Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health
Grow Youthful: How to Slow Your Aging and Enjoy Extraordinary Health

Adrenal exhaustion (adrenal fatigue)

What is adrenal exhaustion?

Early symptoms of adrenal exhaustion

Late/ long-term symptoms of adrenal exhaustion

Causes of adrenal exhaustion

Tests for adrenal exhaustion

Prevention / remedies / treatment for adrenal exhaustion

References

What is adrenal exhaustion? (adrenal fatigue or hypoadrenia)

Adrenal exhaustion is when the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, but not enough of the other hormones which the adrenal glands make. This is usually due to stress or poor diet. It is a reversible condition, and should not be confused with Addison's disease or chronic adrenal insufficiency, which are more severe, serious, and unusual forms of adrenal exhaustion.

Adrenal exhaustion is summed up in the phrase "wired and tired". You often lie awake at 2am, and feel sleepy at 7am when it is time to get up.

An adrenal gland sits on top of each of your kidneys, located on either side of your lower back. The adrenal glands secrete a number of hormones that help our bodies respond to stress, in addition to other important functions. These hormones include adrenalin (epinephrine), noradrenalin (norepinephrine), cortisol and cortisone. The adrenal glands also produce aldosterone, estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, pregnenolone and DHEA.

adrenal glands located on top of kidneys

Note that the adrenal hormones, particularly adrenalin and cortisol, activate the body's fight-or-flight response. They increase the amount of glucose in the blood, raise blood pressure and increase energy production in response to threats to our life.

Adrenal exhaustion is an ailment often diagnosed by naturopaths, but not widely recognised by doctors in the medical profession. This means that doctors are often not very helpful when someone presents with a selection of the symptoms listed below. Unfortunately, these symptoms are common.

Adrenal exhaustion can occur at all ages, from infants and young children to the elderly.

Initial symptoms of adrenal exhaustion

Late/ long-term symptoms of adrenal exhaustion

Causes of adrenal exhaustion

Tests for adrenal exhaustion

You cannot get accurate test results while on any kind of medication or supplement that affects cortisol, including anti-anxiety or anti-depressant medications, herbal adrenal supplements, hydrocortisone, asthma inhalers and prednisone as examples.

Prevention / remedies / treatment for adrenal exhaustion

It can take a couple of years to recover from severe adrenal burnout. With milder forms of adrenal exhaustion, you can have good improvements in a few months.

References

1. Kristin J Cummings, M. Abbas Virji. The Long-term Effects of Cleaning on the Lungs. PubMed: 29474796. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Published Online: 23 February 2018.

2. Oistein Svanes, Randi J Bertelsen, Stein HL Lygre, Cecilie Svanes et al. Cleaning at Home and at Work in Relation to Lung Function Decline and Airway Obstruction. PubMed: 29451393. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Published Online: 23 February 2018.

3. O Svanes, RJ Bertelsen, SHL Lygre, AE Carsin, JM Anto, B Forsberg, JM Garcia-Garcia, JA Gullon, J Heinrich et al. Cleaning at home and at work in relation to lung function decline and airway obstruction. Retrieved online from thoracic.org on 10 March 2018.

4. Hussain J, Cohen M. Clinical Effects of Regular Dry Sauna Bathing: A Systematic Review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2018 Apr 24;2018:1857413. doi: 10.1155/2018/1857413. PMID: 29849692; PMCID: PMC5941775.

5. Pruimboom L, Reheis D. Intermittent drinking, oxytocin and human health. Med Hypotheses. 2016 Jul;92:80-3. doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2016.04.043. Epub 2016 Apr 27. PMID: 27241263.