Adrenal fatigue is a big topic, but also a confusing one. Let’s break it down:

What are Adrenal Glands?

Your adrenal glands are two glands that sit on top of your kidneys. They produce essential hormones, like cortisol which helps to regulate metabolism and your stress response, and aldosterone which helps to control blood pressure. They also produce non-essential hormones, like adrenaline which helps your body react to stress.

These glands contain an outer layer called the cortex, which contains the essential hormones, and an inner layer called the medulla, which contains the non-essential hormones.

The hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and kidneys are responsible for triggering the cortex, while the medulla is triggered by the stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system – which is stimulated by stress.

So while your cortex contains hormones that are essential to life, the medulla is responsible for your reaction to physical and emotional stress – your fight-or-flight response.

Your adrenal glands are responsible for regulating your metabolism, blood pressure, energy levels, immune system, stress management, and much more.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue (aka HPA axis dysfunction) is a syndrome with non-specific symptoms like fatigue, sleep disturbances, digestive troubles, and mood changes.

When your adrenal glands are overstimulated for a prolonged period of time (think chronic stress), they begin to function below their optimal level. Eventually, it can lead to a depletion or imbalance of adrenal hormones, making your body less capable of responding properly to stress.

Adrenal fatigue can be caused by chronic stress, lack of sleep, or even a chronic disease. Unfortunately sleep does not make you feel better or more alert, and it’s also common to become dependent on caffeine.

Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

Because adrenal fatigue is a depletion of hormones and over-exhaustion of the adrenal glands, to reach adrenal fatigue is a process, not an overnight problem.

There are four stages of adrenal fatigue, and while most people recover within the first two stages, some of us continue to crawl along to the third and fourth stages.

Here is a brief outline of the four stages of adrenal fatigue syndrome:

Stage One

During this stage, your body is able to stimulate an immediate response to a stressor through producing a significant amount of the required hormones.

Symptoms include feeling more alert, but sleep patterns may vary in consistency. This stage is common, and easily rectified.

Stage Two

With continued stress, your body continues to release the necessary hormones to manage it.

While your endocrine system is still quite capable of helping out, some levels of sex hormones (like DHEA) will be diverted to the production of stress hormones to compensate for the prolonged stress.

Symptoms include feeling “wired but tired” , where you are alert when you need it and crash when you don’t. Caffeine intake commonly increases in this stage and often dependency develops.

Stage Three

As prolonged stress becomes chronic, your sex hormones continue to decrease because the hormone precursor to both your sex hormones and cortisol, pregnenelone, is diverted entirely to cortisol production.

Symptoms include a change in quality of life, but the ability to still function. You may experience more sickness (lower immune function), lower sex drive, fatigue, and feelings of depression.

Stage Four

Welcome to burnout – you’ve officially reached hormonal insufficiency.

Your adrenals are unable to produce enough stress hormones making both your stress and sex hormones low, neurotransmitter levels are usually low too, and cortisol levels finally start to drop.

Symptoms include extreme fatigue, low immune function, little to no sex drive, mood disorders (anxiety, depression, irritability), and weight fluctuations (weight loss or weight gain)

This stage is hard to recover from and requires a lot of time, patience, and committment.

Diagnosis of Adrenal Fatigue

Because adrenal fatigue syndrome is made up of many non-specific symptoms – it can be hard to diagnosis. Plus, many doctors don’t actually acknowledge it as a medical diagnosis. 

Though it’s impossible to diagnose with a single test, the right series of tests and an accurate assessment of your symptoms by a naturopathic doctor can provide you with an accurate diagnosis.

Healing from Adrenal Fatigue

The bad news is, having adrenal fatigue is no joke! It’s difficult and life-altering. The good news is, it can be healed – but it takes time.

Once you’ve received your diagnosis, the real work begins and a specific and personalized plan needs to be developed.

As you can see through my own journey of healing, The Whole Story, there are several layers and steps that are required to heal from any diagnosis.

If you’ve been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue syndrome, or you think you may have a hormonal imbalance, book in a nutrition consultation and let’s start you on your own healing journey!