What Causes Adrenal Fatigue and How Can You Treat It?

Are you feeling suddenly tired, lightheaded, thin, and pale? If not, are you experiencing general tiredness that just isn’t how you normally feel?

The problem could very well be adrenal fatigue. We’re going to take a look at what this condition is, what causes adrenal fatigue, and what you can do to try and treat it.

Hopefully, this article can give you some insight into the difficulties you’re having and help you navigate a path toward better health.

Let’s get started.

What Causes Adrenal Fatigue?

Adrenal fatigue is a general set of symptoms that comes from an imbalance of hormone production from your adrenal glands. Adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that contribute to your sense of well being, energy lives, mood, and much more.

A deficiency in these glands can lead to general depreciation of energy and mood, followed by more significant health issues and potentially disease.

General adrenal fatigue can arise in otherwise healthy people, while the most serious cases occur in those who have recently stopped taking corticosteroids after a period of long use.

Some autoimmune disorders such as Addison’s disease can also cause adrenal deficiencies.

Diagnosis

If you’re experiencing symptoms that resemble adrenal fatigue, the best thing you can do is go get a blood test. A blood test determines the amount of cortisol in your blood, which will tell the doctor whether or not your adrenal gland is the issue.

You can go to your general practitioner to get a referral or call a mens health clinic directly to see if they’ll see you.

Tests usually occur in the morning because the body’s cortisol levels tend to drop naturally in the early afternoon through the rest of the day. If there’s any question as to the results of your test, your doctor might ask for subsequent blood tests that check for things like potassium, ACTH, renin, aldosterone, and more.

This is because the issue could lie in the adrenal gland’s production of one particular hormone rather than a general failure across all hormones.

Treatment

The treatment for adrenal fatigue is typically a prescription for a corticosteroid. This is because cortisol tends to be the main issue in these deficiencies. You might be prescribed a different hormone supplement if your issue lies with a less common hormone.

Some special cases might require surgery. You’ll also need to stay in touch with your doctor to adjust your medication levels if you are ill. Illnesses can put undue strain on your hormone production, and the medication you’re taking might have to be lessened or strengthened while you’re sick.

These are issues that you’ll be informed of if your doctor determines that you do have adrenal fatigue. The only way to really know is to go in and get a blood test.

Still Can’t Pin Down Your Symptoms?

Understanding what causes adrenal fatigue is a big step in identifying and treating it. Hopefully, you’ve come closer to understanding what’s causing you to feel so tired.

That said, you might have to keep searching for your answers. We’re here to help. Explore our site for more ideas and insights into health, illness, and wellbeing.