Why Am I So Tired?  It could be Adrenal Fatigue

In today’s complex world it seems we are always “fighting tigers” or “running from bears” and our adrenal gland is paying the price.  Poor nutrition, toxins, stressors, poor sleep, other hormone imbalances, all conspire to cause adrenal burnout.

People with low adrenal function often complain of fatigue.  The kind where getting out of bed is a chore despite having  slept plenty of hours.  Where is feels overwhelming dealing with everyday chores and even enjoyable activities feel like a burden.

Depression and low sex drive are also symptoms of adrenal fatigue.  Inability to handle stress is a common feature.  Being prone to low blood sugar, getting weak, shaky, sweaty and light-headed if they go without eating for long.  Or having light-headed spells reflecting low blood pressure.  Some people are prone to frequent infections or prolonged time to recovery.

We often see patients complaining of daytime fatigue combined with insomnia.  We call this “wired but tired.”  These patients usually have low cortisol in the day with a spike toward evening – which is the reverse of the normal pattern.

Adrenal fatigue is a controversial area in medicine.  Not all physicians will recognize the diagnosis and the standard tests for cortisol might miss adrenal fatigue.  We specialize in advanced adrenal testing.

If you suffer from chronic fatigue take heart, for there is hope.  Adrenal fatigue is only one of many common reasons to feel so tired and a thorough functional medicine evaluation will usually lead to a cure.