Adrenal Fatigue: 4 Myths
Facts:
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The adrenal glands are located around the mid back on top of the kidneys. Adrenals are one kind of endocrine gland that secretes hormones that are messengers to coordinate bodily functions. Adrenals emit hormones like DHEA, adrenaline and cortisol to facilitate both normal functioning and bursts of energy to deal with stress.
1.
Myth: Adrenal glands create energy.
Fact: Adrenal glands in emergency response mode mobilize stored energy that was created through digestion, proper breathing, sunlight, and sleep.
Adrenal glands help coordinate the response to stress whether it is normal stress like walking or emergency response levels like running or fighting. Adrenal glands are the gas pedal, not the gas tank. “Boosting your adrenals” is logically kind of like drinking coffee. Coffee works by stimulating your adrenals to release stored energy for short term gain with a long term cost.
Fact: Adrenal glands in emergency response mode mobilize stored energy that was created through digestion, proper breathing, sunlight, and sleep.
Adrenal glands help coordinate the response to stress whether it is normal stress like walking or emergency response levels like running or fighting. Adrenal glands are the gas pedal, not the gas tank. “Boosting your adrenals” is logically kind of like drinking coffee. Coffee works by stimulating your adrenals to release stored energy for short term gain with a long term cost.
2.
Myth: Fatigue means adrenal glands are weak so you have adrenal insufficiency.
Fact: Most people who are chronically tired have overactive adrenals with high levels of stress hormones that adrenal glands produce: cortisol or adrenaline. They often alternate between over and under-active going increasingly to the latter with long term exhaustion.
If stress persists, then the body’s stored energy can be depleted as stress hormones cannibalize your tissues and you rest less.
When there is actual weak adrenals it shows up on a saliva test as low DHEA or cortisol. A person with adrenal exhaustion can barely stand and feels like a rag doll. When I had chronic fatigue with low cortisol and DHEA I sometimes walked down the hall leaning against the wall dragging my shoulder.
Cortisol medications can help manage low points, but much more needs to be done. Even supporting the adrenal glands naturally as a treatment plan is usually unsuccessful as explained on the website of Dr Paul Cheney, who specializes in treating chronic fatigue.
Treating “adrenal fatigue” is treating a symptom.
Fact: Most people who are chronically tired have overactive adrenals with high levels of stress hormones that adrenal glands produce: cortisol or adrenaline. They often alternate between over and under-active going increasingly to the latter with long term exhaustion.
If stress persists, then the body’s stored energy can be depleted as stress hormones cannibalize your tissues and you rest less.
When there is actual weak adrenals it shows up on a saliva test as low DHEA or cortisol. A person with adrenal exhaustion can barely stand and feels like a rag doll. When I had chronic fatigue with low cortisol and DHEA I sometimes walked down the hall leaning against the wall dragging my shoulder.
Cortisol medications can help manage low points, but much more needs to be done. Even supporting the adrenal glands naturally as a treatment plan is usually unsuccessful as explained on the website of Dr Paul Cheney, who specializes in treating chronic fatigue.
Treating “adrenal fatigue” is treating a symptom.
3.
Myth: Adrenal glands are the key hormone regulating energy.
Fact: Adrenals are last in the hormonal chain of command from the brain.
Adrenals are signaled by two glands nestled in the brain: the pituitary gland, which is signaled by the hypothalamus, which, in turn, is signaled by another hormone, leptin, and by the brain that responds to stress that is phyiscal, emotional and mental.. This chain of command is called the HPA axis: hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. The HPA axis creates stress hormones to fight or run away from danger. This is known as the fight or flight response.
While this stress response is important for survival, it can take on a life of its own through over-reacting or not turning-off and becoming a habit 24/7 even after the source of the stress is gone. Emotional stress can be driven by the human imagination or unconscious trapped emotions that create an unseen permanent or easily triggered fear, sadness or other negative emotion.
An overactive HPA axis is part of an imbalanced brain and nervous system. This is commonly referred to as autonomic nervous system dysregulation or sympathetic overdrive. It is accompanied by symptoms like high cortisol and hyperventilation. The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes muscles and the mind, which are then overactive and thereby suppress the opposite parasympathetic nervous system that supports sleep, digestion, detoxification, immunity, repair and growth. This will make you tired.
It’s much harder for people to heal anything when in flight or fight mode. It can create insomnia, tension, indigestion, fear, stress, and subtler things. When people don’t get better, it’s often because of this deep imbalance in the nervous system that regulates everything.
Hormonal issues must be understood in terms of the brain problem.
Fact: Adrenals are last in the hormonal chain of command from the brain.
Adrenals are signaled by two glands nestled in the brain: the pituitary gland, which is signaled by the hypothalamus, which, in turn, is signaled by another hormone, leptin, and by the brain that responds to stress that is phyiscal, emotional and mental.. This chain of command is called the HPA axis: hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. The HPA axis creates stress hormones to fight or run away from danger. This is known as the fight or flight response.
While this stress response is important for survival, it can take on a life of its own through over-reacting or not turning-off and becoming a habit 24/7 even after the source of the stress is gone. Emotional stress can be driven by the human imagination or unconscious trapped emotions that create an unseen permanent or easily triggered fear, sadness or other negative emotion.
An overactive HPA axis is part of an imbalanced brain and nervous system. This is commonly referred to as autonomic nervous system dysregulation or sympathetic overdrive. It is accompanied by symptoms like high cortisol and hyperventilation. The sympathetic nervous system mobilizes muscles and the mind, which are then overactive and thereby suppress the opposite parasympathetic nervous system that supports sleep, digestion, detoxification, immunity, repair and growth. This will make you tired.
It’s much harder for people to heal anything when in flight or fight mode. It can create insomnia, tension, indigestion, fear, stress, and subtler things. When people don’t get better, it’s often because of this deep imbalance in the nervous system that regulates everything.
Hormonal issues must be understood in terms of the brain problem.
4.
Myth: Fatigue is caused by weak adrenal glands.
Fact: There are 5 possible Root Causes of Fatigue
For an explanation of the difference between root causes and symptoms see my page on Causes of Chronic Fatigue.
Fact: There are 5 possible Root Causes of Fatigue
- Nutritional deficiency
- Toxicity
- Infection
- Physical misalignments of bone and teeth.
- Stress responses, or an Imbalanced brain, often in the form of autonomic nervous system dysregulation.
For an explanation of the difference between root causes and symptoms see my page on Causes of Chronic Fatigue.
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Paul Hess, Ph.D.
Hess.PaulC@gmail.com FACEBOOK
I work over Skype or phone from Plymouth, Michigan, USA
Paul Hess, Ph.D.
Hess.PaulC@gmail.com FACEBOOK
I work over Skype or phone from Plymouth, Michigan, USA
