Women who can't get pregnant, men who can get erections and people who suffer from low blood sugar, diabetes, under-eye circles and auto-immune diseases may have something in common: adrenal fatigue. Stress, steroid use and poor eating habits can contribute to adrenal fatigue, and Chinese medicine may offer a solution. Acupuncture and herbs have been used for thousands of years in Asia to treat adrenal problems, although Western scientists have not yet proven their effectiveness.
Adrenals and Health
The adrenals are located on top of your kidneys, and Chinese medical practitioners often treat them to ease symptoms of fibromyalgia, lupus, Addison's disease, infertility, depression and other problems. The adrenals produce the hormone cortisol and, when stressed, may produce too much or too little. Stressors include situational and prolonged anxiety as well as eating too much or too little, going too long between meals or eating too much sugar. Steroid use, because it affects production of cortisol, can also overtax your adrenals.
Acupuncture and Auto-Immune Disease
Sue Ross, who suffers from three auto-immune diseases, turned to acupuncture three years ago because she was unhappy with the side effects of her medication, including prednisone, a steroid. She received acupuncture treatments twice a week and took herbal supplements. She was gradually able to wean herself off all prescription medications, lose more than 20 lbs. gained from taking them and improve her overall wellness. Her success supports Chinese medicine theories about adrenal function but may not be typical. Steroid use, whether for medical or recreational reasons, should not be discontinued without supervision.
How to Measure Adrenal Function
An acupuncturist may take your pulse or look at your tongue to test the efficiency of your adrenals. A slow pulse or a pale tongue may indicate Kidney Yang Deficiency, a problem that corresponds with diminished adrenal function and may cause problems such as impotence, infertility, poor appetite, sensitivity to cold or leg swelling. Another non-invasive test of adrenal function used by Western medical practitioners is a spit test. Jon Sandifer, a reporter with "The Guardian" in London, underwent an adrenal-stress profile test that involved partially filling a test tube with saliva at various times during the day. His spit was measured for levels of cortisol, which is released in higher quantities when the body is stressed.
Diet and Adrenal Function
If you visit an acupuncturist for problems associated with decreased adrenal function, you may also be given herbs and dietary advice. John G. Connor, a licensed practioner in North Carolina who treats adrenal fatigue with acupuncture, also advises patients to eat breakfast before 10:00 in the morning and to avoid foods that can interfere with adrenal function, including chocolate, caffeine, bananas, alcohol, soft drinks and white flour. He also writes on his website, Compassionate Acupuncture And Healing Arts, that helpful foods include brown rice, sunflower seeds, pumpkin, walnuts and raisins. Connor says good protein choices include chicken, beef, lamb, shrimp, trout and anchovies.
Limited Research
Medical science supports links between high and low levels of cortisol and diseases such as diabetes and fibromylagia. Acupuncture may help treat neck, back and shoulder pain associated with fibromyalgia. A study conducted by Norwegian scientists at the University of Oslo, reported in "The New York Times" in July 2004, supports claims that acupuncture is an effective treatment for pain. In this study, 70 percent of the women who received acupuncture for treatment of chronic pain reported improvement and the positive effects of treatment lasted for three years. But Western research has yet to affirm or debunk claims that acupuncture improves adrenal function and either prevents or cures symptoms of poor adrenal function.
References
- Compassionate Acupuncture And Healing Arts: Decreased Adrenal Function & Hypoglycemia
- "The Guardian"; Weekend: Spirit: Wellbeing; Jon Sandifer; June 2001
- "The Times (London)"; The Science of Stress; Jon Sandifer;August 2004
- "The New York Times"; Acupuncture and Neck Pain; John O'Neil; July 2004
- Sue Ross; auto-immune disease sufferer; Los Angeles, California
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