Adrenal Fatigue

The Adrenal glands reside atop the kidneys in your body. These glands are a small piece of tissue with vital functions and a large burden.

These glands secrete the hormones Adrenalin, Cortisol and Androgens; all are vital parts of our natural survival. While you can live forever without your reproductive organs and parts of your digestive tract, without your adrenal glands you would quickly die within days.

Because of this, the adrenal hormones are considered a top priority by the body, and your body will wisely sacrifice the functionality of your reproductive organs and digestion in the attempt to repair your adrenal glands.

What this means to you is that you may struggle with female or male hormonal problems that you can't seem to fix.

You can take progesterone, estrogen and testosterone all day long and not feel any better if you have an underlying adrenal dysfunction that needs to be corrected.

If you can't seem to get pregnant and stay pregnant, having your adrenal glands tested is a smart move.

If you have asthma, you definitely have adrenal dysfunction that must be remedied.

If you often need a nap in the middle to late afternoon, you might find that taking an adrenal supplement will help you over the long term to have more stamina, energy and lighten your mood.

I list my favorite Adrenal Support products that have been tried and tested over the years and have proven, via lab testing and patient symptoms, to correct adrenal dysfunction in my Brand-Name Vitamin and Supplement Product Reviews!

Symptoms of Adrenal Dysfunction

Hypothyroid or slow metabolism
High Cholesterol
Bloating
Catch colds easily
Craving carbohydrates and sweets
Chronic stress reactions
Lack of vitality and energy
Muscle and joint pain
Anger and irritability
Migraine headaches
Sleep disturbances
Poor memory and brain fog
Alcohol intolerance
Low sex drive
Hot Flashes and Night Sweats
Low body temperature or get cold easily when others are comfortable
PMS and cramps
Constipation
Difficulty concentrating, mental confusion
Aching, sore joints
Increased tension in muscles
Digestive distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas, nausea
Sudden bouts of stomach bloating
Exacerbation of existing conditions
Increase in allergies
Dizziness, light-headedness, loss of balance
Changes in body odor
Sleep disturbances and apnea
Heavy Periods
Food allergies
Fibromyalgia
Heel and foot pain
Restless legs at night
Inability to relax
Panic attacks and anxiety
Excess facial hair
Gallbladder problems
Depression and mood swings
Impotence or soft erections
Indifference to life
Weight Gain, especially through the waist
Chronic back pain
Painful or irregular menstrual periods
Bouts of rapid heart beat
Crashing Fatigue
Feelings of dread
Gum problems, increased bleeding
Osteoporosis (after several years)
Tingling in the extremities
Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing' buzzing etc.
Lupus/SLE
Early menopause
Hypoglycemia

Stress, Cortisol, Insulin and Glucose

When your body gets stressed, such as in times of emotional distress, exercise, surgery, illness, or even daily living, hormones are produced by the adrenal glands called Glucocorticoids.

One of them, Cortisol, should be highest first thing in the morning, to combat the stress of overnight fasting and to get the body ready for the day's activities. It should gradually decline throughout the day, being lowest at bedtime and through the early night. Its gradual rise in the early pre-dawn hours is what naturally wakes you up in the morning.

Cortisol plays an essential role in immune function. It mobilizes the body's defenses against viral or bacterial infection and fights inflammation. However, over long periods of time, high cortisol levels can actually suppress the action of the immune system and make you more likely to get frequent infections.

Cortisol also maintains adequate blood levels of glucose. The brain gets most of its energy from glucose, so this is an important task.

So What Happens When You're Stressed All the Time?

Chronic, excessive stress (emotional or physical) can cause the adrenal glands to become exhausted so they can no longer produce adequate cortisol.

Low cortisol levels lead to low blood glucose (hypoglycemia), excessive fatigue, and increased susceptibility to infection.

Constant emotional, physical or mental stress, excessive intake of alcohol (more than one glass of wine per day), and even minor amounts of sugars and refined carbohydrates can lead to insulin resistance, which in turn can increase levels of cortisol.

This can create symptoms of high blood pressure, joint pain throughout the body, insomnia, restless legs, aging rapidly, loss of muscle tone, and weight gain through the middle of the body.

Eventually, if very high Cortisol levels are untreated, it can lead to sudden death through cardiac arrest.

Please don't wait for this to happen! Make changes now, and make sure you choose wisely with the purest vitamins and supplements available.