Adrenal Dysfunction
What's Happening?
Many of us start our days getting out of bed, begin running with the kids and family, go to sports practice, have to find time to eat, and run errands. We are constantly burning the candle at both ends but that eventually catches up to us. Sadly, this is what is considered "normal".
Almost a million people suffer from some form of chronic fatigue and millions suffer from extreme exhaustion or adrenal dysfunction. If you feel like you have to have your morning coffee, energy drinks, or sugary beverages or food, you may be experiencing adrenal dysfunction. This feeling is often accompanied by one or more of the following:
- Tired in the morning
- Craving salty or sweet foods
- Anxiety
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Muscle soreness
- Irritability
Effect on the Body
Our bodies are made up of about 70 trillion cells. These cells are constantly breaking down and repairing themselves. Most of the healing our bodies undergo happen while we sleep. As a matter of fact, the only system in the body that speeds up when we sleep is the nervous system. That's why it's paramount to take good care of your nervous system. Sleep deprivation and other factors reduces the body's ability to heal itself efficiently.
Stress can be a killer and we're not just talking about emotional stress. Chemical and physical stressors are just if not more damaging as emotional stress. Our bodies will respond to stress by releasing hormones including cortisol (stress hormone) from your adrenal glands. Cortisol is important for regulating blood sugar and the production of other hormones.
When stressful events (or events that are perceived as stressful) occur regularly, the stress response can become down-regulated and our bodies will reduce how much cortisol is produced. Too little cortisol can be a problem as your body will turn to other sources of energy or create cravings for sweet foods. Cortisol levels should be highest in the morning then taper throughout the day.
Testing and Treatment
Measuring symptoms alone isn't the best way to know what your cortisol levels are. Salivary testing is the only accurate way to measure the cortisol pattern throughout the day. Salivary testing is extraordinarily valuable because it allows measurement of the fraction of the hormone that your body can use.
The Comprehensive Hormone Panel is a great place to start. This panel tests both reproductive and adrenal hormones because symptoms of hormonal imbalance can overlap and often do.
Proper hormone balance can help you...
- have more energy
- sleep better
- reduce anxiety
- improve memory
- curb cravings
- lose weight