What is adrenal fatigue?

• Commonly there is an event or series of events that lead up to adrenal fatigue such as an emotional event, a physical injury, an illness, or a life event. Also, a stressful lifestyle can cause it to gradually develop.
• The adrenals are small glands that sit atop your kidneys. Their job is to respond to stress by producing a hormone called Cortisol. Your level of Cortisol normally changes depending on the time of day. When your adrenals are fatigued due to stress, your Cortisol levels can be out of range from their normal values, causing the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Common signs and symptoms of adrenal fatigue include:

• Difficulty waking up in the morning. You do not really function until around 10 am.
• Around 3-4 pm you hit a wall and feel very tired and exhausted.
• If you can make it past dinner and the early evening, you get a second wind of productivity usually lasting between 11pm and 2am.
• Generalized lack of energy
• Fuzzy or less focused thoughts
• Decreased tolerance of others or situations

How do you test for adrenal fatigue?

Saliva Hormone Test. Saliva is the most accurate way to detect Cortisol and other adrenal hormones. No blood or urine is needed. We have a simple kit with directions to explain how to collect your saliva.

What can be done about this?

Depending on your results, certain lifestyle, dietary changes, and supplements can help your adrenal glands to recover and function properly.

Supplements we suggest that can be found at any health food store include:

• Ashwagandha 2000mg
• Siberian Ginseng
• Licorice (do not take this if you have high blood pressure or are on blood pressure medication)
• Phosphotidylserine 100-500mg

Where can I find additional information?

Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome by James L. Wilson