Articles by Dr. Fred Arnold

ADRENAL FATIGUE

BY FRED G. ARNOLD, NMD

WHAT IS ADRENAL FATIGUE?
One of the most common symptoms patients present to the office with is feeling tired and worn-out and they just can’t regain their normal energy no matter what they do or how many doctors they visit. No evaluation for fatigue should be performed without evaluating cortisol production produced by your adrenal glands.

Adrenal Fatigue (technically called “hypoadrenia” and “hypoadrenalism”) has been one of our most prevalent yet rarely diagnosed conditions for the last fifty years. Despite being described in medical texts since the 1800’s, and despite the development of the first really effective treatment in the 1930’s, most “convential” physicians are unaware that the problem exists!

According to Dr. James Wilson, N.D., D.C., Ph.D., “it is estimated that up to 80% of adult Americans suffer some level of adrenal fatigue. Too much physical, emotional, environmental and/or psychological stress can deplete your adrenals, causing a decrease in the output of cortisol. This lowered adrenal activity (hypoadrenia), resulting from adrenal fatigue, can range in severity all the way from almost zero to almost normal. The extreme low end of hypoadrenia is called Addison’s disease and luckily, it is the rarest form of hypoadrenia.

WHAT ARE COMMON SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ADRENAL FATIGUE?
According to the New York State Journal of Medicine, the most frequent symptoms of adrenal fatigue and cortisol deficiency include the following: fatigue (94%), nervousness and irritability (86%), depression (79%), apprehension (71%), excessive weakness (65%), lightheadedness (47%), faintness or fainting spells (42%) and insomnia (40%).

WHAT ARE COMMON DISEASES ASSOCIATED WITH ADRENAL FATIGUE?
People suffering from adrenal fatigue are much more likely to develop a host of other common diseases and syndromes in which fatigue is one of the primary symptoms such as low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), altered mental states (increased fears, anxiety and depression), insomnia, respiratory infections, allergies, asthma, frequent colds, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, adult onset diabetes, auto-immune disorders and alcoholism.

HOW IS ADRENAL FATIGUE DETERMINED?
Although medicine only officially recognizes Addison’s disease as hypoadrenia, you do not have to wait until your body is at this extreme level of adrenal collapse to identify and treat the problem. Adrenal fatigue can be easily determined by a review of the patient’s health history and measuring cortisol throughout the day. Although, cortisol can be measured by the blood and urine, saliva is the easiest way to measure adrenal fatigue. Normally, 4 saliva samples are taken throughout the day at 8:00 am, 12 noon, 4 pm, and 10 pm.

HOW IS ADREANAL FATIGUE TREATED?
Once these results are obtained, a personalized treatment plan is developed to help the patient restore their adrenal glands to a normal functioning level and improve their health. Most corrective programs include lifestyle changes, dietary recommendations, specific supplements and intravenous therapies to rebuild your adrenals. The Meyer’s Cocktail is an excellent was to help rebuild adrenal gland fatigue. Cortisol or hydrocortisone may be used dependent upon the severity of the condition.

Since it takes 6 months to 2 years to rebuild your adrenal glands, the sooner you identify the problem the sooner you can begin to restore your health.

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