fatigue and stress symptoms by delivering key nutrients in therapeutic amounts.
Adaptisol is formulated with the adaptogenic herbs astragulus, eleuthero, cordyceps and rhodioloa to address symptoms of adrenal fatigue and restore energy levels. Adaptisol aids the bodys natural ability to adapt to stress, enhances mental clarity, and supports healthy immune function.
Adaptogens help to protect the body from the effects of excess cortisol and prevent cortisol overproduction in the first place. Adaptisol is designed for women whose symptoms cluster around the tired” end of the adrenal spectrum, including extreme fatigue, brain fog, lack of focus, mood changes and weight gain.
Serinisol is formulated with minerals and natural adaptogenic compounds to restore your calm and ease sleep disruptions. When stress is ongoing, cortisol does not return to normal levels as intended and instead can stay high for long periods. This will affect your body negatively, leading to symptoms like anxiety, sleeplessness and impaired memory.
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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.
B: B Vitamins + Blood Sugar Balance
B vitamins: Not only do your adrenal glands require B vitamins in order to do their job, but stress actually causes your body to use up your B vitamins at a quicker rate than normal. That means that when youre under stress, you need extra B vitamins. B vitamins such as B1 , B5 , and B12 all directly affect your adrenal glands cortisol response to stress. Vitamin B3 and B12 also play a role in your sleep/wake cycle which can be affected by stress and cortisol.
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Tip: Eat animal protein like meat, seafood and eggs to make sure youre getting enough B vitamins in your diet. Typically at least 3 servings/day but this varies from person to person.
Blood sugar Balance: Keeping your blood sugar stable helps decrease stress on your adrenal glands and promotes a healthy insulin curve. The goal is to avoid the blood sugar roller coaster that is caused by spikes and dips in blood sugar due to high sugar intake, lack of fats and fiber, lack of exercise and dehydration. The spikes and dips that create that blood sugar roller coaster lead to inflammation, stress, anxiety, and poor energy, focus, and sleep.
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Tips: Eat balanced meals regularly. You want fat and protein and fiber at every meal.
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Avoid sugary foods and beverages, and any foods marked fat-free or low-fat as these tend to cause a spike in blood sugar which leads to an inevitable dip in blood sugar.
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Also make sure to exercise and drink plenty of water!
Read Also: High Blood Pressure And Fatigue
Helps Restore Adrenal Function
Adrenal function will decrease the more that you deplete your body of essential nutrients. Replacing these nutrients and increasing the amounts that youre taking in can help to restore your adrenal function. The more that you tax your body and adrenals, the worse youre going to feel. Its much easier to maintain healthy adrenals than it is to repair them.
Restoring your adrenal health effectively requires an accurate diagnosis, intervention and a number of lifestyle changes. You may need to eat more frequently increase the amount of nutrients youre taking in or get more sleep at night. Supplements can be a key part of this process.
A Great Place To Start Learning About Adrenal Fatigue Is Understanding What The Adrenal Glands Do
The adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system in your body. This system is responsible for pushing hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones are messengers that travel to tissues and organs in the human body to help different processes, including metabolism, growth, and development.
There are two adrenal glands, and they are located above the kidneys. Many scientists describe them as the hat-shaped organs sitting at the top of your kidneys.
They produce hormones that, when released, aid with the regulation of the following processes:
So as you can see, they serve an essential purpose in how your body functions.
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Top 7 Adrenal Support Supplements
When indicated, adaptogens, a type of herbal dietary supplement, can be used to improve resistance to stress and balance cortisol levels. Adaptogens, such as Withania somnifera, Rhodiola rosea, and Panax ginseng, have been shown to play a role in the regulation of the HPA axis as well as improve mental work capacity and tolerance to mental fatigue during periods of stress. Additionally, certain nutrients, such as vitamin C, and magnesium, may play a role in adrenal health.
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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 physicians 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.
Dont Supplement For Every Symptom
Your symptoms, and indeed every system in your body, is connected. The adrenal glands are part of the hormonal circuit of the NeuroEndoMetabolic Stress Response, and they function as part of the hormone cascade called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. When you are faced with stress, whether physical or psychological, the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain signal to the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol, the bodys main anti-stress hormone.
Cortisol is responsible for functions such as blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, heart and blood vessel maintenance, suppressing the immune system, and neutralizing inflammation.
Chronic stress overworks the adrenal glands because they have to keep secreting more and more cortisol. This marks the beginning stages of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome . But after a while, the adrenals become exhausted, and they cant produce cortisol anymore. At this point, the rest of the NEM circuits are left to compensate for the loss of its most important anti-stress hormone.
Symptoms of AFS include fatigue, easily gaining weight and difficulty losing it, insomnia, brain fog, hair loss, frequent colds and flu, food and drug sensitivities, anxiety, mild depression, PMS, low libido, infertility, heart palpitations, hypoglycemia, sugar and salt cravings, and many others.
There are supplements that help regulate hormones and support the adrenal glands, but do you take those or do you also need something for the other circuits?
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