Adrenal Gland Fatigue: Fact or Fiction?

It is difficult to diagnose adrenal gland fatigue, due to the large number of seemingly unrelated symptoms. Sometimes those symptoms are actually a result of something a lot more serious than apparent adrenal gland fatigue. The established medical profession does not recognize adrenal fatigue as a medical condition, even though physicians described it as a clinical condition in the Nineteenth century.

The Theory Behind Adrenal Gland Fatigue

Adrenal gland fatigue is something that many, many people could be potentially suffering from. The reason for this is simple: stress is the underlying cause of adrenal exhaustion. Almost everyone is subjected to varying amounts of stress on a daily basis. Severe stress forces the adrenal glands to secrete hormones into the body that change our responsiveness to “fight or flight” mode.

While this response was intended to give humans a better chance of survival in the wild, it hampers us now that we live in modern society. There are many possible sources of stress in our lives that evoke panic and stress. Financial problems, lack of job security, family issues, commuting in busy cities – all these things factor into our daily subjection to stress.

The hormones that the adrenal glands secrete under normal circumstances, are responsible for regulating heartbeat, breathing, digestion and processing of glucose, protein and carbohydrates. When we get stressed, the main hormone secreted by the adrenals is cortisol. Initially, your body’s cortisol levels rise due to constant stress, but when adrenal fatigue sets in, cortisol levels drop way below normal.

Why Blood Tests Can Not Detect Adrenal Exhaustion

Normal blood tests are not sensitive enough to detect imbalances associated with adrenal fatigue. Blood tests can be used for diagnosing Addison’s disease, which is characterized by severe imbalances in the body’s hormonal system. Addison’s is a much more severe form of adrenal fatigue and is a recognized medical condition.

The normal ACTH test will detect extreme hormone imbalances, which fall in the top two and bottom two percent of a bell-curve. Adrenal fatigue has more subtle imbalances than that.

Laboratory Tests for Adrenal Fatigue

It is possible to demonstrate the presence of adrenal gland fatigue in a patient, by using carefully controlled tests. Cortisol and DHEA levels can be measured and tracked. It is possible to determine whether the body is in an anabolic or catabolic state. Because cortisol hormone levels are supposed to follow a very definite pattern of peaks and troughs during the day, consistently incorrect levels can point to adrenal gland fatigue.

Cortisol levels should be at the highest point in the morning and at the lowest point in the late evening. Saliva samples should be taken at these times for tracking cortisol levels. DHEA can be measured all through the day. By taking multiple samples of cortisol and DHEA, the body’s hormone balance, versus the situations it is in during the day, can be compared and interpreted.

Laboratory tests are not definitive, but they can be used as a supporting measure when diagnosing and treating adrenal fatigue. Because the hormone levels are subject to many external influences, laboratory tests for adrenal gland fatigue are less helpful than good, accurate patient histories.