Adrenal fatigue is a phenomenon wherein the adrenal glands begin to function at subpar levels. These glands are responsible for producing more than 50 essential hormones within the body such as adrenaline, aldosterone and cortisol. When these glands are fatigued, the body’s ability to produce these hormones decreases significantly.
Experts believe that people who are experiencing long-term stress (physical, mental or emotional) are likely to experience associated symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Although there are no tests to diagnose adrenal fatigue, proponents of the condition believe there are recognizable symptoms.
For starters, fatigue is one of the telltale symptoms. If you are having trouble getting out of bed, finding yourself tired after eight hours of sleep, and needing to take frequent naps, you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue syndrome.
Another symptom of adrenal fatigue syndrome is low cortisol. Cortisol is a hormone the body releases to help manage stress. When cortisol is low, stress becomes harder to handle for the human body. Stress can cause adrenal fatigue because as stress increases, the body must produce more cortisol. As stress continues, eventually the body’s cortisol levels begin to decline. Although there are other conditions associated with low cortisol, such as Addison’s disease, adrenal fatigue caused by excess stress could be an underlying explanation.
Other symptoms of adrenal fatigue include body aches, lightheadedness, weight loss, hair loss, hyperpigmentation, and low blood pressure. To recognize adrenal insufficiency, hormone stimulations may be done to test hormone levels. Ensuring a healthy diet and getting enough physical movement will also help your body get back on the path to recovery. It will always be better to know the cause of your fatigue than to let it go untreated.
Do you think you may be suffering from adrenal fatigue? Call the team at Preferred Men’s Medical Center now to schedule an appointment to have a consultation with their experienced and specially trained medical staff.
Originally published on August 6, 2017 and revised on March 12, 2019.