Symptoms said to be due to adrenal fatigue include tiredness, trouble falling asleep at night or waking up in the morning, salt and sugar craving, and needing stimulants like caffeine to get through the day. These symptoms are common and non-specific, meaning they can be found in many diseases.
The ACTH stimulation test is the test used most often to diagnose adrenal insufficiency. In this test, a health care professional will give you an intravenous (IV) injection of man-made ACTH, which is just like the ACTH your body makes.
Potential stressors include environmental and dietary influences, as well as anxiety and emotional stresses. Experiences such as grief, trauma, and autoimmune conditions are considered to have a possible chronic negative impact on adrenal function.
If not treated, adrenal insufficiency may lead to: Severe belly (abdominal) pain. Extreme weakness. Low blood pressure.
Specifically, vitamins such as magnesium, B and C can help prevent adrenal fatigue. Magnesium aids in calming and supporting the nervous system, improving your quality of sleep, reducing stress levels, and boosting energy production.
The suggested treatments for healthy adrenal function are a diet low in sugar, caffeine, and junk food, and “targeted nutritional supplementation” that includes vitamins and minerals: Vitamins B5, B6, and B12. Vitamin C. Magnesium.
Stage 1: Alarm
This first stage is characterized by an increased output of cortisol and adrenaline in response to stress. The body's response is called the “fight or flight” response. As the stress continues, the adrenal glands start to become taxed due to the increasing demands by the body for cortisol production.
Stage 4 (Burnout/Crash)
Our adrenal glands have ceased to function, and little can be done to restore our bodies homeostasis. During the final stage of burnout and individual can suffer from lack of sex drive, depression, restlessness, anxiety and little to no interest in surroundings.
Hydrocortisone tablets work as a hormone replacement for a natural hormone called cortisol. You may take hydrocortisone tablets if your body does not make enough cortisol – for example if you have Addison's disease or if you've had your adrenal glands taken out.
Adrenal fatigue isn't an accepted medical diagnosis. It is a lay term applied to a collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems.
Adrenal fatigue is a process during which the body releases cortisol, a hormone that helps regulate sugars and fats, and some studies have shown that adrenal fatigue and cortisol play a role in a vicious cycle of weight gain.
B-Vitamins is very important for your adrenal glands, especially Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency has been linked to adrenal cortex stress, so supplementing with vitamin B12 can be a beneficial addition to your adrenal fatigue diet.
The adrenal cocktail focuses on three nutrients: vitamin C, sodium, and potassium. These are key to maintaining adrenal health (more on the adrenals, below). This trio also helps maintain hormone stability, proper hydration, and electrolyte balance.
I have personally dealt with adrenal fatigue in the past, and I can vouch for magnesium and cortisol's role in calming stress levels and rehabilitating hormonal systems. Magnesium helps to regulate cortisol levels, allowing for more balanced hormone production which is essential in our fast paced culture.
Most people with adrenal fatigue will recover quite quickly but severe symptoms may take some months to recover, or even longer. The time for recovery will vary enormously from person to person and will also depend on the cause of stress and the severity of symptoms.
A person with adrenal insufficiency feels weak, tired, and dizzy when standing up after sitting or lying down, and may develop dark skin patches. Doctors measure sodium and potassium in the blood and measure cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels to make the diagnosis.
Acute adrenal crisis is a medical emergency caused by a lack of cortisol. Patients may experience lightheadedness or dizziness, weakness, sweating, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, or even loss of consciousness.
Blood and urine tests help measure the amount of adrenal hormones, which can detect a functional tumor. A computed tomography (CT or CAT) scan or a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan may be useful in diagnosing an adrenal gland tumor and determining whether it is cancerous.