The term “adrenal fatigue” was coined by a chiropractor and naturopath in 1998 by Dr. James Wilson. An expert in alternative medicine, Dr. Wilson observed that some of his patients were always tired, even when they got enough sleep. They didn’t have any other symptoms but just felt sluggish and craved sodium. He later called this condition “adrenal fatigue”, which is described as a group of various signs and symptoms that result when the adrenal glands are not functional at their best.
Adrenal Glands Matter
The adrenal glands are small organs above the kidneys and respond to stress by releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This is a part of the body revving up to react during stressful life situations, the fight-or-flight response. These hormones increase blood pressure and heart rate and over time during prolonged periods of stress, the adrenal gland burns out from prolonged production of cortisol and then adrenal fatigue sets in.
Symptoms
Before listing symptoms of adrenal fatigue, it’s important to note that The Endocrine Society doesn’t believe that adrenal fatigue is a real condition. That being said, the following symptoms have been documented in scientific and academic literature:
- Feeling very fatigued
- Craving salt
- Bodily aches and pains
- Depression
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- A change in skin color (hyperpigmentation)
- Loss of bodily hair
- Nausea and vomiting
- Lightheadedness
- Low blood pressure
According to The Endocrine Society, these symptoms may be so general that they may apply to many disorders or conditions including hypothyroidism, depression, sleep apnea, and fibromyalgia, just to name a few. It is therefore up to the reader to decide who may be right or wrong about adrenal fatigue.
Causes
If adrenal fatigue is a real, diagnosable condition, there most certainly must be causes involved. Possible conditions that can cause adrenal fatigue include the following:
- Adrenal insufficiency
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Cancer
- Chronic kidney diseases
- Heart disease
- Hyper- or hypothyroidism
- Liver disease
- Low vitamin D levels
- Parkinson’s disease
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Sleep apnea
- Stress
- Traumatic brain injury
Some experts believe that certain infections like infectious mononucleosis and COVID-19, especially long COVID may be the cause of some adrenal fatigue cases.
How to Treat Adrenal Fatigue
To manage adrenal fatigue, it may be best to focus on treatments and interventions that are symptom-specific. For instance, if depression is a main symptom, focusing on mental health can be helpful, as can using relaxation techniques, stress management, meditation or yoga. If pain is a major problem, then physical therapy, massage therapy, counseling, and medications may be appropriate to reduce symptoms. If sleep is the issue, seeing a specialist, changing personal life styles or routines and looking into medication may also be helpful.
Other ways to manage symptoms include maintaining a healthy diet low in sugar, caffeine, and junk food and taking supplements like Vitamins B5, B6 and B12, Vitamin C and Magnesium.
Final Thoughts on Adrenal Fatigue
The world started hearing about adrenal fatigue in the late 1990s, and while some experts believe it exists, some form The Endocrine Society do not believe it’s a real, diagnosable health condition. Regardless, some people may have clusters of symptoms, or a syndrome, that cannot be explained by their health care providers. The best thing to do is listen to one’s body, monitor symptoms, learn more about the condition and see a physician who might be able to help.
References
- Cadegiani, Flavio, A. and Claudia E. Kater. 2016. Adrenal Fatigue Does Not Exists: A Systematic Review. BMC Endocrine Disorders, 16:48.
- Hahner, Stefanie, et al. 2021. Adrenal Insufficiency. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 7(19).
- Salzano, Ciro, et al. 2021. Possible Adrenal Involvement in Long Covid Syndrome. Emergency Medicine and Emergency Room Medical Issues, Special Issue, 57(10).