Adrenal glands help the body to maintain optimal functioning during life-threatening, stressful situations. They are responsible for managing hormones and activating blood sugar. Adrenal gland secretions give the body energy, endurance, immune system strength and the ability to manage stress. Adrenal fatigue occurs when the body's ability to compensate is diminished or disabled. Once the adrenal gland is depleted of stress-compensating chemicals, adrenal fatigue symptoms occur.
Adrenal Glands
When the adrenal glands are fatigued, one has a lowered resistance to disease processes. This lowered resistance allows a person to remain sicker for longer times, with greater chance of recurring illness and disease. The number, intensity, length and frequency of each stressful situation determines the length of time adrenal glands can function in support of the body's stress. Hormones secreted by the adrenal glands affect major homeostatic processes such as converting carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy, and assisting in the distribution of stored fat. Normal blood sugar regulation, proper heart, blood, stomach and intestinal functioning are also maintained through the adrenal glands.
Cortisol
Normally functioning adrenal glands secrete balanced amounts of corticosteroid hormones. Too much physical, emotional or psychological stress can deplete the adrenal glands. This depletion causes a decrease in cortisol, according to the Mayo Clinic on Adrenal Irregularities. Cortisol, also known as hydrocortisone, increases blood sugar, allowing an individual to respond to danger. However, today's increased levels of daily stress can cause adrenal damage. In addition to adrenal gland damage, increases in stress and lack of cortisol can cause Addison's disease.
Addison's Disease
The University of Maryland Medical Center notes that Addison's disease results from insufficient adrenal gland functions. This damage from permanent excessive release of cortisol can be a life-threatening illness. The University adds that four in every 100,000 people have Addison's disease. Patients predisposed to Addison's Disease require lifelong corticosteroid supplementation to compensate for the lack of adrenal function.
Approximately one-third of Addison's disease cases result from the destruction of the adrenal glands through cancer, infection or other diseases. The University of Maryland Medical Center goes on to say that additional causes of adrenal gland damage include prednisone--commonly prescribed for allergies and inflamation--and drugs used to treat fungal infections. These medications can block the production of corticosteroids.
Adrenal Fatigue
Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. Todd Nippoldt states that the term adrenal fatigue may refer to a mild form of adrenal insufficiency believed to result from chronic stress. The unproven theory of adrenal fatigue, says Dr. Nippoldt, is that these glands are not able to keep up with the demands of constant fight-or-flight arousal. The endocrinologist remarks that unproven remedies for alleged adrenal fatigue may cause the patient to feel sicker when the real cause may be depression or fibromyalgia.
General Adaptation Syndrome
Dr. Lam of Oregon University, Dr. Schmidt of Duke University and Dr. Wilson of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine provide the following information on stress and the adrenal glands. Physical, chemical, thermal and emotional stress resulting from overworking, lack of sleep, diets high in refined carbohydrates, allergies to food additives and poor endocrine gland balance and excessive mental stress cause the damaging of the adrenal glands.
Studies completed by Hans Selye, M.D., noted the occurrence of a series of reactions to chronic stress known as General Adaptation Syndrome. GAS has three stages: alarm reaction, resistance reaction and exhaustion. The body initially reacts in the alarm phase to stress, but over longer periods begins to rebuild its storehouse of stress hormones. However, after 15 to 20 years of this continued stress the adrenal glands can no longer adapt to the body's constant depletion of cortical steroids and begins to shut down. By the time clients talk with a doctor they may have no knowledge of the effect of behaviors over the past 15 to 20 years.
