
Dr. Lam Author of
|
|
|
|
Adrenal Fatigue Related Health Conditions
Michael Lam, MD, MPH
www.DrLam.com
Content
1. Metabolic System Imbalance
2. Musculoskeletal System Breakdown
3. Neurological System Dysfunction
4. Hormonal System Imbalance
5. Immune System Dysfunction
Fatigue and lethargy are common complaints amongst adult patients. Symptoms include tiredness, fearfulness, allergies, frequent influenza, arthritis, anxiety, depression, reduced memory and difficulties in concentrating, insomnia, feeling worn-out, inability to lose weight after extensive efforts points to adrenal fatigue. A weak adrenal system has profound systemic decompensatory actions, manifesting in a wide range of symptoms. No organ is spared. The organs affected and their resulting condition can be broadly classified into five major categories:
1. Metabolic System Imbalance. Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) is common during adrenal fatigue. This is normally due to the combination of low cortisol and high insulin levels when the body is under stress. The normal stress response by the adrenals is to increase the blood glucose level. As the output of cortisol reduces in adrenal exhaustion, glucose released is slowed. This slowing, along with a high insulin level, leads to increased demand for glucose. Ultimately, this leads to hypoglycemia. Common symptoms of low blood sugar include dizziness and fainting. As cellular energy demand is not being met by blood glucose, the body will turn to protein and fat as sources of energy. This pathway is not as efficient but is, nevertheless, put on overdrive in order to provide required energy. Without adequate cortisol levels to elevate blood sugar levels by facilitating the conversion of glycogen, fats, and proteins to new glucose supplies, this increased demand is difficult or impossible to meet. Clinically, one of the hallmarks of adrenal fatigue is irregular blood sugar patterns with hypoglycemia. In the presence of increased insulin and decreased cortisol, blood sugar drops rapidly. Frequent small meals are needed to replenish energy needs.
Hypoglycemia itself is a significant stress on the entire body, and especially on the adrenals. While this can be overcome with a "sugar fix "consisting of an instant load of sugary drink or food such as coffee or soda, this is a short acting emergency remedy only. Usually symptoms go away immediately, but return after 1-2 hours. Reactivation and restoration of normal cell function required extra amounts of energy beyond what is normally required for maintenance of normal energy burn. With each hypoglycemic episode, more cells are damaged. Thus, the body reaches a new low with each insult of hypoglycemia. If this happens at the same time as demand for glucose increases, the stage becomes set for an adrenal crisis. With each plunge, their adrenal fatigue increases and their hypoglycemia worsens. By the end of the day, the person may feel nearly exhausted without having done anything. Low blood sugar times are most likely to occur at around 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and from 3-4:00 PM.
Hypoglycemia is also related to autonomic nervous system dysfunction described in greater detail below.
2. Musculoskeletal System Breakdown. Collagen and protein are broken down in a catabolic state of function during adrenal fatigue. This can lead to chronic pain syndromes, joint pains, chronic fatigue, and fibromyalgia.
Glucocorticoids, primarily cortisol, are steroidal hormones produced by the adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol output is usually high in stage 1 and 2 of adrenal fatigue. As adrenal fatigue progresses, cortisol output is often pushed to its limit. A chronically high cortisol output leads to a state of catabolism or the breakdown of protein in order to generate energy.
The cycle of breakdown or catabolism is normally followed by a process of rebuilding, or anabolism. In adrenal fatigue, the rebuilding process, normally carried out by androgens, is overwhelmed by the amount of catabolic hormones. The rebuilding process is slowed and retarded. Muscles broken down are not adequately replaced. Collagen is broken down without significant replenishment. Outwardly, wrinkles starts to develop as premature aging sets in. Internally, organ and muscle breakdown lead to chronic muscle and joint pains of unknown origin, especially after streneous exercise or heavy lifting.
As the collagen structure of internal organs breakdown, their function is compromised. Gastrointestinal track motility and contraction forces are reduced. Adrenal fatigue is often associated with the poor ability to digest protein. Common symptoms include indigestion and irritable bowel syndrome. The amount of acid production may not be sufficient to help break down food, resulting in further improper digestion.
It is no surprise that secondary fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome is commonly associated with adrenal exhaustion. Many have postulated that adrenal fatigue often precedes fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. These may indeed be part of many symptoms of adrenal dysfunction.
3. Neurological System Dysfunction. This can lead to insomnia, sleep disorders, brain fog, anxiety and depression if the central nervous system is involved. Peripheral nervous system dysfunction is often associated with orthostatic hypotension, dizzyiness, lightheadedness, temperature intolerance, fainting spells, and sweating dysregulation.
a. Central Nervous System Imbalances
During adrenal exhaustion, the brain requires increased energy and is especially affected by a lack of glucose as well as toxic metabolite built-up. As far as the body is concerned, ensuring a well functioning brain is top priority. Most mechanisms involved in regulating blood sugar are designed to ensure that the brain always has adequate glucose with which to function with. Insufficient glucose available to brain tissues contributes to many central nervous system expressions of Adrenal Fatigue, including sleep disorder, brain fog, anxiety, and depression.
Sleep Disorders. Both too high and too low night time cortisol levels can cause sleep disturbances. The liver is often lacking the necessary glycogen reserve required by the adrenals to keep blood glucose stable during the night. When this happens, blood glucose levels may sometimes fall below the threshold that hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) symptoms ensues. This can lead to sleep disruption during the night. Waking up between 1:00 and 3:00 AM is a hallmark of low blood sugar during this time. Sometimes it is accompanied by nightmares, sudden onset of heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, and cold sweats. Lack of sleep can be a significant body burden in itself. The body's ability to self repair is compromised when sleep is deprived. This further contributes to Adrenal Fatigue and sets off a vicious downward spiral of cascading dysfunction.
Every time the wake/sleep cycle is altered, it takes some time for the body and cortisol levels to normalize. Chronic lack of sleep is strongly associated with decreased immunity, impaired glucose tolerance,decreased alertness and concentration.
Cortisol, DHEA, testosterone and estrogen are key hormones produced in the adrenals. Decreased levels of each of these hormones and reduced adrenal function have been linked to depression. It comes as no surprise that adrenal exhaustion is strongly associated with increased fears, anxiety, depression, and difficulties in concentrating.
Brain fog is a mental state where your memory is clouded and unclear. It is not a state of loss of memory, immediate or past. It is a state where your memory appears to be "so close and yet so far" in terms of the ability to recollect. Sometimes you cannot remember where you put your keys, or what you did yesterday. You are confused. It is often associated with adrenal fatigue, hormonal imbalance, PMS, estrogen dominance, heavy metal poisoning, and hypothyroidism. Brain fog usually is transient in its duration, lasting anywhere from hours to days, and in advanced cases, can become chronic. The exact pathophsyiology is unclear. It has been postulated that excessive metabolite build up in the brain over time due to poor clearance is a major factor.
Brain fog usually goes away as the body's detoxification system kicks in. But if the system is not performing optimally, brain fog may stay for a long time. Some people try to do various types of detoxification, thinking that it would help. Sometimes it does, but most of the time, inexperienced detoxification can lead to worsen brain fog. It may trigger a re-toxicification reaction, with symptoms such as fever, muscle and joint pain, and general malaise.
b. Peripheral Nervous System Imbalances
The peripheral nervous system of the body is divided into two parts. The somatic nervous system regulates skeletal muscle function that helps us deal with the outside world, and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates functions of the smooth muscles and glands within the body for proper inner world workings. The ANS is further divided into the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), and the adrenomedullary hormonal syste (AHS). The PNS regulates the vegetative and vegetative processes such as urination and digestive function. Dysfunction of the PNS leads to a wide variety of illness including abnormal gastric acid secretion, reduce gut motion, erectile dysfunction, loss of urinary control, and bowl movement irregularities. The SNS regulates the unconscious housekeeping functions of the body, including blood pressure, body temperature, force of the heart beat, and heart rate. SNS dysregulation is common in adrenal fatigue. The AHS (also called the sympathetic adrenergic system) regulates emergency and distress functions such as those responsible for the body's "fight or flight" response. This is activated in fainting, shock, extreme fear, hypoglycemia, and low body temperature. The combination of the AHS and the SNS constitute the sympathoadrenal system (SAS).
The other parts of the ANS include the enteric nervous system (ENS) which regulates enteric functions, the sympathetic cholinergic system (SCS) that regulates sweating.
Maintaining a normal balance within the ANS , especially the SAS, is vital to optimal bodily function and homeostasis. Overstimulation of the SAS is commonly seen in advance adrenal fatigue. It is usually a secondary compensatory response triggered by stress. The resulting cascade of symptoms is known as reactive sympathoadrenal response (RSR) (also called reactive sympathoadrenal overtone (RSO)). The body is flooded in a sea of adrenaline and norepinephrine. Symptoms include a faster than normal resting heart rate, anxiety and panic attacks, heart palpitations that come at will, strong heart beat, irritable bowl, being "wired and tired", POTS, orthostatic intolerance, orthostatic hypotension, hypoglycemia, and temperature intolerance, just to mention a few. There would also be periodic burst of "adrenaline rush" where all these symptoms can be amplified in a setting of impending doom, We shall examine the mechanism of this further below.
4. Hormonal System Imbalance / Overload. Key hormones associated with adrenal exhaustion include epinephrine (adrenalin), norepinephrine, estrogen, testosterone, melatonin, progesterone and thyroid. Their imbalances can lead to estrogen dominance, hypothyroidism, adrenaline rushes, fragile blood pressure, hirsutism, hair loss, and acne.
A. Adrenaline / Norepinephrine Overload and Reactive Sympathoadrenal Response (RSR)
Norepinehprine is a neurotransmitter secreted under the control of the SNS. Adrenaline is a hormone secreted from the adrenal medulla under the control of the adrenomedullary hormone system (AHS and deals with emergency functions of the body. While adrenaline is released during normal daily activities, its release is increased during extreme distress. Chronic or acute stress leading to adrenal fatigue increases AHS activation. A rise in the absolute level of adrenaline in the body leads to increase heart rate, increase blood sugar, increase respiration, reduce serum potassium, relaxation of skeletal muscle blood vessels, increase in energy, increase in emotional sweating, constriction of skin blood vessels (pallor), relaxation of the gut, and trembling. This adrenaline overload, along with norepinephrine, worsen existing ANS imbalance already common in adrenal fatigue and triggers an additonal host of dysfunctions above and beyond that already experienced.
In normal people, excess adrenaline released from the adrenal gland during stress is quickly sopped up by efficient adrenaline transporters that carry away these undesirable hormones before it can wreak havoc as they circulate in the body. For example, standing requires that blood vessels to contract to keep gravity from allowing all your blood from pooling in your legs. This is accomplished through the release of small amounts of adrenaline, the body's "fight or flight" hormone. The body release just the right amount of this hormone throughout the day as we move around and change position. Excessive adrenaline is cleared out of the body. The body's blood pressure is thus maintained in a normal state. In adrenal exhaustion the excessive activation of the SAS leads to a massive amount of adrenaline and norepineprhine being released which can remain in circulation for a longer than the usual duration before they are inactivated. Blood pressures in adrenal exhausted states are usually below normal, but they can abruptly increase and stay high if the large amount of adrenaline is released quickly into the blood. Alternatively, the heart rate may be elevated for no apparent reason. Consistent high level of norepinephrine and epinephrine also lowers the threshold of normal cardiac rhythm, triggering abnormal cardiac arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, whether it be vagally mediated or sympathetic mediated. Adrenaline release as part of emergency responses is usually self limiting in normal people. In adrenal exhaustion, however, these symptoms not only persist but can become exaggerated. The mechanisms of these pathways physiologically are not fully known. Research studies are pointing to the loss of negative feedback loop function, leading to a positive feedback loop response, as a possible etiology.
As mentioned earlier, adrenaline is a hormone that is stimulatory in nature. Symptoms of excessive adrenaline include heart palpitation, irritability, and anxiety. Less common are symptoms of dizziness , cold sweats, brain fog and orthostatic hypotension. In addition to possible adrenaline overload, those with weak adrenals may have a reduced capacity to clear excessive unwanted circulating adrenaline and its metabolites from the body. This leads to excessive build up internally. In addition, a defective norepinephrine transporter system can worsen the condition and contribute to further excessive adrenaline level, because norepinephrine is the chemical father of epinephrine and its level is tied to epinephrine. As mentioned earlier, adrenaline and norepinephrine overload in the context of adrenal fatigue is usually a compensatory reaction of the ANS as the SAS is activated. This leads to a myriad of symptoms that is clinically confusing and hard to understand, such as unexplained orthostatic intolerance, fragile blood pressure, extreme lightheadedness, "spaciness", tachycardia, irregular heart rate, temperature intolerance, body fluid imbalance, sweating, fainting, loss of bowl control and urination control, sense of impending doom, and dizziness. Sometimes these symptoms may be associated and triggered by a diet high in carbohydrate or by a stressful event as well. Other times, they can be triggered at rest or from events that are not stressful at all, such as watching an action movie, taking a cold drink, being startled as the phone rings in a quiet room, etc. . In layman's terms, the body's internal thermostat appears to be malfunctioning. The heating and cooling control is broken, and the body activates the emergency mode (SAS) frequently. While the ultimate goal of ensuring survival is reached, the fine control is compromised. It's almost like walking into a bath or shower with either very cold or very hot water but not the pleasant warm water suitable for bathing. The body therefore goes through wild metabolic and hormonal internal gyrations like a roller-coaster ride with a fluctuation of blood sugar, body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, and emotional state. Laboratory studies are usually normal as these symptoms remain sub-clincial.
There may be a genetic involvement in this convoluted picture, but it is clear clinically that those with weak adrenal have a higher tendency to be more sensitive to excessive adrenaline / norepinephrine and more prone to suffer symptoms resembling sub-clinical dysautonomia. Unless a clinician is on the alert, this reactive state is often missed. Patients are often started on the failed appraoch of drugs such as anti-depressants to control symptoms rather than healing the adrenals.
B. Estrogen and progesterone imbalance lead to a continuum of estrogen dominance conditions including PMS, endometriosis, PCOS, cystic breast disease, and irregular menstrual periods, just to name a few.
Estrogen increases thyroid-binding proteins in the bloodstream. Thyroid blood test results may therefore be normal although there may be insufficient thyroid hormone in the tissues, resulting in a state of sub-clinical or clinical hypothyroidism.
When estrogen levels are high, the adrenal cortex also fails to respond to signals from the brain. A woman with estrogen dominance may have adequate levels of total cortisol in her bloodstream. Blood tests of total cortisol may be well within normal range. However, free, available cortisol level may be low. Since only free cortisol can pass through cell membranes and activate receptors inside the cell, the effectiveness of cortisol is blunted at the cellular level.
Just as estrogen dominance can contribute to adrenal insufficiency, adrenal insufficiency can contribute to estrogen dominance. Cortisol is made in the adrenal cortex from progesterone. When the adrenals are weak, there is a tendency towards a lowered progesterone output in favor of cortisol. A low progesterone level is often the result, leading to a state of relative estrogen dominance with its many undesirable consequences mentioned above. This forms a vicious cycle. Excessive estrogen affects both thyroid and adrenal function. In turn, dysfunctional thyroid and adrenal fatigue makes estrogen dominance worse.
C. Thyroid hormone imbalances lead to clinical or sub-clinical hypothyroidism that is refractory to thyroid replacement therapy.
When the adrenals are weak, the ability of the adrenals to handle the stress associated with normal body function and energy requirement is often compromised. To enhance survival, the adrenals force a down-regulation of energy production. In other words, the body is being forced to slow down in order to conserve energy. The body needs to rest in time of stress. Lower energy output reduces workload of the body. This slowdown can result in hypothyroid symptoms despite sufficient circulating levels of T4 and T3.
Laboratory tests of T4 and T3 might look normal and TSH might increase. Classic symptoms of hypothyroid are evident with persistent low body temperature. The physician reading the tests might be misled into thryoid replacement. In such cases, thyroid replacement without first considering adrenal fortification often fails. Thyroid replacements tend to increase metabolic function. Raising the basal metabolic rate is akin to putting all systems of the body into overdrive at a time when the body is trying to rest by down-regulation.What the body wants (to slow down) and what the medications are designed to do (to speed up) are dimetrically opposed to each other.
Thryoid medication administered under such cirumstances may, in some cases, lead to a temporary relief of symptoms and a boost of energy at first. This is often short lived, and comes at a price. Those less fortunate with constitutionally weak adrenals might be intolerant to thyroid medicatons right from the start. Those that are able to accept thyroid replacement and remain stable might find themselves requiring it for life, often at an increasing dose as time passes. The overall fatigue level continues to increase well beyond what the medication is trying to combat. Only by increasing medication dosage or switching to more powerful thyroid medication can worsening fatigue be avoided. The tendency is to switch from one medication to another. Starting with synethetic T4, to T4/T3 blends, and ultimately, to potent T3. The patient is subjected to on-going trial and error as one drug after another fails. As this is going on, the body continues to decompensate as the medication usually dispensed becomes stronger and stronger. The patient often continues to get worse despite the physician's best attempt to help. It comes as no surprise that as much as 70% of patients on thryoid replacement continues to complain of hypothyroid symptoms. Ultimately, fatigue returns with a vegeance with time or stress, as thyroid medication further weakens pre-existing adrenal weakness and often precipitates an adrenal crisis.
D. Cortical Hormone Imbalance. The adrenal cortex comprises 80 percent of the adrenal gland and is responsible for producing over 50 different types of hormones in three major classes - mineralcorticoids , glucocorticoids, and androgens.
Aldosterone, a mineralcorticoid, modulates the delicate balance of minerals in the cell, especially sodium and potassium. It, therefore regulates our blood pressure. Stress increases the release of aldosterone, causing sodium retention (leading to water retention and high blood pressure) and loss of potassium and magnesium. Higher than normal blood pressure is a sign of early adrenal fatigue. Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. When the body lacks magnesium, it will suffer from a variety of pathological conditions such as cardiac arrhythmias, uterine fibroid, and blood pressure imbalance.
The most important glucocorticoid is cortisol. In early adrenal fatigue, cortisol level rises to help the body overcome stress. As adrenal fatigue advances, cortisol output generally drops, and the body's ability to handle stress reduces. Cortisol contracts mid-size arteries. People with low cortisol (as in advance stages of adrenal fatigue) tend to have low blood pressure and reduced reactivity to other body agents that constrict blood vessels.
Lower than normal blood pressure is a sign of advance adrenal fatigue.
As adrenal fatigue worsens, the body's overall ability to maintain stable blood pressure is reduced, resulting ultimately in a condition known as labile blood pressure, where the blood pressure varies and flutuates widely.
E. Androgen imbalance. Both male and female hormones are secreted by the adrenal cortex, but their quantity is small and their effects are usually masked by the hormones from the testes and ovaries.
In adrenal exhaustion, the masculinization effect of androgen secretion may become evident after menopause or under stress - when estrogen levels from the ovaries decrease in absolute terms but increase in relative terms in a state of estrogen dominance. In women, the androgens ( testosterone and related hormones ) affect secondary sex characteristics, leading to an increased conversion from testosterone to dihydrotestosterone or DHT. This leads to:
- Seborrhea (a form of skin inflammation which has no known cause)
- Acne
- Hirsutism / hair loss (alopecia). It comes as no surprise that most post-menopausal women who are experiencing hair loss have an adrenal function problem.
- Velvety, light-brown-to-black, markings usually on the neck, under the arms or in the groin, associated with high insulin levels (acanthosis nigricans).
In male, low libido is invariably an important sign of adrenal exhaustion. The body is in the process of preparing itself for survival. Production of hormones deemed less important by the body, such as reproductive hormones, are shunted to produce cortisol to ensure survival. Sex drive is reduced in both men and women, while period irregularity becomes common. Miscarriage prevalence is also increased. Long term androgen excess also increases the risk of infertility, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, osteoporosis, uterine cancer, and pituitary adenoma.
5. Immune System Dysfunction. This can result in exaggerated auto-immune responses such as rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's Thryoiditis, allergic rhinitis, skin sensitivities, psoriasis, hypo-active immune state of function, and frequent infections. Internal dysbiosis, candidiasis, recurrent herpes infection, HIV, and Hepatitis C are some manifestations.
A. Allergies. Allergic reactions usually have strong adrenal components. Most allergies involve the release of histamine and other pro-inflammatory substances. The body's response is cortisol, a strong anti-inflammatory hormone. The level of circulating cortisol is directly responsible for the degree of inflammation in the body and the resulting symptoms of allergies. The weaker the adrenals, the higher the tendency of allergies because the more histamine is released, the more cortisol it takes to control the inflammatory response and the harder the adrenals have to work to produce more cortisol. When the adrenals are exhausted, cortisol output is compromised, allowing unopposed histamine to inflame the tissues more. This vicious circle can lead to progressively deepening adrenal exhaustion and producing more severe allergic reactions. People with food and environmental allergies commonly have weak adrenal function. Common food allergens include wheat, corn, soy, milk, and eggs. One could be gluten free and still have wheat allergies.
B. Autoimmune Disease. Autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto's Disease or rheumatoid arthritis represents a spectrum of diseases in which the white blood cells of the immune system become overly active. Chemical messangers called cytokines form an integral part element of the immune system. As messengers, cytokines inform and trigger other immune cells to activate, grow, or even die. Excessive chemical messangers known as cytokines are elevated in fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue, leading to excessive inflammation and flu-like symptoms. Chronic inflammation can reflect an improperly functioning immune system.The degree of hyperactivity of the immune response is also modulated by cortisol. In Adrenal weakness, cortisol output drops below normal, making the body more susceptible to autoimmune and inflammatory reactions. Toxin release from virusus becomes un-opposed. The inflammatory reaction only cascade upwards and the overall condition worsens. In other words, the cortisol levels are inadequate for the degree of reaction taking place in particular tissues or locations in the body.
Steroid medications such as prednisone or hydrocortisone are commonly prescribed to suppress auto-immune responses. These drugs mimic the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisol. While there may be a temporary sense of well-being, this usually is short lived due to the many side effects associated with these medications. Long term use is to be avoided unless under close medical supervision.
A body under stress needs the anti-inflammatory effect of cortisol to restrain various physiological mechanisms to prevent them from causing havoc in the body; such as toxins secreted by over-reactive white blood cells in an auto-immune disease setting. Cortisol thus protects the body from autoimmune processes and uncontrolled inflammation. The lack of cortisol commonly seen in advance adrenal fatigue compromises this protective function and can lead to unrestrained damage by overactive white blood cells.
C. Infections. One of the most frequent overlooked causes of adrenal fatigue is chronic infection. Respiratory illnesses and herpes are more prone in people with adrenal fatigue, and adrenal fatigue leaves a predilection towards developing respiratory problems. Respiratory infections, such as colds, bronchitis, sinus infections, mycoplasma infections, pneumonia, and flu are especially hard on the adrenal glands and fatigue them rapidly. Recurrent respiratory infections are one of the most significant body burdens hampering recovery from Adrenal Fatigue.
Adrenal fatigue can occur after just one single episode of a serious infection. Such infection can range from a respiratory infection, or gastric infection. Poorly performed dental procedure such as root canal can also be a trigger. The more severe the infection, the more frequently it occurs or the longer it lasts, and the more likely it is that the adrenals are involved. It is not unusual for infection to trigger an adrenal crisis. At the same time, chronic infection (such as prolong flu, periodontitis, or candidiasis) of known or unknown origin may be a trigger as well. Adrenal fatigue can also take place over time as the adrenals are gradually fatigued by prolonged or recurrent infections. Stealth virusus and other infectious agents such as parasites and fungus are commonly overlooked as culprits. The direct effects of a smoldering pathogen in the body as well as the systematic stress the infection creates put the adrenals on overload chronically and weaken the immune system. This further weakens the immune response and makes it harder to fight off the infection. It is no surprise that adrenal exhaustion is commonly associated with frequent and repeated infections from the common cold to sinus infections to gastro-intestinal dysbiosis, with slower than normal healing time. The immune weakness that results from altered adrenal function also sets the stage for pathogens responsible for fibromyalgia to be activated, resulting in greater debilitation. One must think of adrenal exhaustion if there is a longer than normal recovery period after an illness with decreased stamina and pronounced morning tiredness.
| Message from
Dr. Lam
I hope you have enjoyed reading this
article. If you have areas you don't understand, comments (good or
bad), or if you have a specific health concern, feel free to write
to me by clicking here.
|
About The Author
Michael Lam, M.D., M.P.H., A.B.A.A.M. is a specialist in Preventive and Anti-Aging Medicine. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Oregon State University, and his Doctor of Medicine degree from Loma Linda University School of Medicine, California. He also holds a Masters of Public Health degree and is Board Certification in Anti-aging Medicine by the American Board of Anti-Aging Medicine. He has authored numerous articles and the following books: The Five Proven Secrets to Longevity, How to Stay Young and Live Longer, Estrogen Dominance - Hormonal Imbalance of the 21st Century, and Beating Cancer with Natural Medicine.
For More Information
For the latest anti-aging related health issues, visit Dr. Lam
at www.DrLam.com. Feel free to email
Dr. Lam by clicking here if you have any questions.
Reprint Information
This article may, in its unabridged, unaltered form and in its entirety only,
be reprinted and republished without permission provided that it is for personal
and non commercial education use only and further provided that credit be given
to the author, with copyright notice and www.DrLam.com
clearly displayed as source. Written permission from Dr. Lam is required
for all other use.
© 2009 Michael
Lam, M.D. All Rights Reserved.
Related Articles:
- Comprehensive Article on Adrenal Fatigue
Read the most complete and extensive article on the web about Adrenal Fatigue. This article covers everything you need to know about Adrenal Fatigue.
- Ovarian Adrenal Thyroid (OAT) Axis Imbalance
Three of the most important ones for females are ovaries, adrenals, and the thyroid gland. All three organs of this axis must be in a state of optimum balance for a woman to feel good. Find out more on this state of imbalance here.
- 7 Adrenal Recovery Mistakes
Find out what mistakes you may be making when trying to recover from Adrenal Fatigue. It may be more common than you think!
- Adrenal Exhaustion
Adrenal Exhaustion is the third stage of Adrenal Fatigue. Find out what signs and symptoms to watch out for here and why it affects you.
- Adrenal Fatigue and Vitamin C
Vitamin C is one of the most key nutrients for recovery with Adrenal Fatigue. Most Adrenal Fatigue sufferers have a Vitamin C deficiency, are you one of them? Find out more here...
- Adrenal Fatigue and Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is an important indicator of adrenal health and function. Find out more about the correlation between the two here.
- Adrenal Breathing Exercise
Deep breathing releases tension from the body and clears the mind, improving both physical and mental wellness Find out how it can help you with your Adrenal Fatigue here.
- D-Ribose
Up until today, the use of D-Ribose in enhancing cardiac energy isn't widely known in the medical field. However, it has wonders that are so encouraging, and you would want to find out more here...
- Adrenal Fatigue Recovery - Am I On The Tight Track?
Recovery speed from adrenal fatigue varies greatly from person to person. Read about the three phases to recovery from Adrenal Fatigue
- Adrenal Fatigue vs. Hypothyroidism
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue and Hypothyroidism can be quite close. Learn more about the differences and similarities here.
- Pantothenic Acid and Pantethine
How does pantothenic acid and pantethine help with adrenal fatigue? Learn more here...
- Adrenal Fatigue Glandular and Herbal Therapy
The use of glandular and herbs for adrenal fatigue is widespread. Due to the lack of standardization and research, there is widespread consumer misinformation and misuse. Find out more about the proper use for best results here.
- Ask Me Archives about Adrenal Fatigue
Over the years many have asked me great questions about Adrenal Fatigue. Read some of these questions that have been submitted.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Adrenal Fatigue
The most common questions regarding Adrenal Fatigue can be found here including who gets Adrenal Fatigue, common causes of Adrenal Fatigue and simple things you can do about Adrenal Fatigue.
- Estrogen dominance
Excessive estrogen is a hallmark of adrenal fatigue in women when the ovarian system is involved. Common symptoms include PMS, endometriosis, irregular menstrual cycles, heavy periods, hair loss, lumpy breast, and water retention. These usually normalize when the adrenals recover. Learn more here....
- Hypothyroidism
Feeling cold? unable to loose weight? Sluggish? You can be sub-clinically hypothyroid and not know it when you have adrenal fatigue. Laboratory test results may be normal. Medication dosages frequently miss the mark. Here is what you must know...
- Progesterone
Natural progesterone is a good way to balance estrogen dominance. In the presence of adrenal fatigue, its use must be timed properly, or results will seldom be good and may backfire. Learn more here...
- Liposomal Encapsulation Technology
Liposomal Encapsulation Technology or LET is the newest method that is solely used by medical researchers to transfer drugs that act as healing promoters to the definite body organs. The astounding effects and advantages derived from LET is the reason why a number of nutritional companies are now utilizing this technique in orally delivering dietary supplements.
|
|