Chronic fatigue and adrenal insufficiency can be suspectedDr. Esther Yeo

Chronic fatigue, it may be due to 'this'.

If you know the exact cause, treatment is also possible. However, there is chronic fatigue that has no known cause. Even if you do a comprehensive checkup from head to toe, you won't find the cause. It's hard to get up in the morning and I don't have the strength to lift a finger. Some people say that their bodies ache and they are so tired that they can't even breathe. Even if you go to the doctor, there is nothing wrong with you, so they tell you to eat well, exercise hard, and sleep well. However, I can't eat properly because I don't have an appetite, and I can't exercise because I don't have energy. I can't get a good night's sleep.

After a few months of experiencing these symptoms, most doctors recommend that you see a psychiatrist. When you go to a psychiatrist, you are usually diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and illness. This is followed by the prescription of medication. However, I stop taking the medication within 1~2  weeks of starting to take it. This is because people who have suffered from chronic fatigue for a long time and have lost their physical strength may find it difficult to endure even mild initial side effects of antidepressants, such as nausea and a feeling of settling. In this case, a decrease in adrenal gland function is a major cause of fatigue.

What are adrenal glands?

Many people know about the stomach, liver, large intestine, and small intestine, but they don't know much about the adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are attached like a hat over both kidneys. The adrenal glands are very small organs, weighing only about 5 grams each, but the hormones they secrete do are very diverse and important. The adrenal glands are involved in maintaining blood sugar and blood pressure, producing energy, and have a variety of functions, including anti-inflammatory, immune function, and regulating the secretion of sex hormones. In addition, the adrenal glands act as an autonomic system that maintains the body's autonomic nervous system well even in the face of  numerous stresses and external stimuli. There are two types of autonomic nerves: sympathetic and parasympathetic. When the sympathetic nervous system develops, the adrenal glands release a hormone called cortisol. Cortisol alters the condition of the body so that when the body is in danger, it can get out of the dangerous situation. Your blood pressure, blood sugar, and pulse rate rise so you can run well, your pupils dilate to see your surroundings better, your hands sweat, and you can grip your arms well. It also helps you stay focused when you need to work hard. Cortisol should be released in sufficient quantities when needed, and when it is resting, it should stop secreting like a faucet. However, if you look at people who are suffering from chronic stress, they don't get cortisol when they need it, and on the contrary, they get cortisol when they need to rest. This lowers the immune system and increases the body's inflammatory response, leading to digestive disorders such as gastritis and stomach ulcers.

Human beings encounter a lot of stress in their lives. At first, the adrenal glands, which do their job well by secreting hormones to cope with the situation, eventually get tired and cannot squeeze out the hormones properly. When the adrenal glands get tired and can't function properly, they can't produce energy, so they don't have energy all the time and their memory suffers. It's hard to get up in the morning, and it's hard to sleep. The most important cause of chronic fatigue of unknown origin is adrenal exhaustion.

Second, you need to eat well.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind for people with adrenal fatigue. It is better not to eat a lot of food at once, but to eat it little by little and often over 5~6 times. When you eat food, blood sugar stimulates the adrenal glands and increases cortisol secretion.

 

Breakfast in particular is a must. This is because just before waking up is the time of day when cortisol secretion is at its lowest. You should eat breakfast in some form within 1~2 hours of getting out of bed, especially before 10am. Simple whole-grain cereals are good, and you can drink low-fat milk. 4 p.m. is also important. This is because around this time, the secretion of cortisol drops to its lowest concentration during the day. At this time, snacks are good. Nuts or low-fat yogurt are recommended over refined carbs like bread and sweets. This is because refined carbohydrates temporarily raise blood sugar and eliminate fatigue, but after an hour or two, they cause hypoglycemia, which can lead to dizziness and worsen fatigue symptoms. A small snack that is not sweet can help you overcome afternoon fatigue. It's also a good idea to eat something a little salty. In general, eating salty foods is bad for your health, but salt can help people with severe adrenal fatigue. This is because sodium temporarily aids in the secretion of cortisol in the adrenal glands. This means that it's best to eat breakfast a little salty, not too bland.

On the other hand, orange juice and vegetable juice, which are high in potassium, can cause sodium to be excreted from the body and cause a temporary increase in fatigue symptoms, so it is best to avoid them in the morning. As for fruits, bananas and cantaloupe are high in potassium. Eating these fruits in the morning can help you lose sodium, making you feel more sluggish. Of course, this is true for people with adrenal fatigue. If you're a person who doesn't suffer from adrenal fatigue, there's no reason to eat salty, and there's no reason to avoid oranges or bananas in the morning.

 

Third, you need to go to bed at a certain time.

People with adrenal fatigue will feel worse immediately even if there is only a 1~2 hour difference in sleep time. If possible, it is recommended to go to bed and wake up at a certain time to maintain a regular body rhythm. You should travel abroad across continents and avoid meeting stressful people if you can.

 

 

Nutritional supplements to help with adrenal fatigue

As with regular fatigue, a multivitamin containing B vitamins is recommended first. This is because many of its ingredients, including B vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, selenium, and magnesium, help with efficient energy production and the synthesis of adrenal hormones.

 

In particular, it is recommended to take a formulation that contains enough vitamin B1, about 100 mg, rather than the recommended amount. If your multivitamin contains low levels of vitamin B1, you may want to add additional B vitamins. It's also important to choose a multivitamin that contains at least 100 mg of vitamin B5. Vitamin B5 is essential for maintaining adrenal function. Vitamin C also helps. However, unlike general fatigue, in the case of adrenal fatigue, the dose must be increased. It is recommended to take 4,000~10,000mg per day in divided doses.

 

Another important nutrient that helps with adrenal fatigue is protein preparations. It is often sold in powder form. When muscle mass, which is important for energy production, decreases, you feel more tired. The most important nutrient for building and maintaining muscle is protein. In patients with chronic fatigue syndrome, there are many reports of problems with the ratio of intake of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. In particular, we are susceptible to deficiencies in the essential amino acids phenylalanine and tryptophan, which are involved in sleep function, response to stress, and the synthesis of important neurotransmitters such as serotonin. In addition, amino acids such as tyrosine can be supplemented little by little. This is because tyrosine is a source of adrenal hormones and helps regulate stress and mood.

 

When it comes to protein preparations, it is recommended to avoid consuming high doses of one amino acid component and choose a powder that contains a variety of amino acids evenly.