The adrenal glands are two small organs that sit atop your kidneys. They’re responsible for secreting over 50 different kinds of hormones. Adrenal gland disorders affect the levels of these hormones. And the symptoms vary depending on which ones they affect.
Different areas of the glands secrete different types of hormones. The medulla, or inner part, secretes the hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine (also known as adrenaline). The cortex, or outer layer, secretes hormones that regulate blood pressure, physical appearance, and metabolism. Cortex hormones include:
Cortisol regulates your blood pressure and blood sugar levels, maintains your heart and blood vessel function, neutralizes inflammation, and suppresses your immune system once it has completed its job. In a nutshell, cortisol is the hormone that helps your body adapt to stress. It naturally fluctuates throughout the day but within a certain healthy range. If it goes outside of this range, you can experience some imbalances.
Although not yet recognized by the mainstream medical community, Adrenal Fatigue (AF) is one of the most common adrenal gland disorders we see. It happens when you experience chronic stress, whether physical or psychological.
When you’re undergoing chronic stress, your adrenals have to secrete more and more cortisol. That marks the beginning stages of Adrenal Fatigue and the appearance of mild symptoms. But when your adrenals are exhausted from overworking, their cortisol output drops. This marks the more advanced stages of Adrenal Fatigue and more severe symptoms.
Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue can include:
Although different types of adrenal gland disorders will have different symptom pictures, they can also share some common symptoms. The most common are:
Something to keep in mind is that having any adrenal gland disorder is a form of stress, and that stress can cause or aggravate Adrenal Fatigue. On the other hand, if you already have Adrenal Fatigue, that can make your adrenal glands more susceptible to other disorders and can make recovering from them more challenging.
Your adrenals are also connected to your NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response. Your NEM is your body’s global response to stress, and your adrenals are only one component of its Hormone Circuit. Its other five circuits are the Bioenergetics, the Cardionomic, the Neuroaffect, the Inflammation, and the Detoxification circuits.
When your adrenals dysregulate, they will affect the other two components of the NEM’s Hormone Circuit: the thyroid and reproductive glands (ovaries for women and testes for men). Whichever component is more affected, a different set of symptoms will manifest more strongly.
For example, if it’s your thyroid, your main symptoms will include fatigue, low energy levels, mild depression, weight gain, and PMS. When it’s your adrenals, your main symptoms will include fatigue, anxiety, and irritability. If it’s the ovaries, the main symptoms will be estrogen dominance, PMS, brain fog, and memory loss.
The combination of the affected Hormone Circuit component and your type of adrenal gland disorder will create a unique symptom picture as well. Add to that any other chronic conditions you may have, as well as your medical history, diet, lifestyle, age, sex, and environment, and, once again, your symptom picture will change. This is why it's important to find a doctor well versed in adrenal disorders to avoid misinterpreted symptoms.
The most common risk factors for adrenal gland disorders include:
There are also genetic disorders that increase your risk for developing adrenal tumors, and they include Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2, Paraganglioma syndrome, Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Von Hippel-Lindau disease, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, and Neurofibromatosis type 1 (or Recklinghausen’s disease).
Other than adrenal fatigue and NEM dysregulation, the following is a list of some of the most common adrenal gland disorders:
Along with aldosteronomas (noted above under Conn's Syndrome), there are other types of tumors that can affect your adrenal glands. They can be either benign or malignant. They can also affect either the cortex, the medulla, or an organ associated with the adrenal glands, such as the pituitary gland in the brain. For example:
Although all of the above issues are all separate from adrenal fatigue, they can lead to it or aggravate it if it’s already present. And because the adrenals are part of the Hormone Circuit of the NEM, their disorders will affect the thyroid and gonads, and also eventually the entire NEM. Adrenal gland disorders are a source of chronic stress, and so should be dealt with as such.
There are many different types of adrenal gland disorders, ranging from tumors to genetic issues to medication-induced problems. But what they have in common is that they will affect your adrenals’ ability to produce adrenal hormones, especially cortisol. Adrenal Fatigue and NEM dysregulation also have this in common. And it’s no surprise that you can have Adrenal Fatigue along with one of the other disorders.
Some of these disorders are easier to test for with blood and urine samples, MRI scans, and a medical history work-up. With adrenal fatigue, tests don’t help much. It requires the expertise of a medical professional with years of experience in Adrenal Fatigue. As does Adrenal Fatigue recovery.
But whatever type of adrenal disorder you have, and whatever treatment you might be undergoing, it’s a good idea to also go through an adrenal fatigue recovery program. It can help strengthen your adrenals and replenish your lost energy and nutrient stores. A full Adrenal Fatigue recovery plan will include diet, stress management, supplements, gentle forms of exercise, and sleep hygiene practices. These will all help your recovery from the other disorder, as well as general health.
Recovery from adrenal fatigue can have many pitfalls along the way. A supplement that can help one patient tremendously may end up causing you a paradoxical reaction or even an adrenal crash. This is where an experienced doctor can help.
If you have questions about adrenal gland disorders, Adrenal Fatigue, or NEM dysregulation, you can contact the Dr. Lam Coaching team. We can offer you a free** no-obligation phone consultation at +1-626-571-1234 where we will privately discuss your symptoms and what your options are. You can also send us a question through our Ask The Doctor system by clicking here.
Adrenal gland disorders are different types of conditions that affect your adrenal glands and their hormone production. And depending on which hormones they affect, you’ll have a different symptom picture. They can also lead to adrenal fatigue and other hormonal imbalances as well.