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 is 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:
Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone
Estrogen, Progesterone, Testosterone
Estrogen dominance is a primary cause of almost all female health problems, including fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, mood swings, excessive bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, and ovarian cysts. Peri-menopause is the time when hormone levels begin to shift in preparation for menopause. It is not so much the decrease in hormones that produces the uncomfortable symptoms associated with peri-menopause, but rather the changing ratio between estrogen and progesterone. Chronic or episodic depression, severe mood swings, and anxiety are frequent manifestations of these midlife fluctuations.
Estrogen refers to a group of female "sex" hormones, produced primarily in the ovaries, and to a lesser extent in the body's fat cells. It is important for adolescent sexual development and for regulating the menstrual cycle. Estrogen prepares the uterus for receiving the fertilized egg by stimulating the uterine lining to grow. During days 10 - 14 in a woman's cycle, the uterus is mainly under the influence of estrogen, which begins to climb right before ovulation, which is usually between days seven to fourteen, peaking at ovulation in preparation for a fertilized egg. Estrogen also improves skin tone and reduces vaginal dryness. There are three main types of estrogen that a woman makes: Estrone (E1), Estradiol (E2), which accounts for 80% of her estrogen, and Estriol (E3), which along with Estrone (E1) account for 10% each of the remaining estrogen.
Signs of estrogen deficiency include: hot flashes, night sweats, dry eyes, vaginal dryness, sagging breasts and loss of breast fullness, mental fogginess, depression, changes in mood, decreased sense of sensuality and sexuality.
Progesterone is another female "sex" hormone, produced in the ovaries, that prepares the uterus for a fertilized. Its sudden withdrawal causes the uterus to shed its lining if pregnancy does not occur. While estrogen is high (during days 7-14 of the menstrual cycle), progesterone is at its lowest level. Its levels climb to a peak between days 14 - 24, and then dramatically drop off again just before the start of menstruation. Ideally, women should have five to ten times more progesterone than estrogen in the blood and 40 to 150 times in the saliva. The lower the ratio of progesterone to estrogen, the higher the risk of health problems. Progesterone has the unique ability to change its structural form to become other hormones, allowing it to be converted and utilized by the body to the point of depletion.
Testosterone is responsible for much more than defining sexual characteristics in men or influencing sex drive. Testosterone is essential for life since it helps to regulate basic metabolism. Testosterone also facilitates protein synthesis and the building of body tissues. Testosterone is produced by small groups of specialized cells within the testicles in men, and is also secreted, to a lesser extent, by the ovaries. The production of testosterone is triggered by luteinizing hormone (LH), produced in the pituitary gland. 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.
Interested in learning more about female hormones?
CLICK HERE.
