3 Warning Signs You Have Adrenal Fatigue – What You Have To Do?

Do you feel irritable when hungry, do you have any sudden periods of intense food cravings, or explode over small issues or mistakes? Then welcome to the world of adrenal exhaustion.

Our adrenal glands produce the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol and when we go through excess stress, then the adrenal glands are exhausted, leaving us tired, irritable and anxious. Cortisol causes the insulin resistance, contributing to weight gain. The chemical is also maintaining blood sugar during stress, thus the adrenal exhaustion results in lower blood sugars, triggering episodes of anxiety and irritability.

Your adrenal stress handler glands

The adrenal glands sit on the top of each kidney and are actually 2 different glands and their central portion makes epinephrine (adrenaline) which is controlled by the automatic nervous system. It allows them be activated in less than a second during times of stress. This part of the nervous system is very often in overdrive for people who are under heavy stress followed by symptoms such as: hot and cold sweats, cold and sweaty hands, and panic attacks.

The outer part of these glands is named the adrenal cortex, making many important hormones and they kick in more slowly than adrenaline and support your body’s ability to handle stress over longer periods of time and they include:

• Cortisol – adrenal glands increase their production of cortisol when responding to stress. It raises your blood sugar and blood pressure, and also moderates immune function. This one is the key hormonal deficiency which is associated with adrenal exhaustion.
• Testosterone – half of the testosterone in women come from the adrenals, thus its exhaustion can cause testosterone deficiency with loss of libido.
• Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) – it is not clear which is the mechanism of its action, but it is the most abundant hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. It declines with age, however it can drop prematurely in adrenal exhaustion. When brought to optimal range, patients often feel much better. It is available in over-the-counter form for the use under a holistic practitioner.
• Aldosterone – it helps in keeping the salt and water in the body, and in controlling the blood volume and blood pressure.

Why your physician looks at you cross eyed?

There is confusion between adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency. The second one is connected to complete failure of the adrenal glands and is considered a life-threatening emergency. One has to wear a Med Alert Bracelet. It is also called Addison’s Disease and in the past occurred as a result of tuberculosis, but nowadays it is mostly caused by autoimmune illnesses. For that reason most of the physicians are not acquainted with it and consider adrenal fatigue or exhaustion as Addison’s disease, due to they are not being taught about this. And the patients would be told that they are depressed or that there is nothing wrong with them.

However, adrenal exhaustion is a disease of modern life as there is no test which defines this condition, but it is not life-threatening. There is also no expensive medication to treat it, but little is published in the research area, while our understanding of it is based on clinical experiences of health practitioners. According to holistic practitioners this issue is growing at an alarming rate.

Why adrenal exhaustion becomes more common?

People experience stress reactions every few minutes when going to work, when being late, when going home from work. Another issue id the stress of the recent recession because some people take on extra work to make ends meet, while others stress over having no work at all. If one has a severe illness or takes care of a family member also taxes the adrenals. When the stress reaction goes off repeatedly during the day, it triggers adrenal exhaustion over time. Moreover, the 24-hour news network contributes to this condition as we are bombarded with a flow of “news” which include war, death, politics, and fear.

The sugar rollercoaster

Cortisol maintains blood sugar during stress when your body burns sugar for quick energy, so when people have adrenal exhaustion they get the symptoms of low blood sugar. The hallmark symptom is irritability or anxiety when hungry. This leads people look for something to eat, especially sugar. Sugar gives a quick burst of energy and it tells the brain that of you eat sugar then, you will be OK. This shows that you are likely to have low blood sugar from adrenal exhaustion.

Cortisol – is it too high, too low, or maybe both?

The body produces cortisol daily which keeps it regulated, but during times of stress, cortisol levels double or triple, leaving people with excess amount which may not be burned off. In the initial phase of chronic stress the cortisol levels are elevated, resulting in weight gain, along with anxiety, depression and loss of bone density. As the adrenal exhaustion progresses over the years, the cortisol levels drop very low, and then people start feeling fatigue and irritability when hungry. It is very important to maintain cortisol levels high in the mornings for optimal energy and low at bedtime so that you can sleep. This is called the circadian rhythm. When a person has adrenal exhaustion then the cortisol levels are low during the day, letting them exhausted and with low blood sugar, but at night they are too night, leaving them wide awake. For that reason people need natural remedies at night in order to lower cortisol levels through taking Ashwaganda and Phosphatidylserine supplements in order to fall asleep.

source: justnaturallyhealthy.com