Adrenal exhaustion is a condition in which the two small adrenal glands, located near the anterior border of the kidney, no longer produce adequate amounts of adrenaline or stress hormones that help maintain the balance of many bodily functions. It can occur in both men and women at any age, reports the University of California Medical Center. Adrenal exhaustion can be both chronic and acute depending on a person's medical situation. Stress is typically associated with temporary adrenal exhaustion, whereas people with chronic adrenal exhaustion suffer from an underlying disease, such as Addison's disease and congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Stress
Adrenal exhaustion more commonly results from prolonged, excessive stress, according to the University of California, San Francisco. Stress may take many forms, including infection, exposure to toxins, traumatic shock, a severe burn, sleep deprivation and nutritional deficiency. Stress also deprives the adrenal glands of B vitamins and vitamin C, which are the main constituents of many anti-stress formulas. People who are under severe stress may fail to produce adequate levels of cortisol and aldosterone---two vital adrenalin hormones---leading to adrenal exhaustion.
Hypoglycemia
In hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose condition, the body forces adrenals to secrete stress hormones, such as adrenaline, to counterbalance the changes in the insulin levels in the blood, thereby maintaining a balanced blood sugar level. After repeated attacks of hypoglycemia, the adrenals lose the ability to respond to stress by secreting adrenalin, notes the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. This degradation of the body's resistance to cope with the stress is known as adrenal exhaustion.
Adrenal Hemorrhage or Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome
Adrenal hemorrhage, also known as Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome, may cause adrenal exhaustion by inhibiting cortisol---a steroid hormone produced by the adrenal glands---biosynthesis, especially in individuals who are seriously ill from an underlying medical condition, notes "Annals of Internal Medicine." In most cases, the bacterium meningococcal is responsible for a fatal bleeding into one or both adrenal glands, leading to adrenal hemorrhage or infraction. The manifestations of the disease are present with nonspecific and vague complaints, such as abdominal, flank or back pain.
References
- MedlinePlus: Waterhouse-Friderichsen Syndrome
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; The Changing Clinical Spectrum of Adrenal Insufficiency; Robert M. Carey, M.D.; 2004
- Causeof: Hypoglycemia
- University of California Medical Center: Adrenal Insufficiency
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: Hypoglycemia
