Adrenal Fatigue can deplete you energy and is so common in our society with all of the stress and busy schedules that most of us are faced with.
There are many symptoms of adrenal fatigue including:
- lack of focus and concentration
- mood and memory problems
- anxiety and/or depression
- fatigue
- insomnia
- feeling rundown or overwhelmed
- difficulty getting up in the morning
- having more energy at night than the entire day
- sugar cravings
- hypoglycemia
- low sex drive
- infertility
- reduced immune function
- hypothyroid
- allergies
- dizziness when standing
- low blood pressure
- eyes sensitive to light
- aches and pains
Most people go undiagnosed with this condition because it’s not routinely checked for and is not recognized in the medical field, unless it is full blown Addison’s disease. There are different levels of adrenal fatigue though, from mild to severe.
Recently, a 22-year-old young woman came in to the Natural Medicine Clinic who was blacking out multiple times a day. She was very tired all the time and had numerous other symptoms. This had been going on for six years, and the many specialists she had gone to had not been able to figure out a cause or how to help her.
When I did the evaluation, her blood pressure was very low, became even lower upon standing, and she had many other signs of adrenal fatigue.
After thorough lab testing, I put her on a treatment program which included a special diet and supplements to help support adrenal health. Within weeks, she stopped blacking out, all of her symptoms cleared up and she was thrilled to have her life back!
How do you know if you have adrenal fatigue?
There are some simple in office evaluation tests I do first that can determine the health of your adrenals.
One is a positional blood pressure test, as your blood pressure is supposed to rise when you stand up which indicates healthy adrenal function.
Then I check to see how your eyes react to light, as this can be a good measure of adrenal function as well.
If indicated, I order comprehensive lab testing, including the adrenal hormones DHEA-S and Cortisol, to confirm and come up with a specific treatment plan.
I have found that adrenal fatigue often goes along with thyroid conditions so it is best to evaluate and treat both at the same time for best results.
Along with diet, supplements and adrenal support formulas, here are a few things you can do at home to help.
1. Go to sleep at the same time every night, ideally by 10 PM; at the very latest 11 PM. And getting at least 7 hours of sleep would be very helpful.
2. Set aside relaxation times daily, even if it’s to go out for a walk and enjoy nature.
3. Reduce your sugar intake and eat protein meals regularly throughout the day to avoid hypoglycemia which can further stress the adrenals.
If you have any questions or would like your or a family member’s adrenals checked, email us at info@nmcwellness.com or call us at 561-627-5800. We would be happy to help.
Yours for Optimal Health,
Dr. Tom Rofrano