The adrenal gland is located on top of each kidney–the human body has a total of two adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are responsible for producing a variety of hormones. They produce aldosterone–which helps with blood pressure, epinephrine–the fight or flight hormone, cortisol–affects the immune system and metabolism, and precursors that allow our bodies to make sex hormones–Progesterone, Estrogen, and Testosterone.
In today’s world our adrenal glands are getting overwhelmed and this can lead to what we call adrenal fatigue. The adrenal glands are not equipped to handle the constant stress that we have today. They are equipped to deal with intermittent stress and then be given a chance to recover. But, in today’s world of 24/7 emails, texts, negative news, traffic, increasing work demands, decreasing sleep, etc we demand more from the adrenal glands. These glands are not being given the rest that they need.
Adrenal fatigue is the term that we give to overworked adrenal glands. When the adrenal glands are overworked they are unable to keep up with the demand for the hormones that they produce. The result can be one or more of the following: feeling fatigued, having lower sex hormones, a decreased immune system, salt cravings, trouble getting up in the morning, increased energy at night, an increased reliance on caffeine, and an inability to handle stress.
Most people in today’s world have some adrenal fatigue. Treating it takes a multifactorial approach. The first thing to do is unplug and give your body rest. Turn off your phone alerts and check your phone when you want to. Turn off your phone at night and one day a week if you can. Give yourself quiet time to sit and simply breathe. Avoid watching or listening to news since they over dramatize things and cause mental stress. Take yoga or tai chi. Ensure that you get to bed at a reasonable time. Picking one day per week to recharge and completely unplug would be a great goal to have.
You can also support your adrenal glands by balancing your hormones with Bioidentical hormones. By doing this you take the stress of producing the sex hormone precursors off your adrenal glands. In today’s world Bioidentical hormones are needed by the majority of men and women over 35 years old in order to live optimally. Our hormones are depleted by the stressors and chemical toxins that are in today’s world. Our bodies need assistance to deal with this.
B vitamin complexes are helpful in supporting the adrenal glands. They help to lower cortisol naturally and to help metabolism. Beans, eggs, and dairy products are a great food source of B complex vitamins. I have also found B complex injections to be an effective way to ensure absorption of the B vitamins. In the beginning you may need B complex shots quite often, but as your adrenal glands recover you will find that you won’t need them as often.
There are also adrenal support supplements that contain herbs that assist the adrenal glands. Typically these are only needed for a short time if you are taking the actions mentioned above.
Blood ozone therapy is also effective for rebooting your mitochondria and this includes regenerating your adrenal glands. Your mitochondria are the sources of energy in all of your cells. IV Ozone therapy can improve your overall energy and well-being by assisting your body in repairing itself. This is done in the office and takes about 45 minutes.
Adrenal fatigue is rampant in today’s world. If you have any of the symptoms mentioned it is advisable to get advice from a physician trained in Bioidentical hormones. Adrenal fatigue is not diagnosed by traditional tests. It takes the expertise of someone who understands the nuances of hormones.
You can lead a healthy and happy life if you take the time to take care of yourself. Be patient and give it some time. Adrenal fatigue did not happen over night and it won’t fix over night but it can be fixed.