Welcome to Dr. James Wilson's Adrenal Fatigue Blog

The Secrets to Fighting Fatigue with Food

By Rosanna Commisso

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Dietary Supplements: Herbs, Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

Certain herbs that promote healthy adrenal function can be very beneficial during adrenal fatigue. The best herbs for supporting and reinvigorating the adrenals are adaptogenic ones that have a normalizing effect on the adrenal glands. They revitalize fatigued adrenals without over-stimulating them and help the body cope more effectively with stress. Four of the most useful herbs for adrenal fatigue and stress are described briefly below. Following that are a few words about herbs to be avoided during adrenal fatigue because they can delay or prevent adrenal recovery.

Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra)

The herb best known for supporting adrenal function is licorice. Yes, the ingredient that gives that common black twist of candy its flavor is beneficial for adrenal glands (check ingredients as not all “licorice” candy contains licorice). This anti-stress herb is known to increase energy, endurance and vitality and act as a mild tonic. It has been used to ease drug withdrawal and stimulate the adrenal hormones for anti-inflammatory action. It is known to naturally fortify cortisol levels, arguably the most important hormone in stress and adrenal fatigue. Licorice has also been used to help decrease symptoms of hypoglycemia, a common side effect of decreased adrenal function. Wound healing, which can be slowed down by stress, has been improved by using licorice. Licorice can also soothe nervous stomachs, a common occurrence in people under stress. Both blood circulation in the heart and arteries and production of interferon- like substances by the immune system are stimulated by licorice.

There has been some concern that licorice increases blood pressure. This is because licorice may increase sodium retention and also partially block the conversion of cortisol into cortisone, which can produce higher amounts of circulating cortisol. Cortisol slightly increases contraction of the medium arteries and heart muscle causing blood pressure to rise. However, there is so little actual licorice in candy that consuming normal amounts is unlikely to produce any elevation in blood pressure. In any case, people experiencing adrenal fatigue typically have low blood pressure, so this is not usually a concern. The few who have both high blood pressure and low adrenal function can limit licorice intake and/or monitor their blood pressure to make sure it stays below approximately 140/90.

It is best to take licorice in capsules, as a liquid herbal extract, or in the original dried root which can be chewed or made into a tea, rather than eating the candy. The candy usually contains too much sugar and may only contain licorice flavoring or anise, and not any actual licorice. When adrenal function is low, it may be good to keep some authentic natural licorice candy on hand for an occasional temporary boost.

Ashwagandha Root and Leaf (Withania somnifera)

Ashwagandha is an ancient East Indian herb with a history of therapeutic use dating back to at least 1,000 BC, probably because of its direct beneficial effects on adrenal tissue and function. Although it is also known as Indian ginseng, it is not related to ginseng. Traditionally, ashwagandha has been prescribed as a tonic for all kinds of weaknesses, as well as to promote strength and vigor. It has long been regarded as a rejuvenator and mild aphrodisiac. Because of its anti-inflammatory action, Ayurvedic physicians use it as the treatment of choice in rheumatic pains, inflammation of joints and other related conditions that arecommonly seen in states of adrenal fatigue.

Ashwagandha is considered to be an adaptogen. An adaptogen is any substance that helps the body function more towards its normal level. For example, if cortisol is too high, it lowers it; and if it is too low, it raises it. Studies have shown ashwagandha is capable of normalizing cortisol levels, whether they are too high or too low. This herb is becoming recognized for its multiple health benefits and especially for its value in adrenal fatigue. However, in very high doses (above 35gms/day) ashwagandha can actually inhibit adrenal function. 

Siberian Ginseng Root (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

Siberian ginseng, although not from Siberia and not strictly a ginseng, is good for women as well as men. It has a wide range of activities that help support and rejuvenate adrenal function, increase resistance to stress, normalize metabolism, and regulate neurotransmitters (which are important in modifying the stress response). It counteracts mental fatigue and is known to increase and sustain energy levels, physical stamina and endurance. With its antidepressant properties, Siberian ginseng has demonstrated its ability to calm anxiousness, improve sleeping, diminish lethargy, lessen irritability and induce a feeling of well-being. It has been used by Russian workers, deep-sea divers and Olympic athletes for better performance and by cosmonauts for stress and disease resistance, increased vitality and to counter depletion of the adrenal stress hormones. In addition, it has been shown to normalize blood sugar, stimulate antibodies to bacteria and viruses, increase resistance to environmental pollutants, improve absorption of some B vitamins and decrease vitamin C loss. Although it has been shown to normalize blood pressure, it should not be used if blood pressure is very high. Siberian ginseng is more normalizing than stimulatory in its effects on the adrenals and, as can be seen by its actions, it can be an important aid for anyone trying to recover from adrenal fatigue. (See below for a cautionary note about Korean Ginseng Root (Panax Ginseng))

Maca (Lepidium peruvianum)

Maca has been recognized for centuries in Peru for its many health benefits, including its ability to increase stamina, energy and endurance, and improve the ability to withstand stress. This adaptogenic herb helps normalize the body's response to stress, modulate cortisol levels, reduce the exhaustion that follows a stressful event, and protect the body against the negative effects of stress.

Additional Beneficial Herbs
Ginger Root (Zingiber officinale) and Ginkgo Leaf (Ginkgo biloba) are two other herbs worth mentioning for their beneficial effects during stressful times. Ginger is another adaptogen for the adrenals that helps modulate cortisol levels. Gingko is a powerful anti-oxidant that helps protect the adrenal glands, the brain and the liver from inflammation and free radical damage that occurs during stress. 

How to Take Herbal Preparations

The above herbs can be obtained and taken singly or ideally together, in liquid or dry forms. Always take the usual precaution of starting with low doses, and increasing the dosage slowly when using herbal preparations. Because of the varying strength of herbal preparations, it is best to follow the instructions on all packaged herbs. If there are no instructions, a general rule for preparation of herbs is as follows:

Tincture (alcohol extracts): Take 10-15 drops in liquid three to four times per day. Tinctures are important sources of the beneficial ingredients in plants because some of the most active agents in herbs can only be extracted using alcohol. Water extractions or glycerin-based preparations may not have the potency of alcohol extracts. However, since a number of people with low adrenal function are sensitive to alcohol, they can briefly simmer an herbal tincture in some tea or water to evaporate
the alcohol before taking it.

Other Fluid Extracts: Take 5-10 drops in liquid three to four times per day.

Leaves: Steep (cover with boiling water and let sit off the heat) 1 teaspoon of dry leaves per cup of water for 15 minutes. Strain and drink. Honey or other natural sweeteners can be added to taste.

Root: Simmer (heat in water kept below boiling) 1 teaspoon of grated dry or fresh root for each cup of water for 15 minutes. Strain and drink. Honey or other natural sweeteners can be added to taste.

Caution!

Just as there are herbs that are beneficial and restorative to the adrenals, there are herbs you should avoid if you are experiencing adrenal fatigue because they can worsen your symptoms, increase your recovery time, or prevent your recovery by further exhausting your adrenals. These herbs include the following:

• Ephedra (or Ma Huang)
• Cola nut
• Strong black teas

Also avoid any herbs or teas containing stimulants, sedatives, or hallucinogenic substances, and any teas that over-stimulate the nervous system or the adrenals. Just because it is natural does not mean it is good for you. Strychnine, arsenic, aflatoxin and mercury are also all “natural” substances, but would not be desirable in the body. So avoid these herbs.

A cautionary note about Korean Ginseng Root (Panax Ginseng)

Panax ginseng is an herb more suitable for men than for women. Although it has been shown to help increase cortisol levels, clinical experience has shown that while men can usually take Panax ginseng with mild to significant benefits, women should be careful in its use. This type of ginseng, especially Korean Red, can have adverse effects in some women, similar to the adverse effects they experience with excess DHEA. These can include an increase in facial hair and acne. In men increased aggressiveness, irritability, or sexual excesses are signs that they are taking too much and should cut down or stop taking it. Men are advised to use it in small doses at first and build up gradually and women to avoid its use altogether.  

 

 

 

Adrenal Fatigue – A Chi Perspective

By Rosanna Commisso 

What are the adrenals?
To understand the importance of the adrenals in your body’s response to stress, let’s start by looking at what your adrenals glands do. Your adrenal glands are essential to life as they help you cope with all types of stress. As part of the endocrine system, their role is to govern the fight or flight response (alarm reaction) and get you ready for action. They do this by producing several important hormones including cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine. Making sure that your adrenals produce the right amount of hormones is crucial – too much or too little of any particular hormone can cause havoc in your body and affect your ability to deal with the demands of living.

What is Adrenal Fatigue or Insufficiency?
Adrenal Fatigue is a medical condition where the adrenal glands are unable to produce adequate amounts of the hormones necessary for proper body function. This lack of hormones results in changes in the body’s carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, fluid and electrolyte balance, heart and cardiovascular system and even sex drive. The result of this imbalance means that the individual experiences normal everyday stresses as overwhelming, resulting in complete and utter exhaustion that never seems to be relieved no matter how much sleep or rest they get. Although you can’t see adrenal fatigue, as there are no visible symptoms, it is a crippling and devastating condition for its sufferers. The fact that it is invisible makes it even harder for sufferers as others may question the individual’s symptoms and the validity of the condition itself. Individuals suffering from adrenal fatigue may look and seem healthy but they are feeling like their energy and life is slipping away.

Causes of Adrenal Fatigue
The underlying cause of adrenal fatigue is ongoing, continuous unresolved stress. The stress can be emotional, mental, physical or external such as; poor diet, heavy metal toxicity, extreme shock and emotional trauma, excessive exercise, physical trauma, working too hard without enough rest, over-indulgence in stimulants like coffee, tea, tobacco, and narcotics, excessive use of cortisone therapy, lack of sleep or infections.

Unfortunately, the body reacts the same way to both real and imagined threats. For instance, constant worrying about a relationship ending can cause the same over-taxing of the adrenals and suppression of the immune system as actually having the relationship end. So your thinking has a major impact on your adrenal health and therefore your overall well-being. When the brain interprets an event as threatening (stressful) the adrenals begin to work. They signal the nervous system to prepare to fight or flee. Even though the stressful event may be over, the body continues to fight. When this state of emergency is maintained for long periods of time, the body's reserves become depleted and the immune system and adrenals are weakened.

During the early stages of adrenal fatigue your body produces an excess amount of cortisol to deal with the constant fight or flight response initiated by the stress. High cortisol levels can result in obesity, increased cholesterol and blood pressure, altered brain chemistry causing depression and anxiety, insulin resistance and osteoporosis. If you fail to address the stress, eventually your adrenals become so exhausted that they are no longer able to produce an adequate amount of cortisol or other necessary hormones to maintain normal physiological function.

Adrenal Fatigue can become a chronic ongoing condition, so to avoid it in the first place it’s so important to listen to your body. If you are tired it is pointless trying to rebel against what you body is telling you. You may be able to convince yourself that nothing is wrong and that’s its just mind over matter or that all you need is some more caffeine or sugar, but in the end your body will be heard even if it has to fall apart and shut down for you to hear what it is saying to you – and that is that you need to stop and rest.

Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

• Always feeling cold
• Anxiety
• Chronic low-grade infections
• Decreased sex drive
• Night sweats
• Needing to go to the bathroom at night
• Depression
• Environmental sensitivities
• Fibromyalgia
• Headaches
• Hypoglycemia
• Inability to focus or concentrate
• Increased allergies
• Insomnia
• Light-headedness
• Lower back pain in kidney area and sacrum
• Low blood pressure
• Muscular weakness
• Poor memory
• Scanty perspiration
• Sensitivity to light, noise, touch, movement
• Total feeling of exhaustion
• Weight gain or loss
• Feeling overwhelmed by little things
• Nausea

Seeking help with Adrenal Fatigue
Finding help for your Adrenal Fatigue is unfortunately not easy. Many doctors only recognise extreme adrenal conditions such as Addison's and Cushings. If you feel that you have had several of the symptoms listed above for a period of time, then it’s important to find a knowledgeable GP to work with you.

The best way to gauge your adrenal hormone profile, particular your cortisol levels, is to have a saliva test. The difference between blood test results and a saliva test result is that a cortisol blood test will measure the total hormone levels – both bound (inactive) and unbound (active) while the saliva test measures only the unbound active hormones, giving you a true reflection of what is happening in your body.

To find a doctor who uses saliva testing (and who would likely be familiar with adrenal fatigue), try calling compounding pharmacies in your area. They may be able to tell you which doctors order saliva tests.

Adrenal Fatigue According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
The fundamental principle of health and healing in TCM is the concept of balance. Your body contains both Yin and Yang Chi and in health, the relaxed Yin state balances the adrenal Yang state. The problem arises when you have an excess of either Yin or Yang influences in your life.

In TCM the adrenal glands are part of the water element and relate to kidney energy. The kidneys are seen as the single most important organ affecting the length and quality of your life. They control your internal Chi, your Yin/Yang balance and house your Jing which is your life force, your aliveness, your creative power and your essence. Abundant kidney Chi correlates to a strong physical constitution as well as a strong innate sense of purpose and will.

Since the adrenals relate to kidney Chi, Adrenal Fatigue is considered to be a Kidney Yang Deficiency. However, if the condition continues without treatment, it can also result in a Kidney Yin Deficiency.

Kidney Yang relates to the reactive, sympathetic nervous system and the secretion of epinephrine and norepinephrine. In contrast, Kidney Yin is the parasympathetic nervous system relating to the secretion of cortisol. Just as the body requires some degree of Yang adrenaline hormone to create motivation to react both to normal as well as life threatening stimulus, it also has a continual need for the Yin hormone, cortisol to buffer the effects of stress. In the early stages of stress, the body increases its production of cortisol, while in the later stages its secretion of cortisol is severely diminished. This lack of cortisol is diagnosed as "Kidney Yin Deficiency."

The clinical manifestations of Kidney Yang Deficiency are: soreness of the back, cold knees, sensation of cold in the back, aversion to cold, weak legs, bright-white complexion, weak knees, impotence,premature ejaculation, lassitude, abundant-clear urination, scanty-clear urination, apathy, oedema of the legs, infertility in women, poor appetite and loose stools.  The tongue is pale, swollen and wet and the pulse is deep and weak. In TCM theory, when there is kidney Yang deficiency, the body fails to transform the essence leading to a decline in endocrine and physiological functions.

The way to treat Kidney Yang deficiency is to warm the kidney. This means reducing your intake of cold (eg ice cream and other frozen foods, iced drinks), raw foods and antibiotics, as these foods inhibit your body's warming function, eventually depleting Yang. In addition, the use of sugar can overstimulate the sympathetic reflex and deplete kidney Yang.

Deficient kidney Yin is manifested with symptoms of aching, soreness of the lumbar region of the back, weakness of the legs and knees, tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo, constipation, night sweats, insomnia, dry throat, feverish sensation in the soles and palms, nocturnal emission, and in women, scanty menstrual flow and amenorrhoea, flushed complexion, heat, nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, dryness and chronic signs of inflammation and wasting. A deficiency of Yin suggests that the maintaining and repairing function of the body is depleted or lacking.

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Bad Marriage Raises Stress Levels For Men and Women

Your relationship could be literally killing you, and it may be more important to fix a bad marriage than fix a time with your doctor for that next check-up. A recent study has shown that men and women who are in bad marriages take that stress to work with them, thereby increasing their risk of developing heart disease and diabetes and other chronic complaints stemming from stress.

"What is happening is that marital problems are spilling into the workplace," said Brandeis University's Rosalind Barnett, one of the study's authors, in a news release. "And if these tensions persist over time, there could be serious health problems."

In the study, which was published in the journal Annals of Behavioral Medicine, Barnett and colleagues looked at 105 middle-aged married adults -- 67 men and 38 women -- to determine the relationship between the quality of their marriage and several physical and mental stress indicators.

Participants' feelings about their marriage were assessed using a standardized scale. Then, their blood pressure and levels of the stress-related hormone cortisol, determined from saliva samples, were checked throughout a working day. Those who expressed more marital concerns had higher blood pressure during the workday. They also had higher morning cortisol levels, with fewer changes in levels over the course of the day than those with fewer marital concerns. People who scored worse on the marital quality scale also reported feeling more stress.

Over time, high cortisol levels can increase your risk for obesity, diabetes, depression, immune problems and more, while high blood pressure raises the risk of heart attack and stroke. Contrary to what some may expect, these effects were seen in both men and women.

"It's generally assumed that primary relationships are more critical to women's psychological well-being than men's, but this is not the case," Barnett said. "When there is marital concern, men and women are equally affected." Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 2009

Comment by Eric Bakker, ND:

Here is yet another study highlighting the relationship with emotional conflict creating long term ill health by way of altering the sensitive stress mechanism of the human body. Countless studies have shown that high cortisol levels (a hormone produced by the adrenal gland) which stays high can lead to many chronic degenerative diseases for which pharmaceutical drugs are conveniently prescribed by your doctor. There are some enlightened doctors however who do understand the relationship with stress and health, and here are a few comments I received from doctors who use Dr. Wilson's Adrenal fatigue Program in their clinics. A doctor I know here in New Zealand has been using Dr. Wilson's Adrenal Fatigue Program successfully in his primary practice for the past two and a half years. His comments: "The more patients I see in primary care, the more I can see the connection with many of their presenting complaints and stress. In fact, if I placed half of my primary care patients on Dr. Wilson's Program I could reduce my workload at least by half." Another doctor I spoke with in the South Island of New Zealand mentioned that he used to treat depression as a "disease in its own right" but after studying Dr. Wilson's work has seen that many cases of depression actually stem from adrenal exhaustion (and altered cortisol levels) in men women. His comments: "Many cases of depression I see in patients seems to be connected to their level of stress and tiredness, and once I got used to treating their fatigue and stress patterns, their depression lifted and in some cases disappeared."

 

Dietary Supplements: Minerals, Stress & the Adrenal Glands

Mineral nutrients are the inorganic elements found in food that are essential to health. They play important roles in the body’s tissue structure and biochemistry, and work with vitamins in enzyme activity. Dietary minerals are generally classified according to the amount required each day as the following:

• Macro Minerals: More than 100 mg/day
• Micro Minerals: 1-100 mg/day, and
  
• Trace Minerals: Less than 1 mg/day

There are several minerals from each of these classes that are key to healthy adrenal function and the stress response.

Macro Minerals and Stress

Magnesium

Magnesium acts like a spark plug for the adrenal glands and for the energy system of every cell in the body. It is essential to the enzyme and energy generation necessary for the adrenal hormone cascade that produces hormones like cortisol to deal with stress. Together with vitamin C and pantothenic acid, magnesium helps adrenal activity reach its full potential. Several of the steps that create energy in every cell, and especially in the adrenal glands, are so dependent on the presence of magnesium that it is a specific for adrenal recovery. When there is not enough magnesium present, the stress response can be triggered with less provocation, leading to increased irritability and reactivity.

Magnesium is absorbed best when taken at night after 8 PM but is beneficial throughout the entire day. During times of stress, it can be helpful to take magnesium, vitamin C and pantothenic acid two to four times a day, or even hourly if the stress is severe. Approximately 400 mg. per day of magnesium is the recommended daily amount for the average person. However, if supplemental calcium is used, more magnesium may be required – in a 1:2 ratio of magnesium to calcium. Taken before bedtime, magnesium promotes relaxation and sound sleep. It is essential for muscle relaxation. However, it can be used in the morning to help create energy because it improves ATP (Adenosine-5'-triphosphate – the cell’s energy transporter) synthesis in cells, and in the early afternoon to help mitigate the afternoon lows. Although absorption of magnesium during the day is not as great as after 8 PM, it is usually sufficient to produce the desired effect. For best absorption, take magnesium and all other minerals with an acidic food or drink, like fruit, meat or juice, or with digestive aids.

Good food sources of magnesium include cooked or sprouted whole grains (wheat, oats, barley, etc.); yeast raised whole grain bread; sprouted legumes (soy beans, mung beans, etc.); legumes that have been soaked and then cooked in fresh water; fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh; lightly roasted brazil nuts, pine nuts and pumpkin seeds; sprouted or lightly roasted sesame seeds (unhulled) and products made from them such as tahini and humus; cooked spinach and artichokes; and sea vegetables such as kelp (the highest source).

When taking supplemental magnesium, look for magnesium citrate, malate or glycinate. These are generally the easiest supplementary forms for the body to absorb.

Calcium

In addition to being the primary structural component of bones and teeth, calcium acts somewhat like a shock absorber for the body when a stressor hits. It helps trigger adrenal hormone secretion, facilitate the transmission of messages throughout the nervous system, calm sensory and motor nerves, activate enzymes that release stored energy in the muscles, modulate muscle tone (including in the heart and blood vessels), control blood acid- alkaline balance, and regulate the flow of nutrients in and out of the cells. It is so important to survival that the body takes calcium from the bones when circulating levels are too low.

Stress reduces calcium absorption in the intestine but there are a variety of dietary and physiological factors that can enhance calcium uptake. Vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium in the small intestine and decreases loss of calcium in the urine. Vitamin D can be obtained through food, supplements and skin exposure to sunlight. Supplemental vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is identical to the form of vitamin D the human body manufactures from sunlight, whereas supplemental vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is less potent and active in the human body than vitamin D3. Unfortunately, D2 is the form usually used in milk and many supplements. Phosphorus enhances calcium absorption from food and supplements when it is in a ratio of approximately 1 part phosphorus to 2 parts calcium similar to the ratio found in human milk. Too much phosphorus, however, increases calcium excretion – a good reason to avoid all soft drinks. Moderate protein and fat intake, adequate hydrochloric acid in the stomach, vitamin C and exercise also improve absorption of calcium.

Calcium and magnesium counterbalance each other’s actions in the body to maintain equilibrium. For example, during the stress response calcium helps increase blood pressure and muscle tone in preparation for physical action, then as the stress lessens, magnesium helps muscles and the cardiovascular system relax. Magnesium also helps calcium stay more soluble in the body, reducing calcification. The typical recommended daily amount of calcium is 750 to 1,000 mg. When supplemental calcium is used, at least half that amount of supplemental magnesium should also be taken.

Like magnesium, calcium is absorbed best after 8 PM, but because calcium can interfere with magnesium absorption in the intestine, it is better to take calcium and magnesium at different times. They can be taken on alternate evenings or at separate times in the later part of the same day, but take the magnesium closer to bedtime. Also, the presence of dietary fiber can help protect magnesium absorption from calcium inhibition.

Cow’s milk and dairy foods are commonly considered to be good food sources of calcium. However, commercially available cow’s milk presents two problems in this regard: 1) The process of pasteurization and ultra pasteurization changes the calcium complexes in the milk, making them less suitable for the body. 2) Synthetic vitamin D2, made  by irradiating ergosterol, is commonly used to fortify milk but produces much less enhancement of calcium absorption in humans than does an equivalent amount of D3 (the form that naturally occurs in milk), and tends to increase calcification in the joints and other areas of the body. Certified raw milk and goat’s milk, fortified with natural D3, do not pose these problems to calcium absorption.

There are several other factors to consider about using milk as the primary source of calcium: the calcium to magnesium ratio in milk is approximately 10:1, so the more milk is consumed, the more magnesium needs to be obtained from other sources to prevent a magnesium deficiency. Although milk protein (casein) and milk sugar (lactose), in small amounts, facilitate absorption of calcium, diets high in meat and dairy protein can cause an acid condition that the body tries to balance with calcium taken from the bones. In addition, many people these days are sensitive or allergic to the protein or sugar in milk and other dairy foods.

Phytates found in raw plant foods like leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and legumes also interfere with the body's ability to use calcium. Phytate levels can be lowered by certain food processes such as using yeast to raise dough; lightly roasting or sprouting seeds, grains, legumes, nuts; presoaking legumes and then cooking them in fresh water; and fermentating.

Good non-dairy food sources of calcium include sprouted or lightly roasted sesame seeds (unhulled) and products made from them such as tahini and humus; calcium set tofu; cooked deep green vegetables such as kale, collard, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, bok choy, parsley and broccoli; sprouted legumes (soy beans, mung beans, etc.); legumes that have been soaked and then cooked in fresh water; fermented soy products such as miso and tempeh; winter squash; figs; nuts; and sea vegetables such as kelp; blackstrap molasses; sardines; canned fish and meat stews cooked with bones in.

When taking supplemental calcium, look for calcium citrate or calcium lactate (if you are not sensitive to milk). It is best to avoid calcium from bone meal, dolomite, or unrefined oyster shells as these may contain lead or other toxic metals. Keep in mind that your body can normally efficiently process about 500 mg. of calcium at any one time, whether from food or supplements. If you are taking more than this in supplements, split them up into several doses for optimum absorption and utilization.

Micro Minerals, Trace Elements and Stress

Micro minerals and trace elements occur in very small amounts in your body and in food but are essential for your overall health. Micro minerals  are minerals required by a typical adult in quantities of 1mg-100 mg. per day. These include copper, sulphur, manganese, selenium, zinc and chromium. Trace elements are minerals required by a typical adult in quantities of less than 1mg per day. These include fluorine, iodine, cobalt, molybdenum and silicon, among others.

They typically have a calming effect on the body and are especially valuable if you are jittery, nervous, or easily frightened or upset. When your adrenals fatigue, you may become extremely edgy and trace minerals can help you feel more tranquil. Like most minerals, micro minerals and trace elements are absorbed and utilized better when they are taken in the evening and/or with an acidic food or drink. Therefore, have them with meals when your body’s digestive juices are secreted or with something acidic such as tomato juice or vitamin C. If needed, however, they can be taken throughout the day as a calming influence.

Trace and micro mineral supplements vary in the quality and quantity of each mineral they contain. They are generally easiest to absorb in liquid form but you should be careful of so called “colloidal” preparations. They sometimes contain toxic trace minerals including lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic. The best sources of trace and micro minerals are sprouts, young plants, algae, and sea vegetables and the trace mineral supplements made from them.

A hair analysis is an inexpensive and fairly reliable way to determine your mineral deficiencies and toxicities.

 

Dietary Supplements: B Vitamins and the Adrenal Glands

Commonly, people experiencing adrenal fatigue are not taking in sufficient essential nutrients to meet the increased nutritional demands of stress. When your adrenal glands respond to stress, the metabolism of your cells speeds up, burning through many times the amount of nutrients normally needed. By the time you are in a state of adrenal fatigue, your cells have used up much of your body’s stored nutrients and are in desperate need of new supplies just to continue to function, let alone rebuild.

Superior nutrition is essential to your ability to handle and recover from stress, as well as remain healthy during stressful times. Good quality food is the best source of nutrients – there is no substitute. However, well designed nutritional supplements can be an important adjunct to a nutritious diet by replenishing depleted nutrient stores, supplying additional nutrients during periods of higher demand, and providing nutrients or combinations of nutrients that are difficult to get adequately through food alone.

Supplements designed especially for adrenal fatigue can play an important role in nourishing, supporting and strengthening your adrenals and the other glands and biochemical pathways involved in the stress response. When properly formulated, they fortify the tissue structure of the adrenals, facilitate healthy adrenal function, support production of appropriate levels of adrenal hormones, and promote effective biochemical communication among the glands that interact to respond to stress and maintain homeostatic balance. 

B Vitamins and Adrenal Function

Your adrenal glands manufacture a number of hormones, such as cortisol, adrenaline, aldosterone, estrogen and testosterone that regulate many processes in your body as well as help you cope with stress. This hormone production system is referred to as the adrenal cascade. Each of the eight B vitamins that make up vitamin B complex is essential in varying quantities throughout the adrenal cascade, as well as in many other processes from mood to DNA synthesis to energy production. Most B vitamins act as coenzymes, which means that they help form enzymes to become catalysts in biochemical transformations throughout your body.

Three Major Bs in the Adrenal Cascade

Vitamin B3 (niacin) is one of the most important of the B vitamins to the adrenal cascade. Large amounts of niacin are necessary to form the molecular structure of certain coenzymes critical for almost all of the steps in this cascade.

B5 (pantothenic acid) is another essential contributor in the adrenal cascade and is converted in the body into acetyl-CoA, a substance critical to the conversion of glucose into energy. It is present in all cells but in higher quantities in the adrenals because so much energy is needed to produce the adrenal hormones.

B6 (pyridoxine) is also a coenzyme in several of the biochemical pathways in the adrenal cascade and plays a role in the functioning of the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal (HPA) axis that modulates adrenal activity and the stress response.

Although proportionately larger quantities of B3, B5 and B6 are used in adrenal hormone production, all of the B vitamins help generate energy and work in concert with each other. Therefore, the presence of the complete B complex is necessary for each individual B vitamin to optimally do its job. Their relative ratios are especially critical to how well they are able to support adrenal function.

Vitamin B Complex – Optimal Ratios for Stress and Adrenal Fatigue

When buying a stress supplement containing B complex, the key is to look for one that has the B vitamins in the proper proportions for the human body to utilize, and specifically for the relative ratios that the adrenals need. The stress formulas that are composed of equal amounts of the B vitamins are not metabolized efficiently. An optimal formula for stress and adrenal fatigue should provide, per day, approximately:

• 75-130 mg of B3 (niacin)
• 700-1200 mg of B5 (pantothenic acid)
• 90-150 mg of B6 (pyridoxine)
• 15-25 mg of B1 thiamine)
• 15-25 mg of B2 riboflavin)
• 300-500 mcg of B7 (biotin)
• 600-1000 mcg of B9 (folic acid)

Because some people do not absorb vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) well in a regular vitamin supplement format, it may be preferable to take this in a separate 200-400 mcg sublingual supplement.

B Vitamins – Form Matters

Another important factor to consider is the form of each B vitamin in the supplement because this significantly affects the way it is metabolized and how fully it can be utilized by your body. For example, when vitamin B2 is provided as both riboflavin HCL and riboflavin-5’-phosphate, you get an immediate effect from the active HCL form which does not need to be broken down in your body, plus a delayed effect from the 5-phosphate form which has to be converted in your liver into the active form. The same goes for vitamin B6 when it is provided as both pyridoxine HCL and pyridoxine-5’-phosphate. This dual action means that the supply of these B vitamins lasts longer. Also, a small percentage of the population has difficulty metabolizing the regular vitamin B6 (pyridoxine HCL) and requires the pyridoxyl-5’-phosphate form to fully activate the enzymatic pathways in the adrenal cascade.

Vitamin B3 as niacin can cause an unpleasant hot flushing above certain doses, but when it is provided as inositol hexaniacinate, it does not cause flushing and is also better tolerated by your body. The metabolism of vitamin B12, cyanocobalamin, is complex and B12 can be difficult to absorb, especially for people with low levels of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs. Taking the active form, methylcobalamin, sublingually bypasses this problem and may provide the best results for many people.

B vitamins are water soluble which means that much of supplemental Bs are fairly quickly lost through sweat and urine. To make the most efficient use of these vitamins and to produce calm, steady results, find a true sustained release supplement that makes them available gradually over a period of hours.

Natural or Synthetic B Vitamins

Many people are concerned about whether their vitamins are “natural” or synthetic. Almost all vitamin B supplements contain synthetic B vitamins, especially if they are in high enough amounts to make a difference to someone experiencing stress and adrenal fatigue. The real question to ask about supplemental vitamins is if they are bio-identical, meaning do they have the exact same structure as those that occur naturally in food. Bio-identical synthetic B vitamins can be used effectively to help reinvigorate adrenal function and perform all of the other functions B vitamins normally have in your body. If you find a B complex from completely natural sources, it will contain much lower amounts of each B vitamin, or the individual amounts will not be listed.

Food Sources for B Vitamins

The best food sources of B vitamins include the following: whole grains, brewer’s yeast, pollen, miso (a Japanese soup stock), Marmite (a vegetable concentrate paste), liver, certain raw nuts, sprouts and rice bran syrup. These all contain natural forms of B complex.

Why Dr. Wilson Formulated Adrenal Fatigue Dietary Supplements

I am often asked why I formulated dietary supplements for adrenal fatigue. During my practice, the idea had been on my mind for a number of years. I saw early in my clinical work that most people suffering from adrenal fatigue need more than just lifestyle changes and alterations in their food intake. When the adrenals respond to stress, cell metabolism has to speed up, burning through many times the number of nutrients normally needed. By the time the adrenals reach the state of adrenal fatigue, the cells have used up much of the body’s store of certain nutrients and are in desperate need of new supplies to continue to minimally function, let alone recover. Normally, good quality food is the best source of these nutrients, but once depleted, the adrenals need more than diet alone is likely to provide. I found, clinically, that supplementing with specific concentrated nutrients markedly increased my patients’ ability to strengthen adrenal function and
recover their health.

I began using adrenal extract tablets with my patients with adrenal fatigue and found that they slowly improved over time, but their progress was too slow for my liking, no matter which adrenal concentrate they took. However, by combining concentrated, hormone-free extracts of the glands most involved in the stress response, we were able to achieve much better outcomes than we had using them singly. Applying my knowledge of nutrition, I started adding specific nutrients one at a time, and through trial and error discovered that most people suffering from adrenal fatigue and similar stress related health problems need much more of some nutrients than others. As nutrient after nutrient was added, people began responding and recovering more and more quickly, and then recovering more fully. At first, I treated each person individually, trying to determine their optimum dosage for each nutrient. Over time, though, it became apparent that most people with adrenal fatigue need the same nutrients, only varying in quantity depending upon severity. The more severe the adrenal fatigue, the more of these specific nutrients they needed to sustain themselves, function well and recover fully.

At the time, the dietary supplements on the market that focused on adrenal health lacked the clinical effectiveness I wanted and deemed necessary for my patients. To obtain adequate nutritional support for sustained improvement, it was often necessary for my patients to take 17 to 24 different supplements (60 to 80 tablets or capsules) per day – a regime that became very frustrating for both them and me to manage and maintain. Frequently, I would prescribe a particular supplement but my patient would walk out of the drugstore or health food store with a different one that was on sale or promoted by an employee or another customer. Inconsistencies among different brands in ingredients, potency, quality, raw materials sources, processing methods and other factors that affect clinical effectiveness undermined the reliability of results I was after. I was frustrated in general by the inconsistency of dietary supplements from one bottle to the next of the same product from the same company. Even formulas that appeared to be excellent, from reputable companies, often performed unreliably. In any recovery program, it is important to limit variables to clearly track the program’s effectiveness and make meaningful improvements. To better do this, I soon began carrying supplements in my office as a way of controlling which products my patients were taking and monitoring their compliance with the program by checking their reorder rates. This improved our results, but also made me aware that some companies change their formulas periodically, often without notice, and that my patients’ progress and recovery varied with these changes.

I decided to formulate a single dietary supplement and an herbal supplement specifically to support patients with adrenal fatigue. From my previous years of formulating, I knew that it is not just the individual ingredients, but how they act synergistically that produces the best and most effective supplements. Drawing on this formulating expertise, scientific research and years of clinical experience, I incorporated the ingredients that I found to be most useful for my patients in forms and proportions that enhanced their effectiveness. My goal was to create adrenal fatigue supplements that would work comprehensively in the body, show improved clinical effectiveness, significantly help recovery, and be compatible with a daily program that was easy for patients to consistently maintain.

The resulting supplements were Adrenal Exhaustion Formula and Herbal Adrenal Support Formula®, which I formulated while writing Adrenal Fatigue: The 21st Century Stress Syndrome and mention in the book. Through the book I wanted to help people understand the effects of stress on their bodies and adrenal glands, show them how to determine if they were experiencing adrenal fatigue, and provide a comprehensive self-help guide for recovery. By making Adrenal Exhaustion Formula and Herbal Adrenal Support Formula® available in addition to the book, I hoped to optimize the ability of people to fully recover from varying degrees of adrenal fatigue and increase their stress hardiness.  

To make Herbal Adrenal Support Formula®, I drew on scientific research, my years of clinical experience with natural medicine and my formulating skills to combine four high quality, organically grown, adaptogenic herbs that each offer benefits to the stressed body. Taken together two to three times a day and once before bedtime, they help balance functioning of the hypothalamic/pituitary/adrenal (HPA) axis that regulates the stress response and adrenal activity. The result of this balance is an increased inner calmness and steadiness that allows people under stress or with adrenal fatigue to function on a more even keel during the day and sleep more soundly at night.

Unfortunately, just before the book came out in November, 2001, the company that was to manufacture and distribute Adrenal Exhaustion Formula opted out. This was a problem as the book had already gone to press and I could not find another company to handle the supplement. To keep my commitment to with the people who would read and use my book, I decided to produce it myself. After considerable searching, I found a small company willing to manufacture 200 bottles of Adrenal Exhaustion Formula at a time. I placed my first order in the early spring of 2002, paying for it with my personal credit card. I thought most of the 200 bottles would end up sitting on the shelf until the expiry date, and that would be the end of it – but at least I had maintained the integrity of what I said in the book.
 
Surprisingly, Adrenal Exhaustion Formula began to sell. My wife and I have reflected on this and to this day we do not know how that happened. Only a few copies of the book had sold, the shopping cart on the website did not work, and the phone seldom rang, but somehow those first 200 bottles disappeared from the shelf. I ordered 200 more and, low and behold, those sold too, so I ordered 500 more thinking that would be the last order. When I saw that these were selling, I realized that this formula was meeting a real need, and I began to look at what more I could do to create and provide the best products and program that would allow doctors to deal effectively with adrenal fatigue and help the many people who suffered needlessly from it.

I decided to split Adrenal Exhaustion Formula into two supplements: a nutrient formula and a glandular. This would make it easier to adapt to individual requirements. Some people experiencing the effects of stress only need nutritional support, and proper nutritional support will keep them from slipping into adrenal fatigue. Whereas people who have already developed adrenal fatigue would get the most benefit from the glandular extract component of the product plus the nutrient portion. So after those 500 bottles of Adrenal Exhaustion Formula sold, I split it into two products: Adrenal Rebuilder® and Super Adrenal Stress Formula®.

Adrenal Rebuilder® contains concentrated glandular extracts, processed to have their hormones removed, that provide bioavailable building blocks to strengthen structure and vitalize function at a fundamental level in the adrenals, hypothalamus, pituitary and gonads – the main endocrine glands involved in the stress response. The glandular extracts work so deeply that it usually takes several weeks, or even months, to notice their effects, but these effects are profound and form the foundation for lasting results.
 
Super Adrenal Stress Formula® contains specific nutrients required in adrenal hormone production and needed by cells throughout the body to maintain healthy function and recover when under stress. The actions of these nutrients are much quicker to produce effects and people tend to notice a difference within a few days.

By creating two separate supplements out of Adrenal Exhaustion Formula, the quantities of the nutrients and/or glandular extracts could be adjusted more precisely to individual needs. My intention was that when adrenal fatigue was present, doctors could use the Adrenal Rebuilder® to help their patients’ run-down adrenal glands build up strength, sound structure and function along with the Super Adrenal Stress Formula® to supply the nutrients needed for healthy adrenal hormone production. If their patients were under stress but adrenal function was adequate, they could use just Super Adrenal Stress Formula® to replenish the nutrients rapidly used up during stress, thus helping to maintain adrenal function and avoid adrenal fatigue.

I found the two formulas together worked beautifully for adrenal fatigue, and Super Adrenal Stress Formula® soon proved to be a stand-alone supplement that supported people under stress better than anything else I had ever used. Observing their effects, I began to refer to Adrenal Rebuilder® as the “mechanic” and Super Adrenal Stress Formula® as the “accelerator” for the adrenals. While Adrenal Rebuilder® works down in the “engine” repairing and tuning, Super Adrenal Stress Formula® provides the nutrient “fuel” input that speeds up adrenal output. In most cases, taking Super Adrenal Stress Formula® made people feel much more in balance and calm. If they took too much, the B vitamins made some people a little jittery or speedy, but in those cases it was simple to reduce the dose until they felt balanced. People started writing and calling to tell us how much they were benefitting from these two products, and this became the most important reason, to me, for forming a company that could continue and expand this work. I realized that if we did not, there was nowhere else people could get products that worked like these. Since I had seen the suffering of people experiencing stress disorders and adrenal fatigue for many years, I became even more committed to establishing a successful company that would never compromise on quality or effectiveness. I wanted people to be able to always count on us to provide them with products that worked harmoniously with the natural processes of their bodies to maintain and noticeably reinvigorate their health. It was – and is – important to me to help as many people as possible to once again be in balance and know sustainable health, regardless of how long they have experienced the discouragement of struggling alone with adrenal fatigue or related health problems.

As I began looking at what else I could do to support this rapidly growing group of stressed people, I noticed an interesting paradox. The adrenal glands use more vitamin C per cell than any other organ or gland in the body, especially during stress, but people with adrenal fatigue are mildly acidic and vitamin C is acidic in its most common ascorbic acid form. The adrenals do not need more acid, but they do need more vitamin C. So the question was how to resolve this dilemma. I soon realized that if I balanced the pH of the ascorbic acid with minerals needed for adrenal hormone production and the stress response, I could not only balance the pH of the vitamin C supplement but also provide a valuable source of minerals essential to adrenal function. In addition, bioflavonoids could be added to the formula in a 2:1 ratio of ascorbic acid to bioflavonoids that is similar to the ratio found in nature. Bioflavonoids in this ratio almost double the activity of the vitamin C and also have their own wonderful uses in helping modulate stress. This formula provided a unique vitamin C designed for people experiencing stress and/or adrenal fatigue that was pH-balanced, provided needed minerals and the bioflavonoids that enhance and always appear with ascorbic acid in nature. The resulting supplement, Adrenal C Formula®, is the complete stress vitamin C that I mention in the book and has proved to also be a superior vitamin C that can be taken by anyone. People soon began reporting another advantage – it did not burn their stomachs like other vitamin C supplements had. Some said it was the only form of vitamin C they could take, and took it even though they did not have adrenal fatigue. This was welcome, but unexpected.

As I reviewed the supplements, it struck me that both the Super Adrenal Stress Formula® and Adrenal C Formula® contained water soluble vitamins. I knew from my studies in nutrition that when a large amount of water soluble vitamins are consumed at once, the body spills the excess out into the urine and sweat. This elimination happens as a reflex response, often before the cells can absorb as much of these nutrients as they may need. My challenge was to convert both the Adrenal C and Stress Formula into a sustained release format that would make the nutrients more bio-available at the cellular level. After several months of research and collaboration with a new, more knowledgeable manufacturer, we developed an integrated sustained release mechanism that allowed the nutrients to be absorbed gradually over four to five hours and the caplet to retain its sustained release properties even when it was cut into smaller pieces (as some people liked to do). It was more expensive to manufacture and took more work to develop, but was worth it because we now had two products that facilitated better cell saturation for optimal availability and performance.

This completed what we now call the Adrenal Quartet: Adrenal Rebuilder® is the deep acting restorer that provides bioavailable raw material for the glands of stress to build and strengthen their structure and function; Super Adrenal Stress Formula® is the energy controller that provides an optimal balance of sustained release nutrients essential for more energy through better adrenal hormone production and for healthy cellular stress recovery throughout the body; Adrenal C Formula® is the protective antioxidant that provides pH balanced, sustained release vitamin C optimally enhanced by bioflavonoids and minerals needed during stress; and Herbal Adrenal Stress Formula®  is the calm, steady balancer and sleep soother that combines herbs specially selected to help balance the HPA axis, which is central to the stress response and healthy adrenal function.

As I worked with various people taking these supplements, I developed protocols for their combined use that maximizes their therapeutic value, and codified these protocols as my Program for Adrenal Fatigue and Stress. Together these four supplements used according to the guidelines of this program achieved my goal to create adrenal fatigue supplements that would work comprehensively in the body, show improved clinical effectiveness, significantly help recovery, and be compatible with a daily program that was easy for patients to consistently maintain. This program, accompanied by the lifestyle improvements and dietary changes
described in detail in the book, has been the best way I have found to help people with adrenal fatigue – making recovery from adrenal fatigue is not only possible, but probable. The benefits of strong, healthy adrenals include steady energy, sound sleep, responsive immune function, proper hormonal balance, the ability to concentrate, and the ability to handle and rebound from stress.  

For more than 20 years in my practice, I witnessed the impact of helping people recover from adrenal fatigue on many levels. My intention with these formulas was to facilitate my patients’ recovery from adrenal fatigue, and provide a better, easier way for them to receive the highest quality, targeted nutritional support on a deep and effective level. Never did I imagine the demand was such that those original formulas would actually grow into what has now come to be known as the Future Formulations brand of dietary supplements. My desire is to use my knowledge and experience to help others put their health into their own hands – which is why the Future Formulations mission reads, “To help people help themselves to health with doctor designed dietary supplements that enhance the body’s own natural processes for health.” I continue to pursue this mission through educating health care professionals and developing equally unique and effective formulas targeted to areas of health that are currently underserved, such as blood sugar balance and long-term immune enhancement.

Yours in health,

Dr. James L. Wilson

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Morning Cortisol Levels

Medical professionals would do well to look at their fatigued patients in terms of their morning cortisol levels. By allowing their patient’s adrenal glands to function at optimal levels, cortisol levels become normalized, allowing their bodies to more effectively regulate blood sugar levels optimizing not only energy production, but optimizing health and wellness in general. Dr. Wilson, the “stress” doctor and world authority on fatigue, stress and adrenal function actually coined the phrase “adrenal fatigue” in 1998. Dr. Wilson found through his extensive research spanning over 30 years that there is almost no part of the body which is not affected to some degree by cortisol. The following study highlights the importance of salivary cortisol testing correlating with fatigue and appeared in the March 2008 issue of JCEM, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, one of the four journals published by The Endocrine Society.
 
People who suffer from chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) often endure months of persistent fatigue, muscle pain, and impaired memory and concentration. Understanding the physiological changes that accompany CFS, however, has been difficult, but a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM) reveals that abnormally low morning concentrations of the hormone cortisol produced by the adrenal glands, may be correlated with more severe fatigue in CFS patients, especially in women.

"We’re learning more and more about the complexities of the illness that is chronic fatigue syndrome," said William C. Reeves, M.D., with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, Georgia, and lead author of the study. "This research helps us draw a clearer picture in regards to how CFS affects people, which ultimately will lead to more effective management of patients with CFS."
 
For their study, the researchers screened 19,381 residents of Georgia, selecting 292 people who had CFS, 268 who were considered chronically unwell, and 163 who were considered well to participate. The researchers then measured free cortisol concentrations in saliva, which was collected on regular workdays, immediately upon awaking and 30 minutes and 60 minutes after awakening. The data indicated different profiles of cortisol concentrations over time among the groups, with the CFS group showing an attenuated morning cortisol profile.

Study participants were purposely screened and enrolled from the community, rather than from volunteers identified at a specialty referral clinic. The purpose of this study design was to provide results that would be more generalized to the population suffering from CFS. In this study, women with CFS exhibited significantly lower morning cortisol profiles when compared with well women.
 
This study confirms previous research indicating that CFS is related to an imbalance in the normal interactions among the various systems of the body that work together to manage stress. "People with CFS have reduced overall cortisol output within the first hour after they wake up in the morning, which is actually one of the most stressful times for the body," Dr. Reeves said. "We need further studies to better understand the relationship between morning cortisol levels and functional status of a patient suffering from CFS."

Founded in 1916, The Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest, and most active organization devoted to research on hormones, and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, The Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 14,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 80 countries. Together, these members represent all basic, applied, and clinical interests in endocrinology. To learn more about the Society, and the field of endocrinology, visit http://www.endo-society.org.
 
If the Endocrine Society takes salivary cortisol and CFS seriously enough to publish these results in their prestigious journal, why does the medical profession (and particularly the endocrinologists) not take note and finally regard that low morning cortisol is linked with fatigue, with adrenal fatigue to be more precise?

Eric Bakker ND

Sleep Disruptions Can Be Adrenal Fatigue

One major thing I have gained from Dr. Wilson’s vast understanding of the role of hypopthalmic - pituitary - and adrenal function (the HPA axis) is that an excellent night’s sleep is very much the result of a balanced HPA axis. If you suffer from a cortisol imbalance, you will not only have energy disturbances, you will have sleep disturbances! Do you have an issue with sleep? Then please read this article. I know it may seem a bit top heavy on the technical side, but if you slowly go through the material it will make a lot of sense. You can gain a great amount of understanding about stress, insomnia and energy by understanding Dr. Wilson’s work. Here is an excellent article from Dr. Wilson regarding sleep and cortisol.

Eric Bakker ND

Stress and adrenal function affect sleep, particularly the circadian pattern of cortisol secretion by the adrenal glands. Circulating cortisol normally rises and falls throughout the 24 hour daily cycle, and is typically highest at around 8 AM and lowest between midnight and 4 AM. Both high and low nighttime cortisol levels can interrupt sound sleep. Stress normally causes a surge in adrenal hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that increase alertness, making it more difficult to relax into sound sleep – especially when they remain high or rise and fall irregularly through the night. Frequent or constant stress can chronically elevate these hormone levels, resulting in a hypervigilant state incompatible with restful sleep.

If this is the reason for poor sleep, anything that reduces stress and enhances the ability to handle stress may improve sleep. This can include relaxation, breathing and/or meditation techniques, certain yoga postures, healthy lifestyle changes, and stress-relieving life alterations. Refraining from vigorous exercise in the evening and taking time to consciously relax before going to bed may calm the adrenals and help lower cortisol and adrenaline levels.

When the adrenals fatigue, adrenal hormone levels may become low, leading to another possible source of nighttime sleep disruption – low blood sugar. Cortisol plays an important role in maintaining blood sugar (glucose) levels around the clock. Although blood glucose is normally low by the early morning hours, during adrenal fatigue cortisol levels may not stay sufficient to adequately sustain blood glucose. Low glucose signals an internal alarm (glucose is the main fuel for all cells, including brain cells) that disrupts sleep so the person can wake up and refuel.
 
Low nighttime blood glucose can also result from inadequate glycogen reserves in the liver. Cortisol causes these reserves to be broken down into glucose that is then available to the cells. When low cortisol and low glycogen reserves coincide, blood glucose will most likely drop, disrupting sleep. Waking between 1 AM and 3 AM may indicate low blood sugar resulting from inadequate glycogen reserves in the liver, low adrenal function and cortisol, or both. This is often the culprit when panic or anxiety attacks, nightmares, or fitful, restless sleep occur between 1 and 4 AM.
 
If low blood sugar is disrupting sound sleep, supporting healthy adrenal function and dealing with the adrenal fatigue may contribute long term to sound sleep. Also having a healthy snack before bed can help fortify the body’s nighttime energy reserves. The snack should be one or two bites of food that contains protein, unrefined carbohydrate, and high quality fat, such as half a slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter or a slice of cheese on a whole grain cracker. Eating or drinking sugary, refined foods will only aggravate the problem. Sometimes exercising before bed can help, since exercise tends to raise cortisol levels.

Lack of sleep can be a significant body burden that, in itself, can contribute to adrenal fatigue. Every time the wake/sleep cycle is altered, it takes several days to weeks for the body and cortisol levels to adjust. In fact, sleep ranks with diet and regular exercise as an essential component of a healthy life. People on alternating shifts with less than three weeks between shift changes are continually hammering their adrenal glands and may become very susceptible to adrenal fatigue.
 
Chronic lack of sleep is now regarded as a health hazard and has been associated with several possible health consequences. These include lowered immunity with increased susceptibility to infections, impaired glucose tolerance, low morning cortisol levels, and increased carbohydrate cravings. Lack of sleep can also elevate circulating estrogen levels, upset hormonal balance, and slow healing and prolong the recovery period. These are in addition to the decreased alertness and concentration that most people experience when missing an inordinate amount of sleep.

The consensus from research and clinical observation is that it is necessary to sleep an average of eight hours per day. Some people need even more in the beginning phases of recovery from adrenal fatigue. A saliva cortisol test done at night and compared with daytime levels and with the test standards for those times will
help determine if either high or low cortisol may be interfering with sound sleep. If cortisol is a likely culprit, cortisol levels will be significantly higher or lower than normal for those times.

Yours in health,

Dr. James Wilson

Minimizing Adrenal Fatigue & Letdown After a Stressful Event

The letdown that almost invariably follows an illness, a stressful event or even the holiday season is largely attributable to adrenal fatigue. However, with proper adrenal support you can often minimize or avoid the letdown and maintain a healthy ability to handle stress.

To understand why letdown occurs, it is helpful to know a little about the pattern of physiological adjustments your body makes in response to stress -- regardless of its source.

Primarily through adrenal hormones, you prepare for the same physical "fight or flight" reactions as did primitive man, even though modern day stress rarely requires that you physically fight or flee.

Your initial stress reaction produces a large rise in cortisol, adrenaline and other adrenal hormones that mobilize your energy, mental and physical resources to take action. This lasts for a few minutes to a few hours -- essentially how long it might take you to fight or run away from a threat. At the end of this alarm phase there is a recovery period lasting a few hours to a few days (depending upon the magnitude of the stress) when levels of cortisol and other adrenal hormones drop and remain low. This is a natural letdown phase during which you likely feel more tired and listless and want to rest. At this time your adrenals are temporarily fatigued and less able to respond to stress. The more fatigued or depleted your adrenals were at the time of the initial alarm, the longer and more debilitated your letdown.

If stress continues, your adrenals adapt to handle it by producing slightly elevated levels of hormones, particularly cortisol, in a kind of constant semi-alarm phase. This phase can last for weeks, months or even for many years. However, your body's prolonged biochemical readiness for "fight or flight" without commensurate physical action causes increasing problems in your body the longer it goes on, and it becomes another source of stress. If stress persists beyond your adrenal's capacity to maintain this higher function, or another stressful event occurs, your adrenals may eventually become depleted, leaving you in the more lasting letdown of adrenal fatigue and no longer able to respond adequately to stress.

Stress intensifies the demands on your body -- nutrients are used up faster than they can be replaced by food, toxic by-products rapidly build up, and every organ and gland (including your brain) is asked to work harder. Your adrenal glands must respond to every stress you experience by producing hormones that help your body cope with the stress and maintain homeostasis.

When you can anticipate stressful times, you can make a significant difference to how you will feel and the amount of letdown you will experience by paying attention to what your body needs and stepping up your level of self care. The following tips should minimize letdown, and help you bounce back more quickly, become more stress hardy, sustain good energy, experience more refreshing sleep, and remain calm, clear-headed, focused and steady.

• Eat what your body needs to function optimally by choosing fresh, wholesome food. When your adrenals are stressed, it is especially important to eat regular meals morning, noon and evening which each contain protein, healthy fat and complex carbohydrate.
  

• Avoid foods that stress your body, such as sugar, white flour/refined grains,hydrogenated oils, excessive additives and junk food.

• Minimize substances that over-stimulate your adrenals, such as caffeine.

• Exercise regularly and make sure you get up and move around frequently throughout the day to help keep that “fight or flight” reaction from creating further internal stress.

• For at least ten minutes a day take a mental break – concentrate on your breathing, meditate or focus on something peaceful.

• Take dietary supplements specifically designed to support and strengthen your adrenal glands for at least a month leading up to the anticipated stressful time, as well as for as long as needed afterward. Look for supplements, like the ones suggested below, formulated by an expert in stress to provide your adrenals and stressed body with precise forms, amounts, and ratios of high quality, natural ingredients they can optimally assimilate and utilize to enhance your health and minimize letdown.  The right supplements can make a world of difference.
  
  
• If you are stressed and having difficulty staying balanced during the day, tend to feel anxious or mildly depressed, or are having trouble sleeping, look for a combination of organic herbs designed to support the Hypothalamus/Pituitary/Adrenal (HPA) axis and adrenal function to help balance you during the day and promote sound sleep at night.
  
  
• Adrenal hormone production is very nutrient intensive, so supplementing with the precise nutrients your adrenals need to make these hormones can help you feel good and maintain a healthy response to stress. To enhance your response to and feel better while under stress, look for a combination of vitamins and minerals formulated in precise ratios, forms and amounts to replenish the specific nutrients used up by stress, facilitate the production of adrenal hormones, and support adrenal health.
  
  
• To replenish the vitamin C that gets rapidly used up during stress, look for a true sustained release supplement that provides a steady supply of an optimal amount of vitamin C, plus a 1:2 ratio of bioflavonoids to vitamin C to enhance the vitamin C activity and help protect your tissues from the oxidizing damage of stress, as well as trace minerals to neutralize the acidity of vitamin C so it’s easier on your stomach.
  
  
• If you have been depleted by stress, your adrenal glands may need deep replenishment and extra support to maintain healthy function and adequately respond to further stress. Look for a hormone-free multiglandular that contains adrenal, hypothalamus, gonad and pituitary concentrates designed to provide natural building blocks that fundamentally support and strengthen the structure and function of the adrenals and other glands affected by stress.
  
  
• Many people who feel stressed also experience energy lows at in the morning, mid-afternoon, or after exertion. To help temporarily bolster your energy at these times, look for a caffeine- free energy booster that is designed specifically to both provide support to your adrenals and naturally enhance your energy levels.
  

By taking steps to bolster and protect your health from stress, you can minimize the debilitating letdown that often occurs during and/or after a stressful event, and discover a new level of steadiness and stamina that allows you to enjoy life more fully, even in stressful times.