Adrenal Fatigue occurs when your adrenal glands have been overworked and depleted to the point where they can no longer produce the adrenal hormones necessary for your body to function normally. If you are experiencing an extended period of low energy and fatigue – especially if it began after a major stressor or trauma, or after stressors that lasted an extended period of time – then you may be suffering from Adrenal Fatigue.
Research suggests that malfunctioning adrenal glands can lead to premature aging and a shortened life span. The adrenal glands produce hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, along with other steroid hormones like aldosterone and DHEA. The precursors necessary for sex steroids like testosterone, estrogen and androgen are also produced by your adrenals.
All of these hormones work together to help regulate your metabolism, immune system, blood pressure and your body's response to stress. They control everything from the energy production to the muscle response and heart rate reactions that are part of your fight-or-flight response.
If you are prepared to find out whether or not what you’re experiencing is, in fact, Adrenal Fatigue – and find new treatment methods that can bring lifechanging recovery - call One Agora Health at (952) 234-5898 or contact us online today.
Certain stressors are known to exhaust the adrenal glands – whether the stressors are emotional and relationship-based, stressors from work, physical stressors, exposure to environmental toxins, or an ongoing poor diet or exposure to stressful stimuli. No matter the source, your adrenal system perceives stress as stress and responds accordingly. Over time, your adrenal glands become fatigued and depleted. When this happens, a complex and characteristic array of symptoms often develop. This is the condition commonly known as Adrenal Fatigue.
Adrenal Fatigue can be mild and resolve itself over a short period of time, or completely disabling and last for years. It can severely impact your overall health and your ability to function.
Adrenal Fatigue occurs due to a variety of factors, and the causes of Adrenal Fatigue are not always clear. Adrenal Fatigue can occur at any age in either gender, but it is reported most commonly by women.
We all have the potential to develop Adrenal Fatigue. Individuals who have experienced stressful life events or severe loss or trauma are more likely to develop it, but even healthy, robust individuals are at risk. Anyone can suddenly experience a life crisis or become worn down by continuing low stress levels over time that seem to deplete their resources and lead to Adrenal Fatigue.
There are factors that increase your chances of developing Adrenal Fatigue. Stressors top the list – and not just major stressors, but even low level stressors, especially when chronic – whether physical or emotional. Other potential causes include lack of sleep or poor quality sleep, infection or illness, or poor diet. Even pregnancy can deplete your adrenals.
Individual experiences vary and each person may experience a different combination of symptoms. There is a wide array of symptoms that could signal Adrenal Fatigue, including:
Our tools for diagnosis include a physical examination, a complete medical history and a review of your symptoms. We recommend that you prepare a list of symptoms prior to your first consultation. To properly diagnose Adrenal Fatigue and rule out other conditions with similar symptom profiles, blood, saliva or urine tests may be necessary to test for levels of hormones like DHEA, ACTH, morning cortisol, and aldosterone.
Adrenal Fatigue can also place you at risk of developing other conditions - like thyroid disease, for example – so you might be suffering from one or more medical conditions at the same time. For you to recover, we need to treat them all. That is why an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis is essential to your full recovery.
At One Agora Integrative Health, we can employ a customized variety of both conventional and alternative treatment tools in addressing Adrenal Fatigue. First, a Functional Medicine evaluation will help us to understand what you are experiencing – both physically and mentally – that might explain your symptoms.
We begin with a functional medicine adrenal test to look at four points of cortisol throughout the day to assess your adrenal function.
Treatment will vary with each individual, especially since Adrenal Fatigue manifests differently in different people. Your specific course of treatment may include:
We can also look for food sensitivities and address their impact. Adrenal Fatigue also can impact or be impacted by imbalanced hormones which we can measure and treat with Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT).
We may need to develop a customized healthy movement regimen appropriate for your physical condition. High impact exercise programs are generally not recommended for Adrenal Fatigue patients.
Other powerful treatment tools we can use include:
A brighter day beckons at One Agora Health. Gather a list of symptoms related to Adrenal Fatigue and any history of your attempts to counter Adrenal Fatigue in the past, together with your treatment questions or requests – and we’ll put together a customized plan to treat the root causes of your Adrenal Fatigue until you are functioning at your mental, emotional and physical best once again! Call One Agora Health at (952) 234-5898 or contact us online today.
One Agora Integrative Health Clinic
9220 James Ave S.
Bloomington, MN 55431
Phone:
(952) 234-5898
