By Michael Biamonte, C.C.N.
Adrenal burnout is not fun, but its happened to all of us at one time in our lives. It’s happened to some of us more then once. It makes feel tired, no energy, it can make you crave sugar, make it hard to get up in the morning, like your get up and go, got up and went!
Almost all people with chronic candida, parasites, EBV, fibromylagia, Lyme disease and hypothyroidism have adrenal burnout.
First lets get an understanding of what the adrenals are.
The adrenal glands are a pair of triangle shaped organs that rest on top of the kidneys. The glands are made up of two parts, the cortex or outer section, which produces cortisone, and the medulla or center section, which secretes adrenaline.
In addition to producing cortisone, the adrenal cortex also helps to maintain the salt and water balance in the body, and is involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of blood sugar.
The adrenal medulla produces adrenaline, also known as the hormone epinephrine, when the body is under stress. This hormone speeds up the metabolism and produces other changes within the body that assist in coping with danger.
The adrenal help wake us up in the morning by producing cortisol which suppress the sleep hormone melatonin. The adrenal help control our blood sugar. They make hormones, which help raise our blood sugar under times of stress so that we can have energy. The adrenals control sodium, potassium and chlorides in our body, which adjust our fluid balance. They do this by working with the kidneys. The adrenals work closely with our thyroid gland to keep are metabolism high. The adrenals act like the fuel pump and the thyroid like the spark plugs. This keeps the fuel we consume for our food being combusted into energy.
When we have stress, whether physical or emotional, adrenal hormones help provide energy for us to get through the stress. The adrenals need vitamins, minerals and amino acids in order to make the hormones and to repair and keep themselves healthy. Vitamin C, B5, B6, iron, manganese, sodium and potassium act as stimulants to the adrenals. Vitamin B12, B2, Calcium, magnesium, copper, vitamin D can regulate the adrenals by slowing them down if they are going to fast or by suppressing them below normal. It takes more then the RDA or the amounts found common it foods to do this.
Fats like butter, oil, lard nuts, seeds etc slow down the adrenals. Proteins and sodium tend to speed them up!
The stages of stress are as follows:
Hans Selye from McGill University says Stress is a nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it. Regardless of the stressor the reaction is the same. This is known asGeneral Adaptation Syndrome
General Adaptation Syndrome has three stages:
- Stage One: The Alarm Reaction
Here aldosterone secretion increases and sodium is retained. This occurs in response to a new stress! Body is programmed for homeostasis (a balanced state) When a stressor is presented body goes into flight or fight mode Blood pressure increases, respiration rate increases; muscles tense; digestion is inhibited; heart rate increases; blood flow increase to extremities; adrenaline is secreted; perspiration increases In ancient times stressor would present and disappear; now stressor may not be as serious but may be seen in many places resulting in prolonged stress reactions Stress may be real or imagined
- Stage Two: The Resistance Phase
Glucocorticoid steroids are released to balance aldosterone. These increase potassium to balance sodium. This occurs as the stress continues and the body tries to adapt to it. Body signs of stress disappear; resistance rises; neural glandular systems become hyperactive; person remains in constant state of over stimulation If all is ok the resistance stage shuts off the body goes back to normal. But if the stress continues we eventually go into the exhaustion stage.
- Stage Three: The Exhaustion Stage
Body exhausts itself and physical signs of stress reappear; now these may become irreversible unless correct nutrition is used to bring the adrenals glands back; example high blood pressure. This is what is called “Chronic fatigue Syndrome”.
Reduced adrenal function may appear with the following symptoms: allergies, blood sugar disorders, dizziness, food cravings, headaches, memory problems and weakness.
Some of the causes of improper functioning of the adrenal glands are: extensive use of cortisone therapy for nonendocrine diseases such as asthma and arthritis, poor nutritional habits, smoking, alcohol and drug use, pituitary disease and tuberculosis.
Some of the symptoms for adrenal exhaustion include: excessive fatigue, irritability, depression, and inability to recover from exercise, insomnia, headaches, muscle and joint pain, and increased allergies. These are also the same symptoms for chronic fatigue and stress.
CORRECTING ADRENAL FUNCTION
Fortunately, adaptogenic herbs are extremely helpful in improving adrenal function and alleviating adrenal exhaustion. Lifestyle changes are also critical and necessary to relieve the stress that caused the adrenals to breakdown in the first place. The way to revive the adrenals is as follows:
- Eat 5-6 small meals a day. Do not eat only once and do not skip breakfast.
- Exercise moderately. Walk, swim, and jog for 10-15 minutes very easily. Excess exercise will make you worse! Exercise to the point of feeling stimulated not fatigued.
- Include adequate salt. Use sea salt celery etc. If the salt tastes good to you, you probably need it.
- Sleep correctly. Go to bed every night at the same time and wake up at the same time. If you stay in bed too long thinking the extra rest will help, it will signal your adrenal glands to shut down when they are trying to “get you up”.
- Get some testing done to find out what vitamins, minerals and herbs will help you. This is very important and must be done through testing to be accurate.
TESTING FOR ADRENAL EXHAUSTION
The best test for this condition would be a saliva sample tested for a morning level of Dhea and an am-noon-mid-evening and late evening Cortisol. This state of these tow hormones gives you an immediate understanding of the state of the adrenals. Urine tests for nor epinephrine and epiphrine can be done along with these 2 hormones.
Hair analysis is also useful because it can report on the status pf sodium and potassium, which reflect the adrenal hormones. The hair can also show you the status of minerals that help the adrenals like iron, manganese and zinc, while showing you the status of nutrients, which tend to slow down the adrenal like calcium, magnesium, copper, lithium and mercury.
Routine Blood tests can be of limited use. The normally contain an enzyme called “alkaline Phosphatase”. This enzyme can give you a clue as to how the adrenals are functioning.
24-hour urine tests for cortisol and Dhea can also be done. Usually just one test is not enough. Several of the tests mentioned above may be necessary to really understand your adrenal function.