If you’re tired, have difficulty sleeping, feel wide awake at night and/or exhausted in the morning, experience energy dips during the day, get more frequent colds or flus or crave caffeine, salt, or sugar, then it’s likely your adrenal glands need some support. “Adrenal fatigue” is a term Naturopathic Doctors toss around, but really we’re referring to the body’s ability to cope with stress and the cortisol rhythm.
Cortisol is a hormone made from cholesterol by the adrenal glands which sit on top of your kidneys and is released in response to stress (emotional – financial, work, relationships, or physical – injury, inflammation). It travels through the blood to exert its effects on various tissues:
- maintains metabolic processes (blood sugar regulation, modulates inflammation)
- regulates water and salt levels
- breaks down bone and muscle cells
- regulates immune function – it can help heal an injury or infection, but in excess it can lower white blood cell activity and production which leads to more frequent infections
There is a natural cortisol rhythm in your body: highest in the morning between 6-8 AM which allows you to wake feeling energized, declining during the day, and lowest between 10-11 PM allowing for a restful sleep.
cortisol rhythm - http://www.endocrinesurgeon.co.uk
If you are chronically stressed, stay up late, don’t eat consistently, and/or don’t exercise regularly, you are taxing your adrenal glands and commanding that they produce more cortisol to help your body cope. The adrenal glands cannot make an endless amount of cortisol, so eventually they ‘fatigue’…so what do you do? Drink coffee, eat sugary or salty snacks to ‘perk’ you up. The energy you get from these foods is short-lived because they act as a stressor on your body, forcing your adrenals to squeeze out a bit more cortisol followed by a decrease in available cortisol. The analogy of whipping a dying horse is often used.
After prolonged periods of stress, your cortisol doesn’t peak in the morning, may elevate at night (keeping you awake or waking you up), and may eventually flat-line. This is often what creates the symptoms described in the first paragraph. The other effect is a lowered libido and hormonal dysfunction (PMS, mood changes, low mood, painful periods) because your body will steal from the sex hormones to make more cortisol.
Options for health:
1. Sleep! Go to bed before 11pm, sleep for 6-8 (or 10 ) hours – as long as it takes to feel refreshed upon waking (I realize that this is a tall order, especially for parents).
2. Eat snacks containing protein throughout the day. Organic raw almonds or walnuts with fruit are a great option.
3. Stay hydrated. Approximately 1Litre of water per 100lbs of body weight.
4. Exercise regularly – 30 minutes per day of moderate activity is sufficient to support adrenal function. Walking, yoga, and swimming are excellent choices.
5. Develop positive coping mechanisms for the stress in your life. Meditation, breath work and yoga may be helpful. Find what works for you. Sometimes this means making decisions about the stressor itself (decreasing hours of work, resolving relationship problems, re-framing the way you look at problems).
6. Vitamin B5, Vitamin C, and Magnesium are all excellent supplements to support adrenal function. Quality is important, so consult your Naturopathic Doctor for recommendations on brands.
7. Herbal support like Tribulus, Ashwaghanda, and Siberian Ginseng all help to modulate adrenal function.
Consult a ND for advice specific to your health picture.
dr jenny schmidt-white, naturopathic doctor 