When your body is under stress — physical stress from infection, illness, or disease and/or emotional stress — the adrenal glands respond by stepping up cortisol production.  Cortisol helps your body deal with stress and to curb inflammation.  Without enough cortisol, you may experience increased infections, nausea, and changes in blood pressure and blood sugar.  Adrenal gland syndrome results when your adrenal glands can no longer meet your bodies demands for cortisol.

In many cases, something of a deteriorating spiral can be at play.  In addition to other life stressors, chronic recurrent infections can leave the immune system vulnerable to additional infections and repeated physical stress, causing the adrenal glands to become fatigued. Each additional stressor adds up to an even greater inability to meet the body’s cortisol needs—and the adrenals become weakened further.

While you will need to work with a good doctor to balance your hormone levels, you can help to lower your body’s demand for cortisol by strengthening your immune system and helping it fight recurrent infections. And you can combat fatigue by supplementing your diet with nutrients that provide your body with more energy to combat this chronic condition to help you feel better.

In addition to a chronic underproduction of cortisol, adrenal fatigue syndrome can also be caused or aggravated by corticosteroids—synthetic hormones like prednisone that are often prescribed for many illnesses in dosages that far exceed the amount of cortisol the body requires. This heightened level of cortisol can, in effect, shut the adrenal glands down, suppress the immune system, and—in some cases—bring on psychotic-type behaviors. In more serious illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, Hepatitis C, and especially HIV—where there appears to be a direct relationship between levels of cortisol in the body and death—reducing Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome and improving adrenal function should be considered a high priority.

Additional Information about Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome

1. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome Overview
2. Common symptoms of adrenal fatigue syndrome
3. Help me choose a natural and alternative treatment for adrenal fatigue syndrome
4. Dietary and lifestyle recommendations that may help in the treatment of adrenal fatigue syndrome
5. Conventional or prescription medications used in the treatment of adrenal fatigue syndrome
6. Cited Sources and Additional Reading for adrenal fatigue syndrome