Adrenal burnout and adrenal fatigue are two conditions that have very similar symptoms and causes, but they also have a few key differences. While both are related to chronic stress, burnout is more associated with work stress and may have more to do with an imbalance in the hormone dopamine than a problem with the adrenals. These differences are important to know to guide your journey back to feeling energized and inspired again.
Also known as burnout syndrome, this is a response to chronic work stress. This builds up progressively and affects you both physically and psychologically. This is an individual response, meaning everyone will experience it differently (1). This chronic work stress generally occurs when a person finds himself or herself in a position where high demands and constant pressure combine with low resources or control. Often, those who suffer burnout face pressures put on them with little power or authority to make changes or to do work effectively and little or no work-life balance. In addition, they often get blamed when things do not go well and seldom get credit when things go successfully. Initially, adrenal burnout was thought to affect mainly healthcare workers. However, research suggests that it can develop in all types of professions (1).
Whilst cortisol levels can be low in individuals with adrenal burnout, research indicates that the low levels of cortisol found in burnout may come as a result of brain function rather than the fatigue of the adrenals. This happens when there is a dysfunction within your brain's hormones, particularly dopamine. This is responsible for reward and goal processes and controls feelings of mental fatigue.
This is the non-Addison's form of adrenal dysfunction, where the body's stress response cannot keep up with life's chronic stressors. During stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis becomes activated. This stimulates your adrenal glands to produce and release cortisol and other hormones to fight the effects of stress. However, if stress becomes chronic, the demand on your adrenals for increasing levels of cortisol becomes too great. This results in your adrenal glands becoming depleted and cortisol levels becoming low. Consequently, the adrenals can no longer supply sufficient cortisol.
When the adrenals become fatigued, another stress-fighting mechanism, the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response, kicks in to fight stress as well. The NEM system describes the role multiple organs and systems play in addressing stress and consists of six different circuits. When AFS occurs, imbalances occur within this system.
When considering adrenal burnout and adrenal fatigue, the symptoms can be similar. The list below contains the set of symptoms attributable to both.
However, adrenal burnout symptoms also include:
In contrast, with AFS, the symptoms will depend on where the imbalance is. For example, if there is an imbalance in the hormone circuit, symptoms include:
However, there can also be imbalances in the Detoxification, Bioenergetics, Cardionomic, Neuroaffect, and Inflammation circuits.
The causes behind these two conditions may appear at first to be different, but a closer examination shows definite similarities. Above all, the causes of burnout are also sources of stress that can lead to adrenal fatigue.
By definition, burnout comes about due to long-term psychological and/or physical stress and emotional arousal. For example, service professions and professions with a great deal of direct customer contact often require the suppression of emotions. Depersonalizing those with whom these professionals must relate face-to-face may become a defense mechanism against the emotions generated. Suppressing emotions in this way can lead to significant stress over the long term.
Stress from any source that triggers the HPA and stimulates the adrenals to release stress-fighting hormones can cause AFS. Some other sources of stress are:
Testing for these two conditions can be tricky and does require a professional who has experience in adrenal burnout and fatigue. One test that can be used is testing the saliva for free cortisol. Many believe that the cortisol in saliva correlates with the free cortisol in your plasma and serum (2). To get an accurate reading of your cortisol levels this test is best taken four to five times throughout the day to see the full cortisol curve.
In healing from both adrenal burnout and fatigue, identifying the root cause is important. This can be tricky; therefore, it is useful to have a support team such as professionals who specialize in adrenal burnout and fatigue to assist you. Next, you will need strategies to reduce stressors and manage the symptoms of both of these conditions.
Whilst AFS may not be caused by stress within the family and work life, adrenal burnout generally is. Talking to someone, be it a friend or professional, can help you process emotions and experiences. A professional can come in handy, as they can help you to learn techniques and skills to reduce stress and process emotions and experiences.
Poor nutrition can be a factor in adrenal fatigue, and if you are currently experiencing burnout, it can put further stress on your body. This makes adequate nutrition important. Some basic nutrition tips that can help include:
Whilst receiving nutrients from food sources is important, supplementation can allow you to receive higher dosages of these nutrients, which can help to support your body in times of stress, burnout, and fatigue. Two ways in which they can help support the body are by helping to induce a state of calmness and by helping to support the adrenal glands.
Adrenal Calm by Dr. Lam can help to induce a state of calmness and help to balance your mood through stressful times. This is done by providing vitamins, minerals, and herbs such as vitamin B6, magnesium, and valerian which play a role in relaxation. It also provides the brain hormone GABA (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid). This brain hormone is well known for its calming effects as it binds to your brain cells and prevents them from sending and receiving other signals such as stress signals.
During adrenal burnout and fatigue, the adrenal glands work overtime to keep up with the demand. Supplementation can help to support these important glands. Studies suggest that vitamin C helps reduce the cortisol release that occurs with stress. This may help to reduce the demand on the adrenal glands. Additionally, vitamin C is a potent antioxidant and helps to neutralize unstable molecules, also known as free radicals, that are produced during stress (3).
LipoNano C by Dr. Lam contains a high dose of vitamin C in the form of ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbate. Additionally, it also contains lion's mane and shitake mushrooms. These two mushrooms contain antioxidants and additionally, lion's mane mushrooms may help to reduce stress and improve cognition; however, more research is necessary (4).
In most cases, there is a strong connection between adrenal burnout and fatigue. The causes of burnout can be sources of stress that trigger the HPA axis and lead to AFS. The symptoms are likewise similar.
If you are experiencing adrenal burnout or fatigue, you can find relief through:
Whatever course of action you decide to take, however, it is always a good idea to do so with the guidance of a healthcare professional or experienced nutritional coach.
And for those seeking a comprehensive solution to transform their journey from Adrenal Fatigue and burnout to vitality, Dr. Michael Lam's Nutritional Adrenal Fatigue Recovery Program offers a holistic approach. This complete course provides a definitive step-by-step guide on conquering adrenal fatigue, including diet changes, meditation practices, regular exercise, and optimal supplementation.The program offers a 30-day meal plan tailored for adrenal health and a lifestyle toolkit focusing on optimizing sleep and exercise. In addition, you have access to a personalized consultation with Dr. Lam’s experienced team to get you started on the right recovery path.
Calming Your Mind And Body
Edú-Valsania, Sergio, et al. “Burnout: A Review of Theory and Measurement.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 19, no. 3, Feb. 2022, p. 1780. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031780
Thau, Lauren. “Physiology, Cortisol.” StatPearls - NCBI Bookshelf, 28 Aug. 2023, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538239
Moritz, Bettina, et al. “The Role of Vitamin C in Stress-related Disorders.” The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, vol. 85, Nov. 2020, p. 108459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnutbio.2020.108459
Docherty, Sarah, et al. “The Acute and Chronic Effects of Lion’s Mane Mushroom Supplementation on Cognitive Function, Stress and Mood in Young Adults: A Double-Blind, Parallel Groups, Pilot Study.” Nutrients, vol. 15, no. 22, Nov. 2023, p. 4842. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15224842
Simply put, yes you can. Since the source of both is stress, you can experience both, although the stress that causes burnout is typically associated with work, and adrenal fatigue can be caused by a wide variety of stressors. Additionally, if you do not receive support for adrenal burnout, it may eventually progress into adrenal fatigue.
