Adrenals again

The adrenal glands, and underlying adrenal insufficiency are of great interest to me at the moment. Here is something interesting:

The adrenal glands, located above the kidney, often become 'exhausted' as a result of the constant demands placed upon them. An individual with adrenal exhaustion will usually suffer from chronic fatigue, may complain of feeling stressed-out or anxious, and will typically have a reduced resistance to allergies and infection.
The adrenal glands secrete several important hormones that help maintain the balance of many body functions. Stress, fasting, temperature changes, infections, drugs, and exercise all stimulate the adrenals to release their hormones. When the adrenals release too few or too many hormones, the body responds differently to the everyday stresses of life.The adrenal cortex is involved in the production of glucocorticoids (such as cortisol i.e. hydrocortisone), mineralocorticoids (aldosterone) and androgens such as androstenedione and DHEA. A mild to moderate adrenocortical deficiency can substantially reduce your quality of life, yet this condition is not recognized by most doctors, who only think of the adrenal gland's condition as being at either extreme - normal or in overt failure (Addison's disease).Treatment & PreventionFor those concerned about taking a hormone (cortisol) - perhaps for life - a more natural approach to strengthening the adrenal gland can be tried. This may include vitamin C, PABA, adrenal glandulars, ACE (Adreno-Cortico-Extracts) injections, licorice root, ginsengs, TMG (tri-methyl-glycine) and DHEA among other possibilities.

I find this interesting because of the DHEA recommendation, and the B-5 recommendation. I could tolerate niether at first, and may not be able to even now. paothenic acid make me swimmy and gave me the runs. This, it has been my experience, sometimes happens with severe deficiencies.

And here, I find that many, many of the symptoms are consistent with my condition over the years.


Lab Values - Common
Low systolic blood pressure Low diastolic blood pressure
Symptoms - Allergy
Allergies to certain foods
Symptoms - Environment
Poor tolerance of cold Poor tolerance of heat
Symptoms - Food - Beverages
Constant/frequent thirst
Symptoms - Food - General
Weak appetiteCounter-indicators: Normal eating frequency
Symptoms - Food - Preferences
Sugar/sweet craving Craving for salt
Symptoms - Gas-Int - General
Meal-related bloating
Symptoms - General
Fatigue that worsens during the day Chronic fatigue for over 3 months Constant fatigue Fatigue induced by light exertion Dizziness when standing up
Symptoms - Head - Eyes/Ocular
Vision disturbances (High) sensitivity to bright light
Symptoms - Head - Nose
Allergic rhinitis
Symptoms - Immune System
History of infections Postviral syndrome
Symptoms - Metabolic
Low energy/stamina Low body temperature Frequent colds/flus Being severely affected by flus
Symptoms - Mind - Emotional
Adverse reaction to stress Inability to work under pressure Occasional/frequent emotional exhaustion
Symptoms - Muscular
Tender muscles
Symptoms - Respiratory
Frequent/occasional/regular sore throats
Symptoms - Skin - Conditions
Acne worse during period History of adult acne
Symptoms - Skin - General
Darker/redder skin color Diminished perspiration Red palms/fingertips
Symptoms - Sleep
Counter-indicators: Being a deep sleeper


Well, there are those, ok, there is me, who might describe my journal into unwellness as a depletion of adrenal sufficiency. This would, naturally, lead to copper/zinc imbalance, and furhter comprimise digestion etc. It is hard to know which one came first. Fact is, preceding illness came a prolonged period of over exertion (7-9 hours working out a day playing college ball), then severe calorie restriction and vegetarianism (Fat free was all the rage back in that day and I am nothing if not dedicated). The two together cover a 6 year period. I wonder to what degree my adrenal glands just packed it in. Its a more complex picture than that, and it must, I believe, be seen holistically, but even holistic pictures must be broken down and analyyzed in workable piecses. This is one such piece.