Treating and Preventing Adrenal Fatigue

The treatment of Adrenal Fatigue syndrome depends on the signs and symptoms it manifests. It is important to know what hormones are abnormal and the proper way of correcting them. It is also important to be able to give supportive medications to reduce the effects of this ordeal to the patient. We can detect these abnormalities by ourselves by simply observing changes in our day to day activities.

Most signs and symptoms are associated with the hormones produced from the Adrenal glands. The usual signs and symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome are the following:

The low levels of Glucocorticoids cause a negative feedback mechanism that stimulates an increase in Adenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) production. Low Cortisol causes hypoglycemia because there will inhibition of gluconeogenesis that forms glucose. Hypoglycemia will manifest as weight loss, weakness, somnolence, depression, nausea and vomiting. The increase in ACTH levels will manifest as hyperpigmentation in the skin because ACTH will increase Melanocyte Stimulating hormone that produces skin pigmentation called melanin. This is treated by administration of Glucocorticoids and mineral corticoids.

Aldosterone, a hormone produced in the Adrenal cortex will also decrease causing ECF volume contraction, hypotension, hyperkalemia which causes cardiac arrhythmias and a severe form known as metabolic acidosis. Correcting Aldosterone deficit is very crucial in the management of Adrenal Fatigue.

Abnormalities in Androgenic hormones or the sex hormones levels will manifest as hair loss, decrease sex drive, virility, obesity and impotence. The treatment is hormonal replacement with injectable estrogens and testosterone.

Another hormone affected in Adrenal Crisis is the endorphins, known as the natural analgesics. Abnormality of this hormone will be seen as inability to have a sound sleep, irritability, agitation, anxiety and inability to concentrate.

Other hormones that are not secreted by the Adrenals are also affected like the production and action of the thyroid hormones, the neurotransmitter dopamine that is used in the brain for conduction and is the deficiency in Parkinson’s disease. This is the reason why some cases of Adrenal Fatigue will be misdiagnosed as Parkinsonism or Thyroid disease. Management must be precise. The physician must be keen to find out the real cause of the abnormality in order to treat it appropriately. Certain tumors may also cause adrenal fatigue.

Adrenal fatigue is also associated with the recurrent viral infections like Influenza and Pneumonia caused by viruses. Treatment of these diseases must be done immediately to prevent severity. Preventive measures may be best seen in the form of vaccinations and immunizations especially to the younger age group and to the elderly.

Adrenal fatigue can be prevented by avoiding exposure of too much stress. Stress comes in many forms such as physical stress, emotional stress, psychological stress and stress from trauma. Exposure to stress will stimulate the Adrenal Glands to respond because that is its function. However, when stress exposure is repeated, the Adrenals burnout causing Adrenal fatigue. Certain Neuroendocrine tumors also because adrenal fatigue, it is important that we must visit our doctors annually for check ups in order to detect abnormalities and health problems early.

The Effect of Adrenal Fatigue to Hair Growth

Hair loss can be a devastating disease for both men and women. The hair molds the shape of our face to make us more attractive. It protects the skull from heat and cold temperatures. The main function of the hair in the body is for thermoregulation.

Hair growth is regulated by specific hormones. These are the same hormones that gave us our secondary sexual characteristics like the formation of the Adam apple in males and the breast and body curvature in females. These hormones are called the Androgenic hormones.

Androgenic hormones are produced in the Adrenal glands and regulated by the hypothalamus and pituitary glands or what is now known collectively as the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis. The HPG axis is an important part of the neuroendocrine system of the body because each of the glands regulates the function of another. This regulatory mechanism is known as the feedback mechanisms. So just imagine how the destruction of this system which is known as Adrenal fatigue, affects the body and how it causes hair loss.

The two main hormones that are linked to hair loss are the Testosterone and Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Testosterone comes from DHEA. First, Cholesterol, which is the precursor of Gonadal and steroid hormones is acted upon by certain enzymes to become Pregninolone, then further acted upon to become DHEA.

Dehydroepiandrosterone is synthesized into Androstenedione. Androstenedione will be made into testosterone and stays as is in males but in females, it is further processed into estradiol to form estrogen.

In Adrenal fatigue, there is a dysfunctional adrenal system which means there will be a malfunction on the processes of obtaining Testosterone and DHEA. Hair loss in can be due to an excess in testosterone concentration due to a defective synthesis or the system is unable to convert testosterone to estradiol. Both males and females will be affected by this. High levels of testosterone will cause hair loss.

Another defect which can be found in the early stages of the system is the inability of the glands to produce Andrenocorticotropin (ACTH) which stimulates the synthesis of Cholesterol into Steroid hormones and androgenic hormones. ACTH is produced in the Pituitary gland. The production of ACTH is regulated by the Cortisol production of the Adrenal glands through the negative feedback mechanism. When there is an elevated level of Cortisol detected in the system, the Pituitary glands will stop the production of ACTH. In Adrenal fatigue, abnormally excessive levels of Cortisol are present and thus, inhibit the production of ACTH.

To summarize this article, hair loss in men and women can be brought about by Adrenal fatigue. The malfunction of the Adrenal glands also disrupts the function of the other glands in the hypothalamic-pituitary-Gonadal axis causing drastic changes in the production of important hormones and enzymes in the body like the synthesis of DHEA and testosterone from Cholesterol leading to hair loss and sexual and reproductive abnormalities. It is very important to look for the signs and symptoms of Adrenal fatigue in order to have the proper hormonal correction. The Neuroendocrine system is one of the most essential and most important systems in the human body.

Adrenal Fatigue & Pregnancy

Pregnancy is the essence of a woman. There will always come a time in a woman’s life when she decides to bear a child of her own. It is very important to learn the important aspect about pregnancy. The things that make it possible and the things that makes it impossible to obtain. This article is about pregnancy and how it is affected by an abnormality in one of the important systems in our body. The effects of which is not only focused on women but also on men to their role as a donor in women’s pregnancy.

Adrenal fatigue is the destruction of the Adrenal glands due to certain factors that makes the glands insufficient to perform its role in the human body’s homeostasis. Adrenal failure can be caused by trauma like blunt injury to the kidneys, or maybe due to autoimmune diseases like Addison’s disease. The most appropriate definition for Adrenal fatigue is the shutting down of the Adrenal glands.

The Adrenal gland is found just right above each kidney. It is an almond shaped gland that functions as a producer of several hormones required in the body and brain in order to perform their functions. The Adrenal gland secretes androgens or the so called sex hormones namely Testosterone in males and Estrogen in females. These sex hormones are required for fertility and reproduction. Destruction of the Adrenal glands or Adrenal fatigue may either cause abnormally excessive or abnormally low production of androgenic hormones where both of which will cause bad effects to the Reproductive system.

Adrenal fatigue that causes increasing androgenic hormones will cause virilization in women. These means that women will be unable to produce eggs that can be fertilized and germinate. The high levels of estrogen will have a contraceptive effect to the female reproductive system. No pregnancy will then occur in this case. If in case, pregnancy occurs, it becomes very vulnerable to rejection and will eventually lead to spontaneous abortion within 4-6 weeks of gestation.

In Adrenal fatigue with low production of hormones, pregnancy is possible and is obtained in most of the cases. However, studies show that the peak levels of hormones in the onset of Adrenal fatigue, when severed by the physiologic changes in pregnancy, makes it risky for the gestation to complete. Pregnancy itself creates hormonal changes in the body to prepare the body for growth and delivery of the baby. These hormonal changes will then be added to the hormonal changes brought about in adrenal fatigue hat results into a fatal hormonal imbalanced. However, when detected early, the pregnancy can be supplemented by hormonal treatment until delivery.

There is one study in the internet that states that most women that has Adrenal fatigue in pregnancy will most likely bear children with congenital defects and children with hormonal defects. This study however, has not yet been confirmed by the World Health Organization.

Adrenal fatigue is in fact a dangerous regimen for pregnancy. However, when detected at the earliest time possible, treatment can be given and complications will be minimized. The best way to have a safe and healthy pregnancy is to always visit your doctors for annual checks ups. As they say: “Prevention is always better than cure.”

A Dull Adrenal Functions Will Lead To A Wasted Exercise

A low tolerance to exercise can be a sign of a defective Adrenal gland. Hormones do regulate the body’s ability to respond to stress and its effect. If a person goes to gym daily and still can’t burn his fats, he is maybe having an insufficiency of Cortisol in his system that is secondary to Adrenal fatigue.

The Adrenal glands is a pair of almond shaped organs located right above each kidney. It produces number hormones necessary by several functions of the body including the response to stress and exercise. The main hormone involve is called Cortisol which is also known as Glucocorticoid.

Cortisol is a steroid produced in the Adrenal cortex of the Adrenal glands. It is essential in response to stress like exercise. It increases protein catabolism in muscles and decreases protein synthesis providing more amino acids for gluconeogenesis in the liver yielding glucose for energy production. In Adrenal fatigue, there is a decrease or absence of Glucocorticoid or Cortisol production which means that there will also be a decrease in muscle catabolism and growth. The energy production will also be low providing less energy for exercise. A person with Adrenal Fatigue will have lesser tolerance to exercise and stress.

Cortisol also increases lipolysis decreasing fat accumulation and producing more glycerol for energy production. In Adrenal fatigue, the decrease in Cortisol results to a decrease in lipolysis causing accumulation of fat and energy deficiency. Exercise will be insufficient and ineffective in burning fats.

Glucocorticoids also have anti inflammatory effects by inhibiting the release of histamines and prostglandins. A person with Adrenal fatigue will be more prone to easy muscle fatigue and muscle injury and inflammation. Glucocorticoids or steroids are gaining popularity in athletes and body builders because of its effect to exercise.

Other important hormones affected in Adrenal fatigue are the Cathecolamines namely Epinephrine and Norepinephrine, and the sex hormones called Androgens. The Cathecolamines reduction leads to a decrease in cardiac output causing decreasing tolerance during exercise. The Androgen in males called Testosterone, when deficient due to Adrenal Fatigue, decreases masculinity and also decreases exercise tolerance.

In females, Adrenal fatigue causes a decrease in the hormone called Estrogen. The hormone helps form the female curves and distinct physical features like the breast and butt. When there is Adrenal fatigue, Estrogen levels fall which means that aside from the decrease in exercise tolerance, there will also be a less effect seen on the exercise as to the goal of obtaining the perfect female body.

In some instances, Sexual intercourse is considered an exercise. Adrenal fatigue also affects sexual performance in both males and females in the reproductive age group. As the activity of the Adrenal glands turns dull, Testosterone levels in males and Estrogen levels in females go down causing a change in sexual performance. There will be a decrease in libido, a decrease interest to sex and a decrease in pleasure or sensitivity making it very difficult to attain orgasm.

Adrenal fatigue limits a person’s tolerance to exercise as the result of the decrease in the production of hormones which aids in the production of energy, utilization of fats, building of muscles and inhibition of inflammation. Exercise is an important aspect in people’s lives. So Adrenal fatigue should be diagnosed early and treated early in order to avoid the bad complications that will follow in the future.

Adrenal Fatigue Causes Clinical Depression

Depression is the state of diminishing mood and activity aversion leading to loss of interest to a person’s usual activities, withdrawal to society, inability to work, anxiety, loss of appetite, diminishing sleep and concentration, false judgments and self-destruction. Depression is considered a normal reaction of human beings to traumatic experiences such as fatal accidents, loss of loved ones, and failures. Usually, this kind of depression will just subside in time approbatory after about 3-4 weeks as the person eventually learns to accept and forget those traumatic experiences. However, there is another type that stays and becomes chronic which requires medical intervention. This type of depression is known as Clinical depression.

Clinical depression is the severe and pathologic type of depression where the symptoms alleviate and become severe. If left untreated and misdiagnosed, it often results in psychosis and suicidal tendencies. Clinical depression is said to be a complication of certain abnormalities or malfunctions in the body’s system. This type of depression results from a malfunction of the body’s system which led to either hyper secretion or hypo secretion of certain hormones that regulate the mood center of the brain. The most common system that affects the brain is the Adrenal glands.

The adrenal glands are a pair of glands located just above each kidney. It is has two portions, the adrenal cortex and the adrenal medulla. The adrenal cortex is responsible for the production of steroids namely the cortisol, corticosteroids and adrenalin. The Adrenal medulla secretes epinephrine and norepinephrine. These hormones play an important role which is to regulate the function of other organs in the body including the function of the brain. That is why Adrenal fatigue results to Clinical depression.

Adrenal fatigue, also called Adrenal burnout, has been pointed out as one of the causes of Depression due to the changes of Cortisol and the catecholamine levels in Adrenal fatigue that will cause a significant effect to the function of the brain and other organs in the body. Adrenal fatigue disables the production of cathecolamines. Dopamine is one of the major neurotransmitters of the brain. The low dopamine levels paralyze the activities of the brain causing mood changes like depression. A test was taken from a group of patients suffering from Clinical depression that compares Cortisol levels from the day of admission and the time when the depression is gone. The study showed abnormally low levels of Cortisol in most of the patients during the onset of depression then returned to normal when the patients were cured from it. The explanation for this is that during Adrenal fatigue, the adrenal glands produce less Cortisol. Cortisol is essential for the response to stress inhibiting the hormone responsible for stress in the brain called Serotonin. The absence of Cortisol will lead to susceptibility to emotional stress which leads to depression.

Adrenal fatigue is only one of the many causes of Clinical depression. As the Adrenal glands shutdowns and malfunctions, the different organs in the body including the brain, also suffer malfunction.

Depression is considered as one of the leading causes of death in the world. It is also a leading cause of disability in both men and women around the world. Early diagnosis and proper management of the disease will prevent its tragic outcome.

Dr. Wilson – AdrenalFatigue.Org

Pacific College & Chinese Solution

Medcenter

Probiotics: How It Helps Against Candida

You’ve probably heard a lot of health gurus talked about probiotics all the time. If my assumption is correct, all that you’ve heard them talk about is that all that these microorganisms do is make your stomach feel comfortable. However, there are more to probiotics than they are letting on. For one, probiotics are your main line of defense if you can to be from getting candida,

Candida, also known as yeast infection occurs when there is an overgrowth of fungus that typically comes in the form of Candida albicans. It is a prevalent disease that is cited by the Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology to occur in at least one-third of the population. It thrives on moist places such in your mouth, stomach or vagina. Being pregnant, gaining a lot of weight, or having a comprised immune system can possibly put you at risk of having a yeast infection.

However, on most occasions, the overgrowth of candida is triggered by an imbalance of pathogenic and beneficial probiotics in the gut known as dysbiosis. It has been reported by The Journal of Infectious Disease that both in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that use of broad-spectrum antibiotics has a role on increasing your risk of having candida infection.

Much of what this article will focus on is the topic of dysbiosis. In addition, it would cite some reasons on how probiotics can be used to fight of yeast infection. To start with, there are two types of yeast infection that results from dysbiosis. These are systemic candida overgrowth and systemic candida overgrowth.

Types of Overgrowth

When C. albicans overly populate the gut area, the absorption of mineral and vitamins can be impaired; thus increasing the intestinal pH suitable for yeasts to thrive in. If left untreated, it could potentially become systemic.

The penetration of C. albicans on the bloodstream is called systemic candida. It does so with the use of the root-like part of this fungus known as mycelium. When it goes out of the gut-lining into the bloodstream, it spreads throughout the circulatory system and restricts the responses of the immune system. Therefore, graver symptoms could manifest such as sinus congestion, muscle pains, mental confusion and brain fog.

Researches Showing Evidence of Probiotic Benefits

It has been noted by the Clinical Infectious Disease journal of 2006 that a randomized controlled trial on 80 premature infants who have high risk of contracting yeast infection can be protected by receiving probiotics for six consecutive weeks.

In a study published by the Annals of Internal Medicine, it showed that the group of women who consumed yoghurt containing Lactobacillus acidophilus for six months has lower levels of recurrence in comparison with the control group. In addition, a randomized controlled trial printed at the Letters in Applied Microbiology concluded that oral administration of both Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus rhamnosus worked hand in hand to increase the effectiveness of antifungal drug. Furthermore, an article on the Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy claims that vaginal introduction of lactobacillus lessens the chance of risk of yeast having an overgrowth again in the future.

As various studies have shown, every strain of lactobacillus causes a differing effect on the restriction and balancing of yeast overgrowths. Thanks to the emerging technology of our world, these strains are already made available as supplements. A few dosage of lactobacillus is available in many manufactured food as well. Just make sure that you check the labels to ensure that the strains included are those that will help neutralize your gut flora. Look at the label as well to see the advised amount of dosage. It contains information regarding the number of colony forming units. As a minimum, a dosage containing ten billion live culture of lactobacillus can reduce your risk of having yeast infection as well as help you have a normal bowel function. I would highly advise you to consult your doctor before taking any medication aside from your daily consumption of yoghurt.

Other Alternatives

Taking up probiotic supplements with saccharomyces boulardii can also treat alleviate your yeast infection up to 90%. It does so by producing compounds that prevent biofilm formation and can inhibit the adherence of candida cells to the intestinal lining. It can also reduce candida in your body by crowding the intestinal wall so that the yeasts can no longer have any binding sites. Saccharomyces boulardii is an acclaimed probiotic treatment specifically for those who have systemic infection. It specifically targets gastrointestinal organs such as the kidney, spleen and liver.

Doctors would usually advise you to initially take two capsules a day during the first week of your treatment. Once your body has adjusted to it, you will be asked to take three capsules until your yeast infection has been cured.

When taking this particular probiotic medication, you might experience feeling worse than what you are experiencing at the moment. When candida cells are being destroyed, it releases around seventy kinds of toxins in your body. However, this side effect is just normal and temporary. I would encourage you to have milk thistle as you take saccharomyces boulardii supplements so that you can lessen any discomfort that you might feel.

Sources

Dr Jacob’s material on Candida Diet http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/jacob-teitelbaum-md/candida-eliminating-yeastfungal-overgrowth

Dr. Eric Bakker on Candida Diet and Candida Treatment http://www.yeastinfection.org/the-candida-crusher-diet/

Bernhardt H. & Knoke M. 1997. Mycological Aspects of Gastrointestinal Microflora.
Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 32 Suppl 222: 102-106.

Krause R, Schwab E, Bachhiesl D, et al. 2001. Role of Candida in Antibiotic-associated
Diarrhea. The Journal of Infectious Diseases 184: 1065-1069.

Manzoni P, Mastert M, Leonessa ML, Priolo C, Farina D, Monetti C, Latino MA, Gomirato G. 2006. Supplementation with Lactobacillus casei Subspecies rhamnosus Prevents Enteric Colonisation by Candida Species in Pre-term Neonates: A Randomised Study. Clinical Infectious Diseases 42: 1735-1742.

Hilton E, Isenberg HD, Alperstein P, France K, Borenstein MT. 1992. Ingestion of Yogurt Containing Lactobacillus acidophilus as Prophylaxis for Candidal Vaginitis. Annals of Internal Medicine 116: 353-357.

Martinez R, Franceschini S, Patta M, Quintana SM, Candido RC, Ferreira JC, De Martinis EC, Reid G. 2009. Improved treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis with fluconazole plus probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14. Letters in Applied Microbiology 48: 269-274.

Falagas ME, Betsi GI & Athanasiou S. 2006. Probiotics for prevention of recurrent
vulvovaginal candidiasis: a review. Journal of Antimocrobial Chemotherapy 58: 266-272.