Adrenal Fatigue: What Is It, How Does It Happen, and How Is It Treated?

Are you constantly feeling tired even when you know that you have had a good night’s rest? Is your craving for salty foods on the higher end? If this describes you, then you should seek treatment for adrenal fatigue in Houston, TX.

For most doctors, fatigue is one of the most common issues that land people in the hospital, yet it can be a headache to find the underlying cause. Most conventional doctors will perform physical examinations, obtain your medical history, and carry out blood tests. There is nothing wrong with using those diagnostic tools; the problem is that they usually come back with no explanations.

However, through natural medicine in Houston, we can diagnose and treat adrenal fatigue in Houston.

Adrenal Fatigue, In a Nutshell

For most people, this can be a new term. However, it has been around for some time. The term was first used 22 years ago when Chiropractor James Wilson coined it. The condition is characterized by overstimulated adrenal glands that cause a group of related symptoms, including chronic fatigue and abdominal pain.

The overstimulation can be due to burnout, chronic stress, and shut down of the adrenal glands. However, as the years have passed, the condition is now also referred to as HPA axis dysfunction.

This is a more accurate diagnosis of the condition since it recognizes that there could be the probability that your adrenal glands are not producing sufficient hormones due to another problem in the brain.

Therefore, HPA stands for the hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands. These components play the following roles in the body:

• Hypothalamus. This is the part of the brain responsible for maintaining equilibrium (homeostasis) by regulating body temperature, sleep, thirst, hunger, emotions, and so much more.
• Pituitary gland. This is a small gland located in the brain responsible for regulating endocrine glands such as the adrenal gland.
• Adrenal glands. These glands are located above the kidneys that produced hormones such as aldosterone, adrenaline, cortisol, noradrenaline, and androgenic steroids.

How Do These Glands Work to Keep You Healthy?

These three glands have a complex interconnection and work in concert to maintain your body’s major functions such as mood, metabolism, immunity, energy, and stress response.

They work by a biofeedback system. In layman’s terms, your hypothalamus has “message receivers,” which naturally regulate how the hormones function. These receivers pick up on internal hormone levels, as well as external stressors, to prevent the overproduction of these hormones in response to the stress.

Here’s how they work together:

• When you are under stress, your hypothalamus responds by secreting a hormone known as (CRH) corticotropin-releasing hormone. Then this hormone signals the pituitary gland.
• The pituitary gland then releases the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in response to CRH. This hormone signals the adrenal glands.
• Then the adrenal glands respond to ACTH by producing glucocorticoids such as cortisol to help manage the stress.

How Does HPA Axis Dysfunction Happen?

For thousands of years, this sophisticated system has been underappreciated. Back then, there wasn’t that much exposure to stressful conditions as it is right now. The continuous stressors such as sleep deprivation, work pressure, sugar, processed food, and toxins that we are exposed to typically stimulate the HPA axis negatively.

In other words, your body may perceive that you are under attack. The HPA axis was not designed to operate under continuous stress. This is the reason why you might experience symptoms such as:

Therefore, when the HPA axis is under constant pressure or stress, HPA dysfunction can happen. This means that one component in the system is not working as it should.

How Is HPA Axis Dysfunction Treated?

For you to maintain the balance that your body needs for you to live a healthy and productive life, our doctor suggests the following:

Decrease Stress

You cannot completely eradicate stress, but you can learn how to manage it. Here are some of the ways that you can manage stress:

• Exercise
• Meditation
• Unplugging from electronic devices
• Deep breathing exercises

Eat the Right Foods

Your body is built by what you consume. At the same time, there are hidden treasures in food that can help bring balance to your day. Consider eating the following foods:

• Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B complex, vitamin C, and magnesium
• Use herbal supplements such as licorice roots and golden root
• High protein foods
• Vegetables
• Whole grains

You should try and avoid:

• Processed foods
• Caffeine
• Fried foods
• Simple carbohydrates, including sugar

Timing is everything. To properly regulate your blood sugar, you need to eat your food at the right time.

The Takeaway

HPA axis dysfunction can reduce the quality of your life significantly. Contact our doctor at My Pure MD if you need treatment for HPA axis dysfunction in Houston, TX.