The short answer is, yes, you should incorporate some level of physical activity even if you have adrenal fatigue. However, that will look different for each person. Exercise, especially high-intensity exercise, is stressful on the body and it causes your body to release cortisol.
It's important to do low-impact exercise when you're fighting adrenal fatigue. High impact exercise is another form of stress on the body, making it harder for your adrenals to repair themselves. Consider yoga, pilates, or light cardio.
If you are experiencing low cortisol, your biggest risk with exercise is over-training. It's best to avoid metabolic conditioning, HIIT, sprints, and intense metabolic training. Basically, anything that relies on a good cortisol and adrenaline output to complete and deliver results.
Recovery from adrenal fatigue can take anywhere from 3 months to 3 years. Each individual has a unique set of symptoms and an individual response to treatment. The recovery process depends upon the stage and severity of the adrenal exhaustion.
The short answer is, yes, you should incorporate some level of physical activity even if you have adrenal fatigue.
Chronic overtraining is what leads to serious health problems, including adrenal insufficiency. Severe overtraining over an extended period can result in adrenal depletion.
Runners who have experienced one or more of these stressors, while training seriously, are at a higher risk of Adrenal Fatigue and should take immediate action steps to recover. And unfortunately, rest alone rarely cures the problem, so taking time off from running is only part of the solution.
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.
In addition to hormone levels playing a role in overeating and weight gain, many patients with adrenal fatigue feel too tired and worn out to exercise. It creates a vicious cycle where losing weight is extremely difficult due to the imbalances the body is experiencing.
Although there's no cure, primary adrenal insufficiency can be managed effectively by taking cortisol and aldosterone replacement hormones, with the goal of stabilizing hormone levels and relieving signs and symptoms.
Eat Consistent Meals with Fat and Protein in the Morning: Going completely carb-free or intermittent fasting—two big trends right now—is probably not right for you if you have adrenal fatigue and your blood sugar is all over the map.
Adrenal fatigue is thought to occur when the adrenals have been overworked to a degree that they can no longer secrete levels of cortisol that are adequate for optimal function. Potential stressors include environmental and dietary influences, as well as anxiety and emotional stresses.
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.
If left unchecked, overtraining can worsen into Overtraining Syndrome, a condition associated with adrenal insufficiency, which is when the glands' ability to produce vital hormones starts to diminish. This is what sets the stage for adrenal fatigue.
If not treated, adrenal insufficiency may lead to: Severe belly (abdominal) pain. Extreme weakness. Low blood pressure.
These tips can help address common sleep problems patients with adrenal fatigue experience and enhance their adrenal replenishment. Insuring they're getting the recommending 8-9 hours of sleep daily can greatly improve their attitude, energy levels, and overall health!
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.
Once you stop taking corticosteriods, your adrenal glands may be slow to start working again. To give them time to start making cortisol again, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose over a period of weeks or even months. Even so, your adrenal glands might not begin to work normally for many months.
When we exercise, regardless of whether it is strength training or aerobic exercise, cortisol is released in proportion to the intensity of the effort. Thus, even when you strength train, cortisol is released, and far more so than compared to aerobic exercise!
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.