In our body, the adrenal gland produces cortisol, also known as the anti-stress hormone. As a result of long-term workload and continuous stress, the adrenal gland can become exhausted and symptoms of cortisol deficiency appear.
Adrenal gland – in the service of stress management
In stressful situations, such as a dangerous traffic situation, we need a quick reaction to prevent serious consequences and to protect our physical integrity. Two hormones produced by the adrenal gland help us with this. The adrenal gland is a paired organ, the medulla of which produces adrenaline, and its outer part (the cortex) also produces the hormone cortisol, explains endocrinologist Prof. Csaba Balázs, doctor of the Endocrine Center in Buda. The treatment of stressful situations is due to the coordinated action of these two hormones: adrenaline raises the heart rate, so the heart beats faster, more blood reaches the muscles, and we will be able to exert more force. The energy needed for this is provided by cortisol: it increases the level of sugar in the blood, increases the brain’s use of glucose, and increases the amount of substances necessary for tissue repair.
If your adrenal glands are exhausted
If stress becomes a part of our lives, our everyday life, it can also be seen in the functioning of the hormonal system. To overcome lasting conflicts in personal life or stress at work, the body continuously produces more stress hormones. Due to the constant alertness and continuous use, the reserves of the adrenal gland are exhausted, after a longer or shorter time the symptoms of “adrenal fatigue” appear. An imbalance is initially indicated by a higher cortisol level, as this is how the patient’s body tries to fight against continuous stress. In the case of chronic stress, however, the overworked adrenal gland will be unable to satisfy the body’s increased need for cortisol over time, so its value will decrease.
Chronic fatigue is the leading symptom
The first sign of a drop in cortisol levels is fatigue. Those affected also find it difficult to wake up in the morning, and may be more depressed and depressed during the day as well. Their stress tolerance deteriorates, anxiety, irritability, and sleep disorders may occur. In the case of women, cortisol deficiency can also lead to failure to conceive. The implantation and preservation of the fertilized egg is ensured by the hormone progesterone. However, in the case of a cortisol deficiency, the body uses all its energy – even at the expense of progesterone production – to produce the missing hormone, so it is not uncommon for the diagnosis of the disease to come to light during the examination of the lack of fertility.
How can the problem be remedied?
In the case of the listed complaints, it is worth having a laboratory test performed. It is important to emphasize that the laboratory value alone is not sufficient for diagnosis, it must always be interpreted in accordance with the patient’s complaints and symptoms. Cortisol values also vary by time of day, being highest at dawn/early morning and lowest around midnight. If it is proven that the symptoms were caused by the low cortisol level, it is possible to treat it by giving the missing hormone.
Addison’s disease
Addison’s disease is a disease associated with exhaustion of the adrenal cortex. The relatively rare change – occurring in 5 out of 1 million people – mainly occurs in young or middle-aged people. In the majority of cases, the symptoms of an autoimmune process develop during a long incubation period: apathy, weakness, hyperpigmentation – dark discoloration of the skin – on the palms and elbows, low blood pressure, muscle weakness can be indicated. During the hormone determination, a low cortisol level measured in the morning and a significantly elevated ACTH – the hormone that regulates the hormone production of the adrenal cortex – can be detected. Treatment of the disease is possible by replacing the missing hormones.
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
