Treatments for Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

Adrenal Fatigue and other adrenal-related health disorders are far more prevalent than recognized.  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia are forms of adrenal gland dysfunction, and there are other disorders where adrenal gland dysfunction is the root cause. Many people with adrenal-related disorders go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed every day.  A vast majority of them have seen multiple doctors in their quest for diagnosis and solution.  Some have had to settle with living with their health condition, while a few finally get properly get diagnosed and treated.  Among those properly diagnosed, some never get the proper treatment and/or are simply given treatment for the symptoms.

Many physicians think that the deficiency of cortisol only results in Addison’s disease, which is the condition of near or total failure of cortisol secretion.  Likewise, many physicians physicians only recognize that the extreme elevation of cortisol as Cushing’s syndrome.  Moderate long-term, moderate elevations of cortisol are far more common than Cushing’s syndrome.

In my article titled, “Got Stress?  It May Be Adrenal Fatigue” I covered the definition, stages and diagnosis of Adrenal Fatigue.  In this article, I will cover the Functional Medicine treatment methods of each stage.  I will start with an overview of the stages.

Stages of Adrenal Dysfunction

The First Stage: – Alarm

The alarm stage, which is also known as the arousal stage, occurs at some type of immediate stress or acute emergency situation.  This is a healthy protective response.

The Second Stage: Resistance

The stage of resistance involves our body adapting to stress by changing the set point of the nervous system and a rise of cortisol by the adrenal glands.  The body (and brain) gets stuck in a response such that it acts like everything is an emergency situation.  This second stage can persist for days, months or years depending on the individual, and the severity or cumulative total of stressors in a given period of time.  It almost always lead to the final stage of adrenal dysfunction.  In this stage, a key adrenal hormone called DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone) tends to become depleted.  In addition, thyroid gland function often starts to go awry.

The Final Stage: Exhaustion – Adrenal Fatigue

The stage of exhaustion involves the depletion of the adrenal glands ability to make cortisol and other key hormones such as DHEA.  This stage is also called Adrenal Fatigue.  This stage occurs with many people who have had a major stressor that their body never recovered from, or with multiple cumulative stressors eventually taking their toll on the body.  Examples of common cumulative stressors are: allergies, smoking or consistent exposure to second-hand cigarette smoke, lack of sleep, poor diet, lack of or excessive exercise, many prescription and nonprescription drugs, caffeine, dissatisfaction with work and relationships, and lack of relaxation.  When adrenal fatigue occurs, thyroid gland dysfunction often progresses to hypothyroidism.

Treatment Methods

The treatment of adrenal fatigue syndrome depends on the stage of the adrenal dysfunction and the severity of adrenal fatigue.

Treatment for Stage 2 – Adrenal Gland Resistance

The treatment goal is to reset the adrenal glands, specifically the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), to lower the output of cortisol to normal levels and bring DHEA to normal levels.  A multi-faceted approach is the most effective way to restore normal adrenal function.  It can take anywhere from 6 to 18 months, depending on the state of adrenal dysfunction.

1. Control Blood Sugar (Cortisol levels are greatly influenced by blood glucose levels.  As blood glucose levels dip below 70 mg/dl, cortisol rises until blood glucose is stabilized. )
2. Down Regulating Cortisol and the HPA Axis
3. Normalize DHEA levels
4. Balance the Body’s Stress Response
5. Decrease Conversion of Adrenal Hormones to Estrogens
6. Decrease Food and Environmental Allergies
7. Increase Cellular Energy Production
8. Decrease Inflammation
9. Modulate Structural/Neurological Influences on Cortisol Output

Treatment for the Final Stage – Adrenal Fatigue

1. Control Blood Sugar (Cortisol levels are greatly influenced by blood glucose levels.  As blood glucose levels dip below 70 mg/dl, cortisol rises until blood glucose is stabilized. )
2. Normalize DHEA levels
3. Balance the Body’s Stress Response
4. Decrease Conversion of Adrenal Hormones to Estrogens
5. Decrease Food and Environmental Allergies
6. Increase Cellular Energy Production
7. Decrease Inflammation
8. Modulate Structural/Neurological Influences on Cortisol Output
9. Lifestyle management (including relaxation, emotional response, and sleep, work, and eating patterns)
10. Support healthy cortisol production through:
    1. Herbs, Pregnenolone, Cortisol and DHEA<
    2. Vitamins and Minerals
    3. Adrenal Glandular Extracts
    4. Diet
    5. Exercise

These treatments are effective because they address and/or correct the processes that caused the problem. 

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Copyright © 2009 Dr Douglas Husbands. All rights reserved