Adrenal Fatigue: Introduction and Definitions

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NOTE: Gardening and preserving is keeping me pretty busy these days. A few articles that bear repeating will fill in the gaps on the days when the to-do list is too long. This post was originally published in August 2009.

When our oldest son was a newborn I found out that I had an underactive thyroid. We suspected that it was the reason behind me not being able to make enough milk. I did a lot of research on hypothyroidism and found the same conclusions over and over again: you can not have a healthy thyroid if your adrenals are fatigued.

When I found all of this out I didn’t even know what an adrenal was, let alone why mine might be fatigued. Now I am researching adrenal fatigue and how to heal them. From what I have read this is a common problem due to the many detrimental factors of modern society. Because it is so common I thought I would start a series in order to share my research with y’all. I am hoping that it might help any of you who may be dealing with similar health issues.

This series will in no way cover everything regarding the adrenal glands. It is merely a collection of the information that I have gathered, which means a lot of factual information may be left out. Keep in mind that I am not a medical professional and in no way am I suggesting you take my word for it. I am merely sharing with you my own research and personal journey. Please seek out professional medical advice and feel free to add to the conversation with any knowledge that you might have of the adrenal glands and adrenal fatigue. So today let’s just cover what my first questions were.

What is an Adrenal?

The adrenal glands are two endocrine glands which are located on top of the kidneys. They are responsible for regulating the stress response by excreting the stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. (source) The adrenal gland is broken up into two parts – the adrenal cortex (the outer part) and the adrenal medulla (the inner part). The adrenal cortex produces steroid hormones as well as aldosterone which is involved in regulating the amount of salt and water in your body. The adrenal medulla produces hormones known as catecholamines which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. These catecholamines play a role in our response to acute or sudden stress. (source)

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is when your adrenal glands have been overstimulated (by stress, dietary and environmental factors) and are no longer working at the level needed for optimal body functioning. This then produces a host of unpleasant symptoms, which I will cover in the second part of the series.

Coming Up in This Series

In the next week I hope to address the following topics in a bit more detail, but here is a glimpse at my findings:

  • Part 2: Symptoms and causes
  • Part 3: Dietary and lifestyle changes to recover adrenal health.

So I hope you join me this week in discovering all about adrenal fatigue.

Have you heard of or been diagnosed with adrenal fatigue?

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22 Comments

  1. Oh, yeah, I’ve heard of it and I’ve got it. I was diagnosed the year after I had my thyroid removed due to cancer. Two surgeries in two months is not good for adrenals, I guess.

    I’ve been on hydrocortisone for almost 3 years now. I was weaning down to a smaller dose, trying to get off entirely, but my new doctor didn’t like my numbers and stopped that. I’m still hopeful that I can get off it one of these days.

    I’ve been trying to make major improvements to my diet in the last year or so. Grass-fed meats, pastured chicken & eggs, raw milk, probiotic foods. I sure hope it’s helping. Can’t hurt, right?

  2. I have it also. I am SO looking forward to your posts on adrenal fatigue! The two biggest things I’ve learned to heal from it are sleep and exercise. There’s too much info to put in a comment other than that, but both are vital to healing from this.

  3. Hi Shannon, you know my thoughts – I am sure I have had it too. This will be a great series for even more understanding. Thank you for writing about it!

  4. I have very serious thyroid problems…most of my life too!
    Just this past nov. we changed the way we eat to help, but I still have SO MUCH to learn, so I cannot wait to read what you have learned also!
    Thank you!

  5. I’m looking forward to reading your series. I have Hashimoto’s hypothyroid. My chiropractor has mentioned several times that I have adrenal fatigue. I always thought he was referring to my thyroid. I need to learn more about this important topic. Thank you for sharing your research.

  6. I am looking forward to your posts!

    I am being treated for adrenal fatigue. What my biggest symptom was totally out of control allergies – foods, pollens -everything. For a time, I couldn’t even use toothpaste – the natural kind – I always got a rash. My allergies are no longer debilitating – for which I am thankful.

    I’ve been helped through Clymer Healing Research Center – they specialize in chronic fatigue and adrenal exhaustion. I’m doing better with the eating, but reducing stress is quite a challenge. .

  7. Hi Shannon!

    I had suffered from hypothyroidism for many years and have, thankfully, been able to finally bring my thyroid back to a healthy status via natural methods. However, I was unaware of the close connection of the thyroid function with adrenal function. I look forward to learning more from your story and research.

    Thank you!

    Susan

  8. I am very much looking forward to all of info you will be sending. I want to know if I make sure of the dietary changes I will get better. I am a yoga teacher (just certified not professional) and I know a lot about adrenals with movement, but I am also a new working full time mom of 3 early school age daughters. My job is stressfull and so is home life, and cottage life too. I think I can make the diet changes but I can’t quit “being”. My doctor will only suggest antidepressants, but something tells me that won’t cut it. Thank you for doing these posts. Let me know if you want any input regarding what yoga can do.

  9. I also cured my thyroid condition. I used the Iodoral protocol from Dr. Dan Browerstein (i think that is is name) with my doctor who had never heard of it. Found it online. She went to a session at a conference about using this – potassium iodine – to rebalance and cure throid glands. I could not lose weight no matter what I did. Now, eating primal, I have managed to lose 20 pounds with no thyroid medication!!!!!!

  10. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism since age 15..nearly ten years ago now! I have been seeing the same doctor since then, but do not feel like I am being shown how or if there is anything I can do to be done with this. I have had two miscarriages so far, both said because of my condition. I have headaches almost daily, gained 25 pounds in a two month period while eating what I thought was well at the time, and while exercising 3-5 times per week. I have only been able to lose ten of those pounds, and it just seems like no matter what I do, the weight will not come off.

  11. I recently had 1/2 of my thyroid removed to remove a tumor thought to be cancer (it was not- praise God) What i found with this surgery was that i have hashimotos thyroiditis – along with my low thyroid function and as most of you with thyroid issues i too have adrenal gland fatigue. I had no idea other than i was extremely tired all the time. Since they are all so closely tied together i am serching for how to help heal my body from the stressed adrenal glands and the auto immune problem with the hashimotos. I had tried a few things only to find out they were actually harmful since i had the hashimotos. ugghhh!
    Hope we all learn as we share our stories.

    1. Sherrie – Is hashimotos an autoimmune disorder? I thought I had read that it was. And from what I understand most autoimmune disorders are caused by some sort of food intolerance or allergy. Perhaps trying an elimination diet would help?

  12. A lot of women I know have been discussing adrenal fatigue – and a friend of mine is being treated for it at the Women to Women clinic in Yarmouth, Maine. She loaned me Marcelle Pick’s book, “Are You Tired and Wired?” and I’ve been reading away! Great book that’s packed with lots of info and good recipes to help change your eating.

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