Adrenal fatigue and HPA axis dysregulation (HPA-D)
Diagnosis
The term “adrenal fatigue” applies to a family of symptoms, including fatigue, nervousness, brain fog, sleep issues, and digestive problems. In essence, what we call “adrenal fatigue” is your body constantly experiencing a fight-or-flight response, which in turn leads to immune system burnout. People with symptoms of “adrenal fatigue” are often tired during the day, wired at night, and experiencing chronic stress all the dang time. On top of that, they can have body aches, lightheadedness, hair loss, and GI issues. Why do we keep putting “adrenal fatigue” in quotes? Here’s why: your adrenal glands, which sit on top of your kidneys, secrete hormones, including cortisol. The idea behind adrenal fatigue is that as your body experiences stress, more cortisol is released, leading to low cortisol in your adrenal glands (they are tired!). However, many people with adrenal fatigue symptoms actually have normal or high cortisol levels. While the term “adrenal fatigue” is recognized by modern practitioners, it has yet to be accepted as a conventional diagnosis. Why? Because this term is really a summary of stress response symptoms that are often caused by a hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation or dysfunction, which plays a role in your response to stress. Basically, HPA-D is our stress response system. Calling it “adrenal fatigue” is actually incorrect terminology, though it has gained popularity. (Do note that it could also be adrenal insufficiency or, in extreme cases of low cortisol, Addison’s disease. Best to get it checked out!) If you’re experiencing adrenal fatigue symptoms, advocate for yourself. Don’t doubt your symptoms! Consulting with practitioners of functional and alternative medicine is a great first step to breaking the cycle of HPA axis dysfunction. Whether you call it “adrenal fatigue” or something else, getting well is what matters most.
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