Cortisol is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands, which sit atop each kidney. Cortisol is necessary to help the body during times of stress. Adrenal fatigue occurs when the adrenal glands do not maintain optimal output of cortisol due to over-stimulation, which normally occurs when stress is constant for a long period of time. Cortisol supplementation may improve adrenal fatigue.
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue
MayoClinic.com notes that adrenal fatigue describes a group of symptoms that include fatigue, body aches, nervousness and digestive and sleep problems. Adrenal fatigue symptoms are actually quite broad, nonspecific and sometimes debilitating, notes Michael Lam, M.D., author of "How to Stay Young and Live Longer."
Causes
Lam notes that adrenal fatigue is caused by a relentless and long-lasting burden on the adrenal glands to produce large quantities of cortisol in order to negate the effects of stress or chronic illness on the body. Intense and prolonged stress, is generally thought to be the No. 1 cause of adrenal fatigue. When the adrenal glands cannot adequately meet the demands of stress, whether it's physical or emotional stress, adrenal fatigue sets in, according to Lam.
What Does Cortisol Do?
Lam notes that cortisol is the key anti-stress hormone and it protects the body from excessive through several mechanisms. It normalizes blood sugar levels, in tandem with insulin, and cortisol ensures that there is increased energy during times of stress. Cortisol initiates an anti-inflammatory response after an injury or strain and acts as an immune system suppressing agent by suppressing white blood cells. Cortisol is also a vaso-constrictor, which means it decreases the diameter of blood vessels and increases blood pressure, explains Lam.
Cortisol Regulation
The adrenal glands are controlled by the HPA, or hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis where a negative feedback loop dictates the amount of adrenal hormone releases, explains Lam. Cortisol is secreted in a diurnal pattern, with the highest level secreted in the early morning, followed by a gradual decline, with the lowest levels occurring in the middle of the night. Cortisol release can spike during the day if the body is put under stress.
Cortisol as Treatment for Adrenal Fatigue
Supplementing with steroids such as natural hydrocortisone, another name for cortisol, or cortisone acetate, which has effects similar to cortisol can help to replenish depleted adrenal glands. Lam notes that the dosage should be between 2.5 and 5 mg, two to four times per day. This should only be undertaken for short-term therapy and under the supervision of a knowledgeable physician, as tolerance and dependence can develop.
Considerations
MayoClinic.com notes that adrenal fatigue is a term often used in popular health books and alternative medicine, but it is not an accepted medical diagnosis. Accepting a medically unrecognized diagnosis can be problematic because the real causes for the symptoms may be another illness that is going untreated.
