Chronic Fatigue & Adrenal Insufficiency

The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. They manage how the body responses physical and mental stress.

What is Adrenal Insufficiency?

Adrenal insufficiency occurs when a person has been under chronic stress, overstimulating and over-tiring the adrenal glands as well as the rest of the endocrine system. The glands are no longer able to produce enough stress hormones, such as cortisol and aldosterone, to support the body and mind’s demand.

Primary adrenal insufficiency (commonly known as Addison’s disease) is an extremely rare autoimmune disorder where the outer layer of the adrenal gland (the adrenal cortex) is slowly destroyed by the body’s immune system over several months to years. It can present with any of the following symptoms:

  • Muscle weakness and fatigue

  • Weight loss and decreased appetite

  • Darkening of the skin

  • Low blood pressure causing dizziness or fainting

  • Salt craving

  • Low blood sugar level

  • Nausea, diarrhea, or vomiting

  • Muscle or joint pains

  • Irritability, mood swings, or depression

  • Body hair loss 

  • Sexual dysfunction

Secondary adrenal insufficiency is common. It develops when a chronic state of stress causes the pituitary gland (located in the brain) to not longer be able to produce enough of the hormone Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH), responsible for stimulating the adrenal glands to make the stress hormone cortisol.

 

Chronic Fatigue

Feeling tired is one of the most common complaints patients experience. Chronic fatigue is characterized by extreme fatigue that cannot be explained by another underlying medical condition. The fatigue becomes worse when engaging in physical or mental activity, and does not improve with rest. 

Chronic fatigue is caused by the energy box of the cells (the mitochondria) being malnourished and instead, flooded with toxins and inflammatory mediators. It can be worsened by infections, liver and kidney congestion, hormone imbalances, or psychological stress. 

Chronic fatigue is very common especially when the adrenal glands are functioning below the minimum threshold.  It can flare up during intense or long periods of stress. 

Many factors can cause a person to become more susceptible to chronic adrenal fatigue. These include the following:

  • Lifestyles habits (i.e., poor diet, substance abuse, chronic sleep debit, high level of chronic stress), 

  • Chronic illness or repeated infections, 

  • Long periods of feeling trapped or helpless (i.e., in unhealthy relationships, stressful jobs, poverty), 

  • Maternal adrenal fatigue during pregnancy.

Clinical Signs Adrenal Insufficiency and Chronic Fatigue

 

GUARANTEED RESULTS

Work with the nation’s top integrative functional medicine physician to uncover the root causes of your symptoms and guided effectively how on to transform your illness into wellness. Dr. Bhandari refuses to accept the status quo commonly accepted in conventional medicine and revert to prescribing immunosuppressive drugs loaded with dangerous side effects when there may be more effective and safer solutions.