Have you ever felt down for no reason? A dull fatigue comes over your whole mind and body and you just feel flat. It is annoying because you don’t know why - nobody has upset you, your life is happy, your dog is happy and your job is going well. The day drags on and you try to find your old self but you do not find anything to spike your feeling of wellbeing. You could say you feel depressed and maybe a little bit anxious? You have lost your fighting spirit and you want it back!

Well, this can be a sign that the levels of adrenalin in your bloodstream are down. You need adrenalin in adequate amounts to feel energized, motivated and ready to take on the challenges and battles of life. So adrenalin is precious stuff! Adrenalin is manufactured in the adrenal glands, the sympathetic nervous system and your brain.

The adrenal glands can be compared to energizing batteries in our body. The soft center of the adrenal glands is called the adrenal medulla and it manufactures adrenalin from the amino acid tyrosine. The medulla secretes adrenalin into the blood stream where it is carried to all parts of the body. The adrenals produce and secrete adrenalin continually to regulate heart rate and blood pressure and to stimulate our nervous system in many ways. If your adrenals are unable to produce adequate adrenalin levels, you will feel fatigued and probably depressed- really just like a flat battery.

Some people crave stimulants such as sugar, nicotine, caffeine or cocaine because these substances cause the adrenal glands to pump out more adrenalin.

The adrenal glands are very high in fat and fat is easily oxidized by free radicals; thus our adrenal glands are vulnerable to damage from many causes. I call our adrenal glands our "survival glands" and we need to support them if we want an energetic, healthy and happy life.

What are the symptoms of underactive adrenal glands?

  • Extreme fatigue, often worse in the mornings
  • Low blood pressure
  • Dizziness and light headedness
  • Excess inflammation anywhere in the body which may manifest as fibromyalgia, or other painful conditions
  • Depression and anxiety

Testing your adrenal function

It is easy to check the function of your adrenal glands - a blood test to measure cortisol levels in the morning and evening is done, as well as levels of DHEA. If the cortisol levels are below the normal range a specialized test is done to diagnose adrenal failure. If the cortisol levels are within the normal range but are at the lower limit of the normal range, we can diagnose adrenal malfunction. Adrenal malfunction needs to be monitored as it can progress to adrenal failure. Endocrinologists treat adrenal failure with synthetic steroids namely hydrocortisone, fludrocortisone and this is life saving.

Adrenal malfunction can be caused by -

  • Chronic stress, especially post traumatic stress disorder
  • Chronic insomnia
  • Heavy smoking
  • Aging
  • Hardening of the arteries that supply blood to the adrenal glands
  • Diabetes
  • Adrenal gland dysfunction of mild to moderate degree is much more common than adrenal gland failure, but still it can produce crippling fatigue if left untreated.

Supplements to boost adrenal gland function include -

Vitamin C in a dose of 2,000mg daily - this is very protective of the adrenal glands. The highest concentrations of vitamin C are found in the adrenal and pituitary glands and that is because these fatty glands are prone to damage. The body stores vitamin C in these glands because it knows they need to be protected. Yes the body knows these are our survival glands.

Magnesium in a dose of 200 to 400mg daily

Adrenal Plus Support tablets - Certain herbs and nutrients are wonderfully restorative to the adrenal glands. B vitamins, particularly B5, plus the herbs Rhodiola, Siberian ginseng and withania are all nourishing and supportive of the adrenal glands. These are combined together in Adrenal Plus Support tablets.

The above statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any disease.