Adrenal adaptation begins with the adrenal's attempt to increase production of the stress hormones. The adrenals enlarge and increase their output. The adrenals cannot maintain a high output indefinitely. Therefore they begin to reduce their production and all the functions of the endocrine system begins to slow down. Finally, adrenal exhaustion is the final phase before adrenal failure, when all systems fail and life is threatened. The following are some of the symptoms of adrenal dysfunction:
| Digestive Problems | Inability to calm down |
| Increased serum cholesterol | Panic attacks or anxiety |
| Severe weight gain or loss | Depression |
| Diarrhea or constipation | Mental frustration |
| Menstrual problems | Memory loss or inability to think |
| Sleep disturbances | Irritability – rapid mood swings |
| Decrease in sexual arousal | Bloating & Fluid retention |
| Impotence | Chronic fatigue |
| Hair loss | Bone loss |
| Increased urination | Heart arrhythmia |
| Chronic nonspecific pain | Lower back or sciatica pain |
| Sensitivity to smells, light or sound | Inflammation and joint pain |
| Hypoglycemic symptoms | Poor toleration for exercise |
| Dark circles under eyes | Catches colds easily |
| Dizziness upon standing | Sensitive to bright light |
| Poor immune modulation | Feeling weak and shaky |
| Brittle hair and nails | Poor circulation |
| Exhaustion | Allergies |
ADRENAL/STRESS HORMONES: Cortisol, DHEA-s
Endocrine problems may be the result of stress. Simply put, stress is the sum total of all mental and physical input over a given period of time. The marker used to measure stress is the adrenal steroid hormone, cortisol. Stress, whether physical or emotional in origin, provokes a response by the adrenal glands. Many hormonal imbalances are the direct result of adrenal insufficiency. When the adrenal glands become exhausted due to overwork, adequate levels of the stress hormones, DHEA and cortisol cannot be produced, this in turn plays a major role in the usage, or the misappropriation of all the other steroid hormones.
The adrenal glands produce two primary hormones, DHEA and cortisol. Both are considered the major shock absorber hormones in the body. They buffer us to stress and the negative impact it can have on both mental and physical function. Long-term stress can have a serious impact on the adrenal glands and cause them to shrink and reduce production. This causes cellular damage, which sets off a chain reaction affecting all parts of the body, as well as accelerating the aging process.
Cortisol is a steroid hormone made in the adrenal glands. Cortisol's important function in the body includes roles in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as regulation of the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Cortisol secretion increases in response to any stress in the body, whether physical (such as illness, trauma, surgery or temperature extremes) or psychological pressures, (such as poor marriage, financial uncertainty, unemployment, etc.).
When cortisol is secreted, it causes a breakdown of muscle protein, leading to release of amino acids into the bloodstream. These amino acids are then used by the liver to synthesize glucose for energy, in a process called gluconeogenesis. Cortisol also leads to the release of energy source from fat cells, for use by the muscles. Taken together, these energy directing processes prepare the individual to deal with stressors and insure that the brain receives adequate energy sources.
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is the most abundant hormone found in the bloodstream. When the adrenal glands are chronically stressed, your production of DHEA can be greatly reduced. DHEA in an important regulator of the thyroid and pituitary glands. Though the adrenal glands produce most of the body's supply of DHEA, the gonads (ovaries, testes) can also manufacture DHEA when the adrenals are overworked. DHEA exerts powerful effects throughout the body. Most cells possess DHEA receptors on their membranes. DHEA is vital to health. DHEA also regulates many other hormones; however it can be easily converted to estradiol and/or testosterone and therefore needs to be monitored by testing levels of estradiol and testosterone. DHEA is a good stress barometer, because when stress levels go up, DHEA levels go down. Generally, DHEA levels tend to decrease with age. DHEA peaks at age 25 then declines at a rate of about 2% per year. It is not until the 40s that we begin to feel the effects of lower DHEA levels.
The most accurate way to measure DHEA is to measure it in the stable form that the body keeps it in: DHEA-S (dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate). Measurement of serum DHEA-S is a useful marker of adrenal androgen synthesis. Abnormally low levels have been reported in hypoadrenalism, while high or inverted diurnal levels have been reported in several conditions.
SEX HORMONES: Testosterone/Estrogen
Testosterone is responsible for much more than defining sexual characteristics in men or influencing sex drive. Known as an anabolic steroid, testosterone is essential for life, since it helps to regulate basic metabolism, stimulate red blood cell production, and hinder the excessive production of free radicals. Testosterone also facilitates protein synthesis and the building of body tissues. Testosterone exerts its effects by quickly passing through the membrane of a cell and binding to a specific activation site on the gene. In this way, the protein-manufacturing capability of the DNA shifts into overdrive, enabling the body to repair and rebuild itself. Testosterone is produced by small groups of specialized cells within the testicles and is also secreted, to a lesser extent, by the ovaries (small amounts are found in females) and by the adrenal glands. The production of testosterone is triggered by luteinizing hormone (LH), produced in the pituitary gland. As is the case with other hormones, blood levels of testosterone are monitored by the hypothalamus, which issues a command to the pituitary, causing it to stop secreting LH after levels of testosterone reach a certain level. In the absence of LH, testosterone production ceases. With age, blood levels of testosterone slowly decrease. Research conducted by the National Institute of Health has shown a 2% reduction per year from age 30 to age 70.
High levels of stress maintained over an extended period of time can cause testosterone to be converted to the stress hormones, and in some cases be abnormally converted to estrogen. For Men: The Sabre Sciences Natural Approach is to stop the misappropriation of testosterone by your body, while also supplying the necessary building materials (precursors) for the production of testosterone by your endocrine system.
The most significant hormone imbalance in aging men is a decrease in free testosterone, while estrogen levels remain the same or increase precipitously. As men grow older, they suffer through a variety of mechanisms from the dual effects of having too little testosterone and excess estrogen. The result is a testosterone-estrogen imbalance that directly causes many of the debilitating health problems associated with normal aging.
One cause of hormone imbalance in men is that their testosterone is increasingly converted to estrogen.
Estrogen is an essential hormone for men, but too much of it causes a wide range of health problems. The most dangerous acute effect of excess estrogen and too little testosterone is an increased risk of heart attack or stroke. High levels of estrogen have also been implicated as a cause of benign prostatic hypertrophy.
When there is too little testosterone present, estrogen attaches to testosterone cell receptor sites throughout the body and creates many problems in aging men. In youth, low amounts of estrogen are used to turn off the powerful cell-stimulating effects of testosterone. As estrogen levels increase with age, testosterone cell stimulation may be locked in the "off" position, thus reducing sexual arousal and sensation and causing the loss of libido so common in aging men.
