Adrenal Fatigue & Chronic Stress
Each year, Gallup’s Global Emotions Report analyzes how people are feeing across the world. Stress levels in the US are growing. Americans feel more worried than they have been in over a decade. Chronic levels of stress can lead to fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and physiological changes in almost every system of the body.
Eventually, long-term stress overworks the endocrine system, taxing the adrenal glands as they are required to produce more stress hormones such as cortisol to keep up with daily stressors. Here are some of the frequently asked questions that patients ask me about adrenal fatigue, chronic stress, and ways to restore balance.
Why adrenal glands do?
The adrenal glands are two small glands located near the kidneys. They are part of your endocrine system, a major system of the body comprised of several glands and organs. These glands and organs secrete hormones, chemical messengers that direct many physiological processes in the body. The adrenal glands release cortisol into the bloodstream to help the body cope with normal stress such as an infection or injury.
Is adrenal fatigue real?
Adrenal fatigue is not a recognizable medical condition in Western medicine. The only true adrenal insufficiency diagnosis is Addison’s disease, a condition in which the adrenal glands stop producing cortisol. However, many functional medicine practitioners believe that chronic forms of stress can lead to adrenal fatigue.
In other words, unmanaged stress can potentially decrease the ability of the adrenal glands to produce optimal levels of cortisol throughout the day. High levels of stress, poor diet, sleep deprivation, environmental toxins, and less than ideal digestive health can all contribute to a shift in the natural balance of hormones regulated by the endocrine system.
What are the symptoms of adrenal fatigue?
Insomnia, fatigue, weight gain, food cravings, brain fog, and feeling overwhelmed or anxious are all symptoms that could be attributed to less-than-optimal adrenal function. However, many other medical conditions present with similar signs and symptoms.
Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician to rule out thyroid disorders, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, iron deficiency, or autoimmune conditions. Additionally, check in with yourself to evaluate whether high stress levels or other lifestyle factors may be affecting your health.
Is there a way to test cortisol levels or adrenal function?
A saliva cortisol test measures cortisol levels and related stress hormones at various times of the day. Salivary testing has existed for over thirty years to evaluate whether hormonal biorhythms are optimal. Many advances have been made to ensure that these tests are not only practical for patients, but also accurate. In the medical community today, much argument exists over the validity of salivary versus blood tests for measuring endocrine function.
Are saliva tests an accurate way to test cortisol levels?
Researchers examined the link between cortisol levels and metabolic factors such as blood lipid and HbA1c levels-an indicator of diabetes. The results showed a significant association between salivary cortisol concentration and increased HbA1c. Salivary cortisol secretion was also linked to triglyceride and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, blood cortisol concentrations were not associated with any of the same biomarkers.
These findings suggest that saliva tests may not only be accurate, but a more precise test for assessing adrenal function. The debate continues among medical practitioners. Similar with many conditions, it’s important to evaluate how you’re feeling versus what your lab values may look like on paper.
Is there a way to evaluate how stress levels may be affecting me?
People perceive stress differently, therefore a single, comprehensive stress test does not exist. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) is a well-established psychological assessment used to evaluate the degree of stress someone may be experiencing. You can find other online stress assessments or read the following statements to gauge your current stress levels. Rate each item using the following scale:
N=Never S=Sometimes A=Always
I feel down or depressed more than usual.
I notice that I have rapid mood swings.
I do not feel mentally alert.
I have sugar or salt cravings.
I find that my eating habits have changed to manage stressful moments.
I feel tired but wired.
I have trouble falling or staying asleep.
I am aware that I feel continually stressed.
I do not feel rested when I wake up even if I get a full night’s sleep.
I am experiencing brain fog.
I tend to get upset, cry easily, or become easily frustrated.
I am often fatigued or feel exhausted.
I have noticed that I have lost or gained weight without exercising or changing my diet.
I notice that I have more body aches, back tension, or digestive discomfort.
I am frequently sick and seem to be continually catching colds.
How can I treat adrenal fatigue?
If you answered “always” or “sometimes” to most of these statements, adrenal fatigue and chronic stress may be impacting you. Schedule a consultation with your primary care physician or an integrative health practitioner to assess underlying issues. Other health conditions may have overlapping symptoms, so it is important to rule out critical diagnoses with your physician.
In the meantime, assess your daily schedule, prioritize sleep and self-care, and incorporate some form of stress management. Exercise and meditation are two helpful options. Additionally, acupuncture is an effective treatment for several endocrine disorders, hormonal imbalances, as well as anxiety. Acupuncture regulates the nervous system and has a long-term calming effect on the sympathetic nervous system, leaving patients with a general sense of well-being.
If you enjoyed this article, you may be interested in reading our How to Start a Meditation Practice or Acupuncture for Anxiety and Stress Reduction.
More About OMBE
OMBE is celebrating 15 years of service in Massachusetts! Additionally, we are now scheduling in-person acupuncture sessions for our South Shore and Cape Cod clients. Telehealth consultations are available for all of our Massachusetts clients living in the Boston area, North Shore, and Western Massachusetts.
Learn more about us, read our organic health philosophy, or schedule an appointment. Contact us for any questions about appointment scheduling, acupuncture services, or integrative medicine. We look forward to hearing from you!