Adrenal burnout. It means fatigue, irritability, anxiety, and maybe even weight gain, caused by low cortisol, poor mitochondrial function, and unbalanced hormones. If you told your doctor you suspected adrenal fatigue, you’d likely be sent to an endocrinologist who may test you for Addison’s or Cushing’s diseases, relatively rare endocrine disorders that indicate very low or high cortisol (your main stress hormone) levels. The treatment is surgery and medication. That’s not what we’re talking about here.
Is Adrenal Fatigue Real?
I’ve had clients say their doctors have told them adrenal fatigue is an outright hoax. Adrenal fatigue isn’t acknowledged in the conventional medical model because it is not a disease for which drugs can be prescribed, and that’s how our medical system works. More importantly, adrenal fatigue really doesn’t mean your adrenals are tired. It’s not a condition of the adrenals but rather a breakdown in communication between the brain and the endocrine system and a faltering of your mitochondria to produce energy on a cellular level.
Adrenal fatigue should really be called hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, which is a fancy way of saying that the feedback loop between the brain and the adrenals is fried, so there is miscommunication and resistance about when and how to release stress hormones. (read more about the HPA axis here). Adrenal fatigue isn’t the fault of the adrenals per se; it’s a dysfunction between the brain and adrenal glands. When you experience chronic stress, your brain thinks your body is in grave danger, so it’s sending constant fight or flight commands to the adrenals, telling them to release cortisol. When this response becomes chronic, problems arise.
Your adrenals are 2 small glands that sit atop your kidneys and produce cortisol and sex hormones. In many ways the HP axis and the adrenals are the command and control center for your body, and they help you manage your stress levels, hormone levels, thyroid function, sleep, sex drive, and metabolism. When everything is functioning normally, you have good and stable energy throughout the day, you sleep well, you have a good sex drive, and you maintain your weight.
When you encounter stress, the body reacts with a chain of hormonal events to get you ready for battle. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus. CRH stimulates the production of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH stimulates the release of cortisol, the body’s main stress hormone. Cortisol keeps blood sugar and blood pressure elevated so you’re able to fight or flee and stay alive during the stressful event. This is a normal and healthy stress response.
But when you are chronically stressed and this chain of events is continuously triggered, your cortisol stays elevated, you become eventually depleted of the hormones you need to battle the stressor. At this point you are facing burnout and may also notice anxiety and depression, as serotonin is depleted when cortisol is chronically elevated, and now there is neuroendocrine dysfunction.
This dysfunction goes beyond the HPA axis. Stress eventually makes you fatigued because your mitochondria, the cells’ powerhouse that generate energy, are faltering. The mitochondria use nutrients from the food you eat, break them down, and create energy for the cell. When the body is chronically stressed, its survival mechanism response is to down-regulate to conserve energy and keep you alive. This means your adrenals and thyroid slow down. Your mitochondria detect stress, inflammation, the resulting nutrient deficiencies, and danger, and begin to shut down to conserve cellular energy. You’re not going to be firing all cylinders when energy and nutrients are scarce. It’s a brilliant design, but the result is layers of dysfunction throughout the body, not solely in the endocrine system.
Adrenal fatigue is a constellation of symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, or brain fog, that disrupts your day-to-day life. These nagging issues wouldn’t send you to the hospital, maybe not even the doctor, but they are your body’s way of signaling to you that there is an imbalance. People may ignore these signs, thinking it’s part of stress or “getting old,” or they may go to a doctor who will prescribe them meds based on their symptoms: Ambien for insomnia, for example, or antidepressants and anti-anxiety meds. But here again, the underlying imbalance isn’t addressed, and the problem continues until it triggers a full blown illness or disease.
When your adrenals begin to falter, you may notice
- fatigue
- weight gain
- digestive issues such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea
- sugar and/or salt cravings
- the “3pm crash”
- brain fog
- irritability
- increased susceptibility to illness
- decreased ability to handle stress, feeling frazzled
- insomnia or waking around 3-4am, unable to get to sleep
- anxiety
- depression
- PMS/hot flashes associated with menopause
- inability to focus
- low sex drive
Causes of Adrenal Fatigue
- emotional stress. Interestingly, 95% of adrenal fatigue cases are precipitated by extreme emotional stress. I see this regular pattern in my practice all the time. That could be a death, divorce, injury, job loss, OR even positive stress like getting married or having a baby. Chronic stress trips the body into slowing down to conserve energy and resources to keep you alive. Stress really is the main cause of imbalance in the body.
- diet and deficiencies. Too many processed foods, too much coffee/caffeine, irregular mealtimes, refined sugars, nutrient poor meals, not eating enough, or eating foods that lack nutrients because they are processed or refined. Your body isn’t getting the nutrients it needs to heal, repair, and replenish.
- pain, chronic inflammation
- microbiome imbalance & digestive infections such as h pylori, dysbiosis, SIBO, candida, parasites (more common than you might think!)
- lack of sleep
- autoimmune conditions
What starts out as chronic stress is usually burning the candle at both ends: staying up all night studying (or partying), chugging coffee or sodas, working 2 jobs, working 80 hours a week, skipping meals, sleeping only 4 hours a night– or not at all. People typically feel pretty good in this stage because your body is churning out more cortisol in response to the stress to make you more alert and get you through whatever you’re doing (the fight or flight response). A little stress is normal and good, and we all have it. BUT it’s your body’s ability to recover that matters, and if you’re not sleeping or eating well and continue in stress mode for years, you’re headed for burnout because your body doesn’t have the chance to recuperate.
Once your body can’t keep up with your stress levels, you start to burn out. Your brain is signaling that there is a stress, but your adrenals can’t produce the required amount of cortisol to keep you going, and you start to crash. Now you’re in adrenal burnout and experiencing low cortisol. Your resources to fight the stressor have been depleted. If you’re a woman, you may start to have irregular cycles or a worsening in PMS symptoms because your body is starting to borrow molecules of other hormones, like progesterone (one of your main female hormones), to make cortisol. Your body perceives that survival is more important than reproduction, so women notice infertility or cycle irregularities. Your body knows a stressed environment is not ideal for creating a baby! This lack of progesterone can leave you estrogen dominant. (Read more on that here).
You may also experience symptoms of hypothyroid, such as constipation and thinning hair, because your adrenals affect your thyroid as well as your female hormones. You’re probably tired or having trouble sleeping, and you may be gaining weight (especially around the midsection) and are unable to lose it no matter what, because your metabolism has slowed due to your body being in a state of stress. A stressed body is not in fat burning mode– it’s working to conserve resources.
If you continue down this path, chugging caffeine to keep yourself going, skimping on sleep to get your work (or your partying) done, or skipping meals to prevent gaining even more weight, you’re headed for serious burnout. The kind you can no longer ignore. At this point, your adrenals, thyroid and female hormones are imbalanced, and even though your doctor may look at you, perplexed, because your blood work came back ok, you know there’s something wrong because you’re not feeling right, you’ve gained weight, maybe have anxiety, and your hormones have gone haywire.
How to Reverse Adrenal Burn Out
- saliva testing to determine cortisol levels
- support mitochondrial health
- restore circadian rhythm
- SLEEP, at least 8 hours nightly. In bed by 10pm. THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR!
- eat in regular intervals to maintain stable blood sugar
- eat enough calories for healing
- eat hormone-building, nutrient dense foods and good fats
- stop chugging coffee (green tea is ok)
- support digestion with probiotic foods
- minerals and vitamin C
- adaptogenic herbs
- B vitamins
- address stress in job, relationships
- self care: naps, massage, detox bath, gardening, yoga, meditation
The first step is saliva testing to determine what your cortisol levels look like. Some doctors may offer blood testing for cortisol, but they’re not nearly as accurate and only offer one snapshot of what your cortisol levels are doing during the day. The saliva test requires 4 samples so you get an idea of your cortisol rhythm. They should be highest in the AM to wake you up and get you through the day, lowest at night so you drift off to sleep. If cortisol is too low, say, in the morning, you’ll be tired. If it’s too high at night, you can’t sleep. Your body is in sync with the natural rhythm of light and dark, and the closer you can re-establish that circadian rhythm, the quicker you’ll heal. The saliva testing measures your cortisol rhythm, then you’ll have the information you need to repair. High cortisol is treated much differently than low cortisol, so it’s important to test and see what your rhythm looks like.
It’s important to note that focusing on cortisol alone won’t help. Think about it: if your cortisol levels are low and you just pump in more cortisol or supplements to solely boost cortisol, you’re forcing an already exhausted system to ramp back up. This approach can make people feel worse. Healing happens on a cellular level, and flooding the body with nutrients to nourish, support, and rebuild the mitochondria while addressing hormone balance is a more comprehensive solution.
The second step is to combine a healing protocol with a nutrient dense diet. Make vegetables of all types the base of every meal. High quality, organic, and fatty acid rich protein such as wild fish, grass fed beef, lamb, and eggs at every meal in amounts appropriate for you. Tons of mineral-rich veggies and sea veggies, because the adrenals require minerals to function. Lots of sea salt (which is probably welcome, because you might be craving salt!); good fats like coconut oil, butter, olive oil; superfoods like bone broth, organ meats, raw kraut/probiotic foods, anti-inflammatory foods. B vitamins and amino acids are critical to nourish the mitochondria.
Some of the supplements needed to heal adrenal fatigue are
- vitamin C
- adaptogenic herbs. I recommend GAIA, maca root, adrenatone, and/or licorice root (for low cortisol only!)
- Adrenal glandular support supplement (ONLY buy from trusted companies!)
- minerals
- B vitamins
- PQQ for the mitochondria. Read more on PQQ here.
- Branched chain amino acids
- blood sugar support, if needed (How do you know? You have energy spikes and crashes and sugar cravings). I like this one.
- I love Adrecore to heal adrenal fatigue and the neuroendocrine axis, especially if mood imbalances are present
- certain nutrients, like phosphatidylserine, can encourage sleep at night if cortisol is high when it should be low.
- nettles and tulsi tea
To restore your natural circadian rhythms, put your body on a schedule. Wake up at the same time. Eat every 4 hours. Go to bed by 10pm. No later. Sleep is the key factor for healing. Be sure to manage your blood sugar, because blood sugar highs or lows stress the adrenals. This means cut the refined foods, gluten, white sugar, sodas, coffee and nightly wine (sorry), and stop skipping meals. Support digestion with probiotic foods like raw kraut or this coconut water kefir, my favorite source because you also get the benefits of coconut water along with a hefty dose of probiotics. If your digestive tract is inflamed from too much bread and sugar and wine, you won’t absorb nutrients from all the great food you’re now eating. And, remember: your body perceives inflammation as a stressor, so an inflamed GI tract can worsen adrenal fatigue! You may want to take a probiotic supplement to support digestion.
Adaptogenic herbs like maca, rhodiola, schizandra, ashwaganda, licorice root and holy basil can really help. I have to stress that you should work with a practitioner to help you determine exactly what you need– don’t go it alone! Some of these herbs, especially if taken at the wrong times, can make you feel worse or further aggravate insomnia, for example.
The lifestyle factors are the most important. You won’t get better if you don’t change your habits– sleep, stress, and diet. I cannot stress this enough; so much so, in fact, that I wrote an entire post about it. Keeping stable blood sugar balance is crucial. I’ve had clients take time off work to heal because they understand their health is so important– and that they will prevent medical bills in the future (as well as the inability to work because they’re on disability with chronic fatigue syndrome). Fix your stressful relationships, and have I mentioned? SLEEP. Take a day per week and unplug to help calm down an overstimulated and exhausted mind and body. Click here for my sleep tips. Certain nutrients like magnesium and Seriphos (a phosphatidylserine supplement) can help bring down high cortisol at night and help you sleep if you’re having trouble. Healing your adrenals will reverse sleep issues long term, but it may take some time. Also, stop over-exercising and find an activity that rejuvenates you, whether it’s gardening, yoga or meditation.
Testing for and correcting adrenal fatigue is an example of preventive health care. If you can reverse adrenal fatigue, it’s possible to prevent the illnesses that can be caused as a result of long-term hormone imbalance and stress. Not to mention you’ll feel better, look better, sleep better and be healthier.
Mary Vance is a Certified Nutrition Consultant and author specializing in digestive health. She combines a science-based approach with natural therapies to rebalance the body. In addition to her 1:1 coaching, she offers courses to help you heal your gut and improve your health. Mary lives in San Francisco and Lake Tahoe in Northern California. Read more about her coaching practice here and her background here.
Excellent article!!
Right on!!!
Thanks!!!
Have had Crohns disease , for 35 years and Hashimoto for about 13 years. I am always tired, poor concentration and memory , weight gain and no sex drive. Had 3 bowel resections, complete hysterectomy and 1/2 of my thyroid removed due to cancer. I would like to find an inexpensive straightforward treatment that I can follow that would really help
.Something uncomplicated and affordable. Had lots if other stressors and steroids in my lifeThankyouh for any help or advice you can give me.
So timely. I’m dealing with adrenal issues along with known parasites and a lot of emotional stress in my life the past few years. It’s a long road to recovery, but I’m doing so many of the things you listed under the care of my ND.
I have been dealing with adrenal fatigue for years. Finally I have found a good combination of herbs that work for me and hope to be completely well soon.
So glad I ran into this article. It explains every single symptom that is occurring with me. And after seeing my Internest, GYN, & Psych doctors all they want to do is put me on sleepers and antidepressants with a bunch of other meds to combat the side effects of those meds. This will lead me into another direction. thank you.
Can you recommend a saliva test kit? I see many on Amazon but not sure which is best or trusted for that matter.
the only saliva testing I recommend is through BioHealth labs. There are a few you can order online (ZRT i think is one), but they’re not terribly accurate. You need to order BioHealth through a practitioner to have the results interpreted, etc.
Hi any suggestions for people who work irregular hours and cannot have a set sleeping schedual or eating routine?
Ta
I have self diagnosed myself as this. Western medicines labwork all comes back normal and they think I’m nuts. There are certain differences though that I’d like to point out to you…instead of gaining weight, I’m losing at about 104 now. Normally 115. I was having shortness of breath due to how weak and frail I was feeling. Some stomach upset as well. I was scared so I was in tears. 2 days of depression and 2 wks of chinese herbalist/acupuncture (which helped a little) and the hospital which surely did not. I decided to put myself on a raw thyroid support (grassfed cow) with thyroid, adrenal, spleen and pituitary in it. I am soooo much better. I hope I’m doing the right thing though and was wondering if there may be something here that I’m missing. What am I suppose to do when doctors don’t listen?? I also drink holy basil tea every day. Still working on the nervous stomach though….
Whenever I’m feeling burned out through late nights, long days, heavy gym sessions I find that Himalayan Salt, a teaspoon in water first thing, offsets the adrenal stress and to be honest makes me feel like I’ve just had a strong coffee with the adrenal stress!!! Found out about this from Dave Asprey at Bulletproof exec, changed the way I live and work totally!!
That is a great suggestion, agreed!
Sounds to me like gut issues (pathogenic bacteria, dysbiosis, parasites, etc) that accompany adrenal fatigue and cause malabsorption/weight loss. Read more here: https://maryvancenc.com/2013/09/could-you-have-a-parasite/
That’s a challenge certainly. Night shift workers often suffer from low melatonin, which affects overall health and hormone balance. Try as best you can to eat in regular intervals, plenty of good fats (coconut oil, avocado, animal fats), take adaptogenic herbal support (ashwaganda, rhodiola, licorice root), and get blackout curtains so you can sleep an uninterrupted 8 hours when possible.
Hi,
Great Article. Now If I could just start getting the sleeping deal down…. I wanted to leave a comment for Marlene. I have done lots and lots of research on Crohns Disease. While I do not have Crohns myself, my sister-in-law and one of my closest friends did. She passed away 4 years ago from cancer, probably caused by either the Crohns or all of the stupid drugs she was on for the Crohns.
Unfortunately I didn’t find this info until it was too late to help her.
Marlene please do a search for melatonin and Crohns and another google search for DMSO and Crohns. There’s a very brilliant PHD guy who goes into using melatonin and DMSO for Crohns. Unfortunately I can’t remember his name.
Also please remember that using coconut oil is super important for anyone with Crohns. I hope this helps you. Take care and Good luck !
Is Maca powder in smoothies ok for individuals with hypothyroidism? I thought about trying it for my migraines but was unsure if it would mess up my thyroid or not? Thanks, Julie
Maca does have some goitrogenic properties which is not recommended but hypothyroid, but from what I’ve witnessed, it really depends on the person. Because it helps adrenal function, it may support thyroid too in hypothyroid folks. You could try it and see how you feel and monitor your TSH levels.
I have been feeling all of the symptoms for a couple of years now. What burdens me is that I’m only 22 years old. I recently had a baby 14 months ago and all of my symptoms are increasingly getting worse. The fog in my head is so strong I can’t even concentrate: went to doctor because I knew (gut feeling) that I had a hormonal balance and dr said blood work was good and looked at me crazy (maybe because I was so young to her) I am server who sometimes does t get home until 12- or 1 am and wake up with a baby- so I have been taking melatonin sublingual before going to sleep and it works well! Yet I wake up really early and extremely hot sweating like hot flashes (again ppl don’t believe cause I’m 22) and I’m extremely exhausted- I could sleep 12 hours and still feel exhausted. How do I go about going into detail with my doctor? I would like some help on which minerals and vitamins I should be taking. I’ve started the grass fed beef and healthy oils but my eating routine is pretty irregular due to my serving schedule but I try really hard to be consistent because toddler baby likes consistent. Please help, I’m only 22 and I feel like I can reverse this! I haven’t lost any baby weight, so now I have an extra 30 pounds on my frame and I can start feeling it in my joints and feet especially after a long day of serving. Any advice helps a young mother / wife! Thanks!
I know how frustrating that can feel, especially given how young you are. My best advice would be to work with a holistic practitioner to help you rebalance your hormones and find an eating and lifestyle plan that works for you. Following my guidelines in this post will help, and you could try the adaptogenic herbs I mention in the article. Good luck.
I am a 56 year old female and I am finding it difficult to lose the abdomen fat psoriasis, and some ache. My diet is a protein shake with clean whey, coconut oil and water cocoa, macs, flax and chi’s. Some times it is.made with fruit. Lunch a salad with a protein an dinner can be. A vitamix veggie juice. I try to eat fish Chicken and grass fed beef. No sugar or grains. 40 oz water min and organic coffee with organic cream. Starting my day with warm water and lemon. Any suggestions?
Hi. Iwas diagnosed with adrenal exhauation and also have acne pretty bad. Do you think this is most likely caused by gut problems or the hormone imbalance. I feel like it will be hard for me to get better when I’m busy stressing about my face! My dr seems to think its the gut but I have no obious gut problems and have been on a strict NO sugar diet for 2 weeks and am still having trouble with breakouts. I had very low progestrone and lower estrogens than normal. My chiro never put me on any bio identical hormone
Acne can be either hormonal, food allergies, or gut issues typically. Work with a practitioner who can help you figure it out!
You may want to consider saliva testing for female hormones and cortisol, which can both contribute to weight loss resistance.
Good article. I know I was suffering from Adrenal fatigue because of the stress I had dealing with death in the family, divorce in the family and thyroid cancer. I talked to my endocrinologist and she told me there is no such thing as adrenal fatigue. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Between that and her mistreatment of my thyroid cancer, I switched to another endocrinologist.
How do I find a legitimate natural practitioner in my area? I live in the Providence,Rhode a island area, and am suffering from the effects of stress (ulcerative colitis, sleeplessness, can’t lose weight). Thanks for your help.
Lisa, check out http://www.primaldocs.com. Or I work with people all over the US via phone or skype. If you’d like more info, please email me at info (at) maryvancenc (dot) com.
I am a 52 year old female suffering from inability to sleep and night time anxiety. I fall asleep no problem but wake up at 2 am or so and literally feel like I’m crawling out of my skin with anxiety….this has led to night time eating . I have had 15 pounds of weight gain and can not take it off to save my life …..I eat right and excersize……….I don’t drink . I have been saliva ….urine and blood tested….. I guess my adrenals are stressed and cortisol high through the day and into the night…..I have been put on GABA at night DHEA in the morning and ” adrenal response ” by innate. I feel slightly better ….my hot flashes have calmed down and overall better …..still have the anxiety issue at night …..feel hungry……food in my stomach is the only comfort I can get …..still tossing and turning ….waking up at 2 or 3 am wide awake.
Any thoughts ??
WHAT CAN I TAKE IF I HAVE ADRINAL FAILURE BUT HAVE HAD A COMPLETE HYSTERECTOMY WITH NO OVARIES?
You can use all the supplements mentioned in the post. A women’s tonic to support hormones would be a good idea too: http://www.wisewomanherbals.com/index.cfm?page=Details&ProdID=484&category=5&secondary=42
Hi and thanks for your post! I am trying to heal what has become at least 2 weeks of horrible pms per month. Just curious, can I do with EITHER the Gaia Adrenal Support OR the Adrenatone? Or do they do different things? I picked up the Gaia at my health food store, but someone else had recommend the Adrenatone, but they seem to have overlap, so maybe I am fine with one? Thanks!
Also curious if you can recommend a good product for general women’s and balancing hormones. So many Chaste Tree, Vitex products out there. Some with Black Cohosh, some without, Can I take Black Cohosh all month, or just around my period? I was taking Gaia Women’s health religiously for one month, but it seemed to do nothing… Some internet posts seem to say that one has to stay with it for 2-3 months though…. Seeking solutions:). Thank you!!
Hello,
This is my second round of adrenal fatigue. The first time I had no idea what was going on so when I went to my GP, I was put on anti-anxiety meds and antidepressants. While on them I researched and realized what I was really suffering with. It took going on and off these meds and about a year before I was any better. I’ve never been able to stay off the meds for a good length of time. Last time I went off was this past summer. Then,
Just like last time, started suddenly and without warning. I just started waking at 2 and 4 in the morning feeling wide awake. The anxiety slowly came on after several nights of this. I NEED to sleep so I went to a local health food store who gave me rhodiola, holy basil, a multivitamin which didn’t stop the onslaught of the anxiety. I had to revert back to my psych doc and she put me on Ambien and back on the ADs and anti-anxiety meds. I just got back from a 5 day cruise hoping that it would help. While on the cruise I was less stressed but now that I’m back home I’m back to where I was before I left. Before I left I went back to the health food store and they said I couldn’t take adrenal supplements because I was on the Rx meds.
I took the Ambien for 11 nights in a row. As well as the AD meds. I do not want to become dependent on the Ambien so last night instead I took 1 mg of klonopin. I woke up at 3:30 wide awake. At 4 I took another .25 klonopin. I slept about another 2 hours but woke with the anxiety and the feeling of crawling out of my skin.
I guess my question is why can’t I take adrenal supplements with the Rx meds? Will it make me worse or will the supplements not do their job?
Hoping for some light at the end of the tunnel,
Mel
This article is the best one I’ve read so far on adrenal fatigue! Extremely accurate.
I am curious to see an answer to mels post., I have had af for five years, thinking im better and then it comes back. Very bad right now. Can it lead to heart problems, diabetes and other things? spent thousands on homeopathic dr. what would an endocrinologist do? I have had back to back life events that I should be able to handle and wonder if taking ssri like zoloft would help me handle life?! I have some ocd issues…needing to feel more control of my life etc, I really dont want meds, It just makes me think what personalities are more prone to AF. I cant keep living w this its debilitating! I have to make some changes in life and learn to let go of things etc hoping therapy will help too. They told me at health food store their boss had AF and went to an endoc. Did not even want to sell me anything (herbs etc) I don’t want treatment for thyroid etc when the root cause is adrenal. SO many drs don’t believe or treat AF just symptoms. I too have the extreme anxiety early am and lingers all the time. Insomnia really bad the past year. It became worse after a fear started about getting lung cancer like my parents.. My lower back is now also in soo much pain and read it can be adrenal. Please any advice?? I have to drive for 3 days in a couple weeks! and start my busy season – very physical. Right now even light yoga is exhausting.. Outta breath even. Is it true if you have too much activity or excitement ie too long a walk, stressful arguing day .. a crash happens?
If you could, what would you recommend for those of us on night shifts? I am a 911 dispatcher and I work the 6p to 6a shift.
The night shift is a tough one. I usually recommend pulling the shades and trying to get as much sleep as possible once your shift ends, then re-establishing good habits on the days you don’t work. Unfortunately it really affects your circadian rhythms and melatonin production, so supporting with adrenal herbs can help.
hi! I went to the Dr for a ton of symptoms but mostly anxiety and not sleeping. They gave me Prozac. My obgyn decided that I was suffering from andrenalie crash, adrenal fatigue. The Yb a tent doing anything for me except telling me to rest. U haven’t been tonwork for a month now. I still feel exactly the same. I feel drunk all day long and exhausted, have trouble remembering things and feel like I am floating through my day. I am a single mother to 4 children. I want to get better. I can’t live like this but yet can’t seem to find anyone that can give any input to help my body heal. I’ve been without my kids for a week now and spent all of that time sleeping reading and eating. I need my life back, I’ve made an apt with and all natural Dr for next week… any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!!
-Desperate mommy
Please email info (at) maryvancenc (dot) com for information about setting up a consult to discuss your health concerns.
Thank you so much for this article! I’d been having trouble with hormonal acne as well as insomnia. I got various blood tests and my levels of estrogen and progesterone were extremely low as well as my TSH and DHEA levels. I went on birth control and it improved my acne significantly. However, I really do not wish to continue the pill and I feel like it’s only fixing the symptoms and not the underlying problems. Due to my acne improvement with the pill, I understand that it’s hormonal (I am 22 years old and NEVER had acne as a teenager. It didn’t show up until I hit my 20s). But with all the research I’ve done lately about the adrenal glands, I’ve become convinced that the underlying problems of my acne are due to my exhausted adrenal glands. Do you think it’s safe to say that this is true, and even appropriate to suggest that once I heal my adrenal glands, my estrogen and progesterone levels will balance and thus clear my acne?
I feel like I’m headed in the right direction with this, but I am still unsure and would greatly value your input!
Thanks!
Glad you found the article helpful. Typically healing the adrenals will help normalize other hormones, but thyroid and female hormone support is also needed during the healing phase.
Hi,
I am a 37 old female (English is not my native language, so sorry for mistakes). I am suffering from severe insomnia since 2013, I am waking up way too early, unablte to get back to sleep. Doctors told me I have severe depression but I don’t feel depressed and Serotonine & tryptophan were too high instead of low. Dopamine was too high, noradrenaline normal and adrenaline low. Morning saliva cortisol is in the normal to high range while at noon and in the evening it is extemely low. I am suffering from chronic pain, stress-intolerance and severe exhaustion with nausea. After a good nap I feel fine as I would after a good night (unfortunateley 19 of 20 nights are pretty bad). So I guess if I could sleep better my cortisol would be low to normal instead of being so low (except in the morning). I tried melatonine time released and GABA and several herbs, nothing worked. I guess my early morning awakening could be due to raising cortisol too early, probably due to low blood sugar issues (the more exhausted I am, the more often I have to eat to prevent low blood sugar).
Would you recommend Seriphos? Normally it’s only recommended when Cortisol is too high.
I am not able to tolerate normal sleep medication as I feel very sick when I take it.
Thank you for any advice! Normal doctors are not really helpful with these kind of issues and “adrenal fatigue” is seen as mumbo jumbo in Germany
Can you please tell me if I can take Maca and Holy basil at the same time, my hot flashes are off the wall, have no interest in sex and I have again 26 lbs. Was told to try estrotone and cortrex, I did that for 3 months, No changes. I read only good things regarding Maca and Holy Basil, Please help, I haven’t slept in 2 years thanks to menopause.
Hi there! Thank you for the wonderful article! So very helpful! I have a quick question about the herbs/supplements you mentioned. I also take Adrecore for Adrenal Fatigue and just started the Licorice Plus by Metagenics and was wondering if it’d be helpful to also take the Gaia Adrenal Health? I wasn’t sure if that would be doubling up too much or not? The Gaia Adrenal Health has the Holy Basil in it that I read was VERY helpful. Thanks for your thoughts! Holly
Yes, you can take all 3 together.
This article is perfect, it was exactly what I needed! Thank you!
Wow, this almost brought me to tears. I have like you said chosen to shrug off my symptoms and live with them over the years accepting that it was just from stress and yes aging. The emotional stress in my life has been so overwhelming leading to my current state. I do drink lots of herbal tea and have taken herbal supplements for the energy loss which helps immensely The cause and effect in of this illness match up perfectly. When I am properly diagnosed I can begin treating myself with the right herbs. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, you have brought some relief to my life
Excellent article, I love all your posts! I’m just wondering Is the Gaia adrenal health supplement OK for someone who has high night time cortisol?
It is an adaptogenic formula, meaning it’s good for either high or low cortisol. You may want to add ashwaganda or seriphos at night if you have high nighttime cortisol.
Hi
My daughter was prescribed Microgynon Pill as she had heavy periods and cramps.After 2 months she had acne even inside her mouth. She stopped taking the pill but her skin did not improve. She was prescribed acid peeling treatments and various other skin remedies. 6 months has now passed and her skin is worse than ever. She is very stressed about the matter and considering what I think are drastic treatments.
Prior to this she only had the odd outbreak of four or so spots at a time.
I think she may have adrenal fatigue but dont know how to help her as she lives in Turkey. Her diet is not a healthy diet. Please can you suggest how I can help her
I would recommend finding her a holistic practitioner who can help her, either in Turkey or remotely. You may have some success using http://www.primaldocs.com to find someone who has a virtual practice.
Thanks for this informative article. The medical community does not even think it is real. Those who have suffered from adrenal burn out know it is real.
Very informative article. I’m 63, male and am experiencing many of the symptoms you’ve listed. I recently saw a Holistic Dr. for a bank of tests. Saliva test for cortisol levels was one of them. My levels are very low in the morning, declining through the day and basically non-existent by 2:00 in the afternoon.
I will definitely be checking your site out for remedies.
Thank you.
I have been having fatique for over 7 years. Lately I have discovered the adaptogenic herbs, I have tried Rhodiola, Ashwagandha, Astragalus, Licorice , I have tested them one by one..I feel energetic and happy for about two weeks and then suddently fatique crash. I am convinced that it is to do with adrenal glands, I have most of the symptoms, only I sleep well in the night, no insomnia. Doctors don’t do saliva test:(….. what shall I do?
I offer saliva testing in my practice, as do most functional medicine practitioners. I would recommend working with someone who can help you with this.
Helpful article! I have experienced this fatigue issue for several months now and really didn’t understand the full story.
I just found out from my new doctor that I am in adrenal failure right now. He predicted because I have hashimotos, more than likely I have the human parvo virus b19 and sure enough I came back positive. He showed me a virology study that connects the virus to hasimotos and thyroid cancer and a bunch of other things. And because of the hashimotos he said I’m probably low in boron and zinc. Blood work showed none detected on the boron and in office test on zinc showed I was very low. He did do a saliva teat like you recommend which surprised me for a MD which came back bad as well.
However there are a lot of things in this article he didn’t mention in his treatment plan. So I am going to do some things on my own. Not Surprised he mentioned nothing about diet.
After reading this article I’m convinced there is more to this than the virus because I get very little sleep because of pain and migraines and my diet is not the best and I eat very little even though I’m Im about 20 lbs overweight.
Thanks for sharing this info.
Hi Mary,
Would Gaia Adrenal Health help with a mix of high/low cortisol? I tried Maca but I don’t think it’s working for me.
Also, which lab do you use for saliva testing? I just found your site (through Pinterest) and will look around a bit, but I assume you offer long distance coaching?
Thank you…
Hi Kristina, yes, the gaia formula is adaptogenic, meaning it regulates cortisol levels. I use BioHealth labs for saliva testing. I work with people all over the world via skype. Please send me a message via my contact page (the “get in touch” tab at the top of the page), and we can set up a time to talk.
Hello… I have been experiencing something for almost 2 years now and after reading your article I feel like adrenal fatigue could possibly be it. I am a 33 year old male cancer survivor, and this is really starting to take over my life. It starts through some sort of emotional event, for instance it could be a really exciting football game that I am watching or a negative life situation which in turn will stress me out. At this point I will experience some sort of crash the very next morning, and for the next 6 weeks I am literally too dizzy to stand, nauseas, my hunger is non-existant, my fatigue is off the charts, and I become anxiety ridden. For some reason it lasts about 6 weeks every single time I crash. I have been to endocrinology doctors, psychologists and even my primary care and all of them have zero answers for me. I really seem to be at my wits end, and I am very upset because it seems like I can never enjoy myself or have any fun what-so-ever with this lingering in the back of my mind. I honestly don’t know where to turn or what to do.
in my experience, vegetable oils are not healing for adrenal issues – they make it worse.
Great article. I suffered from a severe (bedridden most of the day) adrenal fatigue. It takes a lot of time and effort to heal. I’m glad you mentioned that over-exercising is bad. Sometimes going for a slow, short walk is all you can do.
Bless the LORD
What would you recommend?
My adrenals (pheochromocytoma), thyroid (carcinoma) & gall bladder (gall stones) have been removed. I was down to 105 (too small for me) & due to hydrocortisone (adrenal replacement), im up to 175. ANY help & direction will be greatly appreciated. Im 51 & have much life ahead. Thank you for your suggestions. Oh, if i take 100mg benadry, I may sleep 4 hours. Usually, up 4-5 times between going to bed & getting up.
Hi Kimberly, I would recommend finding a holistic practitioner to help you. You can use this directory to select someone to meet your needs: https://re-findhealth.com/
Extreme fatigue all day, anxiety, some digestive problems, weight loss, salt craving…took rhodiola & anxiety much worse!
Jean, rhodiola can be stimulating and if you have high cortisol already, it may exacerbate that. that’s why it’s good to test your cortisol levels and hormones, so you know exactly how to supplement. You may also want to get your thyroid tested.
Absolutely BRILLIANT article. The best I’ve come across on the internet! Thank you Mary!!! ❤❤❤
Glad you found the info useful, Louise!
Hello, I was told I have adrenal fatigue and the medical practitioner has me taking Dr Wilson’ adrenal rebuilder and I feel worse than I did before. I already had leg and arm cramps, chest palpitation, brain fog, I can’t sleep at night, want to sleep during the day. Alot if not all of the symptoms of adrenal fatigue. I have read good and bad about the glandular s, and not sure what to do. I am afraid to call the Medical person because she just uses the same line of, “Dr. Wilson wrote the book on adrenal fatigue,” and I don’t really care if he did or not.As some of the people have mentioned one thing works for one person, doesn’t work for another. I am scared because I’m afraid I’ll never feel better again. It all started years ago, I guess after I had multiple limb surgeries, only to I guess would be a “crash” after I ended up with physician induced pancreatitis and liver inflammation. Then life has changed since February 3 2018. Are glandular’s that good ? I am tired of feeling dizzy and tired. Are there lots of side effects from adaptogens? I have a messed up system. Oh, I was also prescribed estroil, ?Progesterone, DHEA, separate from a testosterone creams, because they are really low, taken at different times of the day. I get really hot at different times of the day,especially around 5 am. I am post menopausal? I’ve read that adrenal fatigue can do this. I’m sure there is more but I can’t think of it right now. Thanks for your time. Hope to hear from you very soon.
Hi Alex, in my experience, the worse your adrenal fatigue, the more you react adversely to supplements initially and the more you need to focus on rebuilding the mitochondria in addition to the endocrine system: https://maryvancenc.com/the-truth-about-adrenal-fatigue/