Dr. Emily Hunt
Nov 25, 2020
Feeling tired and achy? Experiencing unexplained weight fluctuation? What about loss of hair?
These symptoms could be signs of a condition known as adrenal fatigue.
What are adrenal glands?
The adrenal glands are small glands that sit on top of your kidneys. Their primary role is to keep you going in times of stress. Our adrenal glands emit cortisol (your “fight-or-flight” hormone ) on demand in stressful situations to help you cope, but if they are overworked (or fatigued), they can't do their job.
What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?
Though stressors affecting your adrenal health are often big, one-time events like death, divorce, or life-changing events, many daily experiences (that you don't even consider stressful), may be putting a lot of stress on your adrenal glands, too. If you've experienced physical, mental, or emotional stress for an extended period of time, your adrenal glands will likely become fatigued, and they won't function like they should. If left untreated, adrenal fatigue can cause your glands to become so fatigued that they are unable to keep up with the demands of your body.
Adrenal fatigue is particularly important to treat during peri and post menopause in women. When the ovaries begin to shut down, the adrenal glands take on the primary role of producing our sex hormones. So, if the adrenal glands aren't healthy, even hormone replacement therapy won't be successful.
Here are some common causes of adrenal fatigue:
- Poor diet
- Lack of sleep
- Working too hard
- Emotional trauma
- Lack of exercise
- Too much exercise
Prevention and Treatment
Adrenal fatigue can wreak havoc with your life. In serious cases, the activity of the adrenal glands is so diminished that you may have difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours per day. If you want to prevent or get rid of adrenal fatigue, you have to manage your stress in healthy ways.
