What are the adrenal
glands?
The adrenal glands
are part of the endocrine system (system of glands within the body responsible
for secreting different hormones into the bloodstream to regulate the body) and
are primarily responsible for managing stress, being that they are our ‘stress
glands’. Our energy, endurance, resiliency and life are dependent on their
proper function, and the ability to build muscle, burn fat, live healthy and
perform at our best in whatever it is we choose to do, are acutely affected by
the adrenals.
What is adrenal
fatigue?
When your adrenals
are fatigued or worn out, a condition referred to as adrenal fatigue develops
and your entire body feels it, which in turn affects all aspects of your life.
Fatigue occurs when the amount of stress overextends the capacity of the body
to compensate and recover.
How many people are
affected by adrenal fatigue?
Some literature
suggests that roughly 80% of the adult population is affected by adrenal
fatigue, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the actual number was much higher.
What do the adrenals
do?
The adrenal glands
are located above the kidneys and they’re purpose is to help us cope with
stress and survive. Each gland has two compartments – the inner compartment,
which modulates the sympathetic nervous system (pumps you up) through secretion
and regulation of two hormones, epinephrine and norepinephrine, which are
responsible for the fight or flight response. And the outer adrenal cortex, which
makes up 80% of the adrenal gland itself and manufactures the steroid hormones
like testosterone, estrogen, cortisone, hydrocortisone, cholesterol,
progesterone, DHEA, pregnenolone and over 50 total hormones that are essential
for life. These 50+ hormones are separated into three different classifications:
ADRENALINE, MINERALCORTICOIDS, and GLUCOCORTICOIDS.
What is adrenaline?
Adrenaline (epinephrine)
is a hormone that is responsible for increasing your heart rate in an attempt
to physically prepare you for a fight or flight scenario, as well as
controlling blood flow to your muscles and the brain, and helping with the
conversion of glycogen to glucose in the blood.
Adrenaline also:
1. Causes the pupils
of eyes to dilate (for better awareness in fight or flight scenario)
2. Increases
heart rate, force of contraction, and blood pressure (to provide the muscles
with greater ability to fight or flight)
3. Constricts
the blood vessels of nonessential organs such as the skin
4. Dilates
blood vessels to increases blood flow to organs, skeletal muscle, cardiac
muscle, liver and adipose tissue
5. Increases
the rate and depth of breathing and dilates the bronchioles to allow faster
movement of air in and out of the lungs
6. Raises blood
sugar as the liver glycogen is converted into glucose
7. Slows down
or even stops processes that are not essential for meeting the stress
situation, such as muscular movements of the gastrointestinal tract and
digestive secretions (ever notice that if you need to go to the bathroom, and
then something scares the crap out of you, all of a sudden you don’t have to go
to the bathroom? It’s because of the adrenaline pumping through your body)
What are
mineralcorticoids?
Mineralcorticoids such
as aldosterone, help keep your blood pressure and blood volume regulated by
maintaining an ideal balance of potassium, sodium and water in the body. Stress
increases the release of aldosterone, causing sodium retention, which therefore
increases water retention as well as blood pressure, and also depletes
potassium and magnesium.
What are
glucocorticoids?
Glucocorticoids such
as cortisol and hydrocortisone, assist your body in converting food into
energy, normalize blood sugar, respond to stress and also maintain your immune
system’s inflammatory response. Cortisol is the main stress response hormone in
the body and is a bit of a double edged sword.
Cortisol levels vary
throughout the day based on current demands, commonly rising between 6 and 8
am, and peaking around 9 and 11 am, then steadily declining throughout the day.
Think of it like this: cortisol rises with the sun, and sets with the sun. The
reason for this is simple. For millions of years, we did our hunting and
gathering between sunrise and noon. The body adapted to this lifestyle, and is
why things are the way they are for us now. When you exercise, the body
triggers the release of cortisol, and the body thinks it’s somewhere between
sunrise and noon, and it is for this reason that workouts are probably best
done in the morning. Working out at night will disrupt the body’s natural sleep
patterns and thus stress the adrenal glands. People that work out after noon,
and think they get good sleep, are not some sort of special exception, they
just have fatigued adrenal glands. If you get good sleep after working out at
night, it’s probably because excercising brought your depleted cortisol levels
up to baseline levels. Working out at night to help with sleep provides a band
aid effect which fails to address the real problem.
What does cortisol
do?
1. It’s a
stimulating natural hormone that elevates our metabolism and body temperature
and prepares our body to work
2. An
anti-inflammatory hormone, aiding in the control of inflammation, a natural
precursor to tissue healing
3. An
activating hormone stimulating us to wake from sleep if released due to light
exposure, low blood sugar levels, stressful dreams, or because we have
parasites eating into our tissues when we sleep at night
4. Mobilizes
and increases amino acids, the building blocks of protein, in the blood and
liver
5. Stimulates
the liver to convert amino acids to glucose, the primary fuel for energy
production
6. Stimulates
increased glycogen in the liver. Glycogen is the stored form of glucose
7. Mobilizes
and increases fatty acids in the blood (from fat cells) to be used as fuel for
energy production
8. Counteracts
inflammation and allergies
9. Prevents the
loss of sodium in urine and thus helps maintain blood volume and blood pressure
10. Maintains
resistance to stress (ex. infections, physical trauma, emotional trauma,
temperature extremes etc.)
11. Maintains
mood and emotional stability
What if excess
cortisol is needed and secreted?
1. Stimulates
fat deposits and can result in weight gain
2. INCREASES
FAT AROUND THE WAIST/BELLY BUTTON
3. Accelerates
ageing
4. Increases
blood pressure
5. Diminishes
cellular utilization of glucose
6. Increases
blood sugar levels which leads to reduced insulin sensitivity and eventually
diabetes
7. Decreases
protein synthesis
8. Increases
protein breakdown that can lead to muscle wasting
9. Causes
demineralization of bone that can lead to osteoporosis
10. Interferes
with skin regeneration and healing
11. Causes
shrinking of lymphatic tissue
12. Diminishes
lymphocyte numbers and functions
13. Suppresses
immune system and can lead to increased susceptibility to allergies,
infections, and degenerative disease
14. Estrogen
dominance leading to PMS, uterine fibrosis and breast cancer
15. Decreased
liver detoxification
16. Decreased
immune system function, leading to increased risk of infection
Symptoms of elevated
levels of cortisol:
1. Fatigue/low
energy
2. Impaired
memory
3. Impaired
concentration
4. Insomnia
5. Anxiety
6. Crying
7. Restlessness
8. Feeling of
hopelessness
Depleted levels of
cortisol, which happens if the adrenals are fatigued, also have negative side
effects as well.
Side effects of
depleted cortisol levels:
1. Suppressed
immune system
2. Increased
inflammation
3. Hypoglycemic
tendencies, fluctuations in blood sugar and insulin spikes
What is DHEA?
DHEA, along with
testosterone and estrogen, is another important anti-ageing hormone manufactured
by the adrenals in both sexes by pregnenolone.
What does DHEA do?
1. Functions as
an androgen (male hormone) with anabolic (building or synthesis of tissues)
activity
2. Is a
precursor that is converted to testosterone (male hormone). Is a precursor to estrogen
(a female anabolic hormone)
3. Reverses
immune suppression caused by excess cortisol levels, thereby improving
resistance against viruses, bacteria, and Candida albicans, parasites,
allergies, and cancer
4. Stimulates
bone deposition and remodelling to prevent osteoporosis
5. Improves
cardiovascular status by lowering total cholesterol and LDL levels, thereby
lessening incidences of heart attack
6. Involved in
the thyroid glands conversion of the less active T4 to the more active T3
7. Reverses the
many of the unfavourable effects of excess cortisol, creating subsequent
improvement in energy, vitality, sleep, premenstrual symptoms, and mental
clarity
8. Accelerates
recovery from any kind of acute stress (ex. excessive exercise, insufficient
sleep, mental stress)
9. Increases
muscle mass, therefore decreases percentage of bodyfat
Together these
hormones control several body functions including:
1. Manage blood
sugar levels
2. Regulate
inflammation
3. Regulate the
balance of salt and water in the body
4. Regulate
blood pressure
5. Burn
calories (lose fat!)
6. Control the
response to stress
7. Maintain
pregnancy
8. Control
sexual maturation during puberty
9. Produce
testosterone and estrogen
Is it possible for
the "stress glands" to become stressed?
Even though the
adrenals are there to help you cope with stress, they too can become stressed,
and too much will cause them to break down.
Basically they are
intended to get your body ready for a rare fight or flight situation. When you
feel threatened the adrenals bump up the secretion of adrenalin and other
hormones and as part of this response your heart rate and blood pressure
increase, your digestion slows down and you are prepared physically to make the
decision to stay and fight, or run as fast as you can to avoid dangerous
circumstances.
While a response
like this is good and necessary when the time comes, a huge amount of the
population faces CONSTANT stressors.
Constant stressors
we face regularly are:
1. Work –
Physical, Mental, Emotional
2. Excessive
Exercise
3. Environment/Toxins
(Pollution, Smoking etc...)
4. Lack of
Sleep and Light Cycle Disruption (staying up late, working night shift etc...)
5. Emotions -
Worry/Fear/Anger/Anxiety/Guilt/Depression/ANY NEGATIVITE EMOTION!
6. Relationship
Issues (Spouse/Boyfriend/Girlfriend)
7. Financial
Issues (Bills/Paycheck)
8. Children
9. Skipping
Meals
10. Excessive
caffeine intake
11. Excessive
sugar/carb intake
12. Surgery/Trauma/Injury
13. Inflammation
(carbs elevate insulin which increases inflammation which is a contributor as
well as result of stressed adrenals), Infection, Illness, Pain
14. Extreme
Temperatures
15. Nutritional
Deficiencies (malabsorption/maldigestion) and Mineral Deficiencies (having an
acidic pH level)
16. Hypoglycemia
– low blood sugar (is a contributor as well as result of stressed adrenals)
17. Pretty much
ANYTHING negative that happens to you
It is these constant
stressors that put you, and keep you, in fight or flight mode for far longer
than was ever intended from a biological standpoint.
This results in the
adrenals becoming overworked and fatigued. When this happens it leads to a
decrease in certain hormones, particularly cortisol. Other hormone deficiencies
will vary from person to person, from mild to severe.
How bad can adrenal
fatigue become?
The most extreme
form of adrenal fatigue is known as Addison’s disease, which can be life
threatening, but is more commonly associated with muscular weakness, weight
loss, low blood pressure and low blood sugar.
Addison’s disease
(when the adrenal glands are not functioning what so ever, aka adrenal failure)
is very rare and only about 1 out of 25,000 will develop it, due to an auto
immune disease but can also develop from very severe stress.
Adrenal fatigue,
also known as hypoadrenia, is less severe but can also be debilitating. In some
cases people can’t even muster up the strength to get out of bed for a few
hours after waking. We don’t ever hear about it because modern medicine does not
recognize it as a distinct syndrome. As the adrenals become more and more
stressed, every organ and system in the body is profoundly affected.
Signs and symptoms
of adrenal fatigue are:
1. Tendency to
gain weight and inability to lose weight after extensive efforts, especially
around the abdominals (how many people do we all know that have this issue?)
2. Dizziness/light
headedness after standing up from sitting/laying down (possibly due to low
blood pressure as a result of stressed adrenals)
3. Craving
foods high in salt (due to low aldosterone levels, the body will crave salt to
regulate blood pressure)
4. Craving
foods high in sugar (due to low energy as well as low cortisol which is needed
to help the liver release glycogen and give you energy)
5. Craving
foods high in fat
6. Fatigue and
weakness upon waking and throughout the afternoon
7. Trouble
waking up despite a full night’s sleep
8. Depression
9. Hormonal
imbalance
10. Increased
PMS or menopausal symptoms (periods are heavy and then stop, or are almost
stopped on the 4th day and then start again on the 5th or
6th day)
11. Low sex
drive
12. Poor memory
13. Skin
problems
14. Autoimmune
disorders
15. Autoimmune
diseases
16. Increased
allergies
17. Muscle and
bone degeneration
18. Muscular
weakness
19. Decreased
ability to handle stress
20. Low body
temperature
21. Low blood
pressure
22. Random hair
loss
23. Nervousness,
tendency to tremble while under pressure
24. Difficulty
building muscle
25. Irritability
26. Apprehension
(expecting the worst)
27. Hypoglycemia
– low blood sugar (is a contributor as well as result of stressed adrenals)
28. Inability
to concentrate, moments of confusion, poor memory
29. Always
hungry
30. Inflammation
(carbs elevate insulin which increases inflammation which is a contributor as
well as result of stressed adrenals)
31. Indigestion
32. Feelings of
frustration
33. Palpitations
(could also be due to a magnesium deficiency)
34. Insomnia
35. Dry and
thin skin
36. Osteoporosis
37. Alcohol
intolerance
38. Frequently complains
of “needing a vacation”
How do you know if
you have adrenal fatigue:
Here is an extremely
common pattern you’ll recognize in people that suffer from adrenal fatigue:
they’ll wake up sluggish, barely get out of bed, struggle to get through the day,
get a burst of energy around 6pm (which they tell themselves is due to eating a
meal or something like that, as they try to convince themselves that there is
nothing wrong with them for peace of mind), followed by tiredness again around
9 or 10pm which they’ll resist, then get a second wind around 11pm and stay up
past midnight, even though they know they should be asleep by then. This is a
VERY common pattern for people suffering from adrenal fatigue.
Other common
symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue are high blood sugar levels and mental
disturbances, like fear and anxiety, and also people that rely on coffee to get
them going in the morning, and other sources of caffeine to keep them going
throughout the day.
Unrelenting fatigue,
or a feeling of not being able to keep up with daily demands due to feeling run
down, is the most common symptom of adrenal fatigue. Because nearly everyone
deals with fatigue on different levels, it makes it very difficult to diagnose.
How to replenish the
adrenal glands:
For those dealing
with adrenal fatigue, there is hope, but as you can imagine it took time to
burnout your adrenal glands, and therefore it will take time for them to
recover. Depending on the severity, it can take from 6-9 months to recover from
minor fatigue, and up to 2 years for those dealing with severe fatigue.
The biggest and most
influential step in the recovery process is addressing current and past
emotional issues. Other steps you can take to help replenish your burnt adrenal
glands are:
1. Eat
frequently (within first hour of waking up, every three hours at the
latest and also before bed. YES, BEFORE BED, but obviously not something like a
cheeseburger, pizza or pasta). If you get hungry, you waited too long (blood
sugar has dropped and that indirectly stresses the adrenals). As far as eating
is concerned, to stabilize blood sugar you must maintain a balance between
glucagon and insulin, two hormones produced by the pancreas. Protein increases
glucagon, carbohydrates increase insulin. If you remember my article on basic
nutrition, you may remember that insulin is a storing hormone. When excess
carbs are eaten, insulin is elevated while glucagon is not, which results in
more fat being formed and stored. When insulin is high and glucagon is low, you
will experience intervals of hypoglycemia, and in an attempt to normalize blood
sugar the adrenal glands have to pick up the slack by secreting excess cortisol
from the adrenal glands to help raise blood sugar in the absence of glucagon.
Excess intake of carbs leads to excessive secretion of cortisol which
contributes to chronic cortisol depletion and consequently adrenal exhaustion.
You basically force the adrenal glands to do work that would normally be done
by the pancreas if only you had a balanced amount of protein with your carbs.
On a side note, the brain uses mostly sugar, so when blood sugar drops due to
high insulin levels as a result of a high carb meal, you get tired. On another
side note, have you ever noticed when you are very hungry (blood sugar has
dropped), and for whatever reason you don’t eat something and after enough time
passes you aren’t hungry anymore? That’s cortisol doing its job.
2. Avoid
stimulants like coffee and other products with caffeine as they
further stress the adrenals. They deplete important B vitamins and alter pH
levels. COFFEE does not give you energy! It gives you the illusion of energy.
It actually drains the body of energy and makes you more tired due to vitamin
and adrenal depletion. Caffeine prevents the adrenals from producing the right
level of energy naturally. Even stimulants like ephedrine can cause an over
secretion of cortisol, thus provide further stress to the adrenal glands.
3. Excess
alcohol consumption reduces the immune and energy production systems.
When you drink to relax it inhibits the adrenals from performing the task on
their own.
4. Foods
high in potassium make adrenal fatigue worse, especially in people
deficient in sodium (bananas, all melons, oranges, grapefruit, raisins)
5. Exercise,
but don’t overdo it. I see people in the gym for hours, probably
because they think more is better, not knowing that they are wreaking havoc on
their adrenal glands. Keep workouts under an hour. When I say workouts, I mean
the total time from when you start, after you’ve warmed up, until the time you
finish your last set, prior to your cool down or stretching, if you choose to.
Another tip to prevent wearing out your adrenals is to avoid training to
failure! Training to failure suppresses proper adrenal function. Remember that
next time you decide to do triple drop sets for an entire hour, thinking it
makes you look hardcore.
6. REST! Do
not underestimate the power of rest. This means sleeping in when you can as
cortisol levels rise between 6 and 8 am, going to bed when you know you should,
and listening to your body. If you need a nap mid day, take one.
7. LAUGH! Laughter
increases parasympathetic supply to the adrenals. A lot of people are attracted
to others that make them laugh subconsciously without knowing or caring why.
One of the reasons we crave to be around those people is because they have
positive physiological effects on our health.
8. TAKE
MAGNESIUM! A magnesium deficiency creates a stressful environment
within the body.
9. TAKE FISH
OIL! The adrenals thrive on essential fatty acids, that’s why they’re
called essential. Healthy fats like fish oil, lower the insulin response during
and after a meal as well as reduce cortisol when it gets too high, thus sparing
the adrenal glands.
Treating adrenal
fatigue requires a whole body approach that addresses lifestyle habits and
excess stresses that wore out your adrenals in the first place.
On a side note, to
treat imbalanced sex hormones, whether it be male or female, the first step is
to address the adrenal glands. Attempting to treat hormone imbalances with
bioidentical hormone therapy will fail over the long haul because the fatigued
adrenals would never allow the hormones to equilibrate properly.
If you have any
questions about stress and adrenal function, feel free to contact me at ben@paramounttraining.ca. I'm available for online consulting and personalized program design,
as well as one on one training if you are located in the Greater Toronto Area
(GTA).
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