Low Adrenal Function....How Do You Know?
Posted by Jeanne M. Schmit, Pharm. D. on Mon, Apr 12, 2010 @ 04:06 PM
Tired adrenals affect your thyroid and low thyroid stresses your adrenals. You need to consider both. 
Julia Ross, author of The Mood Cure, suggests we think of our adrenals as our "A" Team. Your adrenals produce 30-60 different hormones. When you experience stress, your adrenals increase production of adrenaline (short-acting) and cortisol (long acting). Initially these 2 hormones are too high, and with continued stress, they become too low (adrenal fatigue or burn-out).
You already know that upsets, injuries, anger or fear causes increased adrenal output. You may be surprised to learn the following items also cause excessive adrenaline/cortisol output:
- High sugar, low protein diet
- Severe or chronic infection
- Environmental chemicals/toxins
- Chronic caffeine use
- Unbalanced sex hormones
- Parasites
- Yeast or fungal overgrowth
- Allergens
- Overexercise
Whatever the cause, elevated stress hormones not only keeps us in an overramped emotional state, it leads to heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, decreased immune function, Alzheimer's, and decreased memory.
Many studies confirm low cortisol to be an increasingly common problem. It's estimated that more than 70% of Americans may be affected by low adrenaline reserves.
Look at the following list of common symptoms of adrenal exhaustion (from The Mood Cure). Think about which apply to you, how often you get them and how much they bother you:
- Sensitive to exhaust fumes, smoke, chemical smells
- Feel worse after exercise or inability to tolerate much exercise
- Depression or rapid mood swings
- Dark circles under eyes
- Dizziness upon standing
- Lack of mental alertness
- Tendency to catch colds when weather changes
- Headaches along with insomnia
- Breathing difficulties
- Edema (water retention)
- Salt cravings
- Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
- Feeling of not being rested upon awakening
- Feeling tired all the time
- Feeling of mental and emotional overstress
- Low blood sugar symptoms
- Need for caffeine to get going in the morning
- Low tolerance for loud noises or strong odors
- Tendency to startle easily
- Food or respiratory allergies
- Recurrent chronic infections such as yeast infections
- Lightheadedness
- Low tolerance for alcohol, caffeine and other drugs
- Fainting
- Tend to get upset easily, quick to cry
- Tend to get a second wind at night
- Low blood pressure
- Haven't felt your best in a long time
- Eyes sensitive to bright light
- Feeling of being weak and shaky
- Fatigue and muscular weakness
- Frequent heart palpitations
- Chronic heartburn
- Vague indigestion or abdominal pain
- Sweet cravings
- Lack of thirst
- Clenching/grinding teeth especially at night
- Chronic pain in lower neck and upper back
If you suspect low adrenals, order an adrenal saliva test. Get one that checks cortisol 4x in 24 hours (usually 8am, noon, bedtime and 12 midnight). You'll also want to check DHEA-S at the same time (1x). Take these results to your health practitioner to get help with interpretation and treatment if necessary.
Your cortisol output should follow a specific rhythm; a morning high, holding steady throughout the day, decreasing at bedtime with the lowest point in the middle of the night, rising again to get you up in the morning. Look up saliva hormone testing online. ZRT Labs is a good one.
You may find your cortisol rhythm is upside down; high at night keeping you awake, yet low in the morning. You may see your entire cortisol pattern lower than normal but following the pattern. DHEA usually follows cortisol; if overall cortisol is low, DHEA is often low. You'll find out if DHEA supplementation would be helpful for you.
In any case, you'll get an understanding of how your adrenals are doing...another piece of the puzzle.
We'll put that together with thyroid to get the bigger picture.