Stress is one of the main reasons we feel fatigued, lack vitality, and succumb to colds and flus. In today’s world, we are continually burning the candle at both ends with busy work and social commitments, and not giving ourselves the time to recharge our batteries. When the body is unable to sufficiently adapt to the increased stress levels, we begin to see some common symptoms; trouble getting up in the morning, repeatedly hitting the snooze button on the alarm clock, needing coffee first thing in the morning, needing a caffeine boost to get through the day, foggy thinking, muscular fatigue, and depressed mood. These common symptoms are referred to as adrenal fatigue and there is something you can do about it.

Normal functioning adrenal glands secrete small and precise amounts of steroid hormones – such as cortisol, the body’s stress hormone – to keep your energy levels up and your immune system strong. Too much physical, emotional, and psychological stress can deplete the adrenal glands, causing dysfunctional adrenal cortisol or stress hormone production. Hypoadrenia is a deficiency in the functioning of the adrenal glands. Full blown hypoadrenia is a medical condition called Addison’s Disease – first described by physicians in 1855 – which presents with severely reduced cortisol levels leading to fatigue, irritability, muscle weakness, and joint pain. It is the end point of the disease spectrum. Modern day hypoadrenia or “adrenal fatigue” is not full-blown Addison’s disease – but is a point along the disease spectrum -manifesting itself as a broad spectrum of less severe, yet often debilitating, symptoms of fatigue, irritability, immune depression, insomnia, muscle weakness, and joint pain.

Cortisol is produced in varying amounts by the adrenal glands throughout the day. In the morning, cortisol levels should ideally be elevated as this hormone is designed to increase our alertness, getting us out of bed and ready for a busy workday. If you struggle to wake up in the morning, hit the snooze button multiple times, or need several cups of coffee to get yourself moving then chances are your morning cortisol levels are abnormally low. This can cause fatigue, poor brain function and memory, lack of productivity and irritability throughout the entire day and forces people to look for that sugary snack or caffeine hit to make it through the day.

In the evening, cortisol levels should naturally decline as night falls and we begin to wind down the day. This is where many people get stuck in the ‘fight or flight’ mode due to the adrenaline rush of their coffee or sugar hit, a hectic schedule, or the stimulation of television and internet. Excessive evening cortisol production suppresses the hormone melatonin, our sleep-inducing hormone that promotes regeneration and helps us get a good nights rest. Ideally, cortisol levels should be low in the evening, allowing us to optimize melatonin production, sleep deeply, and recharge and rejuvenate the body. This healthy production of melatonin then triggers growth hormone (GH) production while we sleep. Growth hormone is the ‘fountain of youth’ hormone that keeps us looking young, strong, vibrant, and healthy! However, here is the important part… if you have high evening cortisol, or don’t sleep deeply or restfully, you will suppress GH production and feel tired, weak, and frequently sick. You are draining your ‘fountain of youth’ GH hormone and paying the price for it!

Adrenal fatigue and its symptom patterns are becoming more and more prevalent as people work longer hours, sleep less, eat more processed foods, and are exposed to constant environmental stimuli of laptops and cell phones. Groundbreaking new medical diagnostic tests can now evaluate your cortisol or stress hormones levels more accurately by assessing the levels circulating in the tissues rather than just the blood. If you feel tired, sluggish, often get sick often, or aren’t performing at your best at work or in the gym then book an appointment to measure salivary cortisol levels and get your hormones back in balance.

Dr. Marc Bubbs N.D., BSc, CSCS, ART

References
1) Torres-Farfan et al. “mt1 Melatonin receptor in the primate adrenal gland: inhibition of adrenocorticotropin-stimulated cortisol production by melatonin.” J Clin Endoccrinol Metab 2003;88 (1):450-458.
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3) Talbott, S and Kraemer, W. The cortisol connection: why stress makes you fat and ruins your health – and what you can do about it. Hunter House, 2002, USA.
4) Maes et al. “Decreased dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate but normal insulin-like growth factor in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS): relevance for the inflammatory response in CFS.” Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2005;26:487-492.
5) Wilson, James L. Adrenal Fatigue – the 21st Century Stress Syndrome Smart Publishing, 2001, California.
6) Anthony, S. et al Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine 17th Ed. McGraw-Hill, 2004, USA.