Adrenal fatigue assessment and treatment

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is defined as a deficiency in the function of the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are small glands that sit on top of the kidneys and they produce several hormones including cortisol DHEA epinephrine and norepinephrine among others.

The main hormones involved in adrenal stress and fatigue are cortisol and to a lesser extent DHEA. Too much physical, emotional, environmental and/or psychological stress can deplete your adrenal gland causing a decrease in the output of the hormone, particularly cortisol. People with adrenal fatigue also have erratic or abnormal blood sugar or Hypoglycemia. There is also a tendency to experience allergies, arthritic pain and decreased immune response, PMS and more difficulty during menopause. Patients may also have increased fears, anxiety and depression, confusion, difficulty concentrating, decreased memory, decreased tolerance and insomnia. As adrenal fatigue worsens it lays the groundwork for other conditions like respiratory infections, allergies, rhinitis, asthma, frequent colds, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and hypoglycemia, diabetes, autoimmune disease and alcoholism.

The cause for Adrenal Fatigue is some form of stress. The stress can be physical stress emotional, psychological, environmental, and infectious or any combination of these. The adrenal glands adjust to any kind of stress in the same manor whatever the source is. The stress can be one major life event or cumulative small stressors. For example, death of a loved one, infections, repeated stresses, emotional stress, allergies, overexertion, smoking lack of sleep, poor eating habits, sugar and white flour products, lack or excessive exercise, wound healing prescription and nonprescription drugs, lack of good food, caffeine, coffee, fear, unwanted employment, negative attitudes and beliefs, lack of relaxation, psychological stress, financial pressures, toxins, etc. 

Adrenal Fatigue can often be precipitated by an infection like bronchitis pneumonia or asthma. There are several components of lifestyle that can lead to adrenal fatigue. Including lack of sleep, poor food choices, using food and stimulants when tired, staying up late even though fatigued, being constantly in a position of powerlessness, constantly driving yourself, trying to be perfect, staying in double-blind (no win situations over time) and the lack of enjoyable and rejuvenating activities.  The effects of stress are cumulative even when the individual stressors are quite different and the physical and emotional stressors interact with each other and a poor diet reduces your adrenals ability to respond to stress.

If you have questions, please feel free to call 518-786-7000 ext. 243 to speak to Dr. Allison Pontius or email her at drpontius@ymail.com and she will be more than happy to help you.

Thank you.