Adrenal Fatigue

Understanding Adrenal Fatigue

The Adrenal Glands

Before you can understand women’s adrenal fatigue, you first need to know how the adrenal glands work. When your body is under stress, whether you’re stressed out from work or commonly from postmenopause, the adrenal glands, sitting on top of your kidneys, release a hormone called cortisol. Exercise, low blood sugar, and excitement also stimulate cortisol release. Produced in the highest amounts in the morning with decreasing levels as the day goes on, cortisol acts to increase your blood pressure, maintain blood sugar, maintain circulatory and nervous system function, and depress inflammation.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

Your adrenal glands release cortisol continually if you are chronically stressed, resulting in elevated levels of cortisol. Over time, however, your adrenals become “fatigued” and can’t keep up with the constant demand for cortisol; eventually, you develop a cortisol deficiency. In a last-ditch effort to maintain normal levels of cortisol, the adrenal glands “steal” a precursor hormone called pregnenolone to make cortisol. This process prevents the synthesis of vital hormones like DHEA, progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone and contributes to the symptoms of adrenal fatigue.

Do I Have Adrenal Fatigue?

Here are some common symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

• Fatigue during the day
• Reduced immune function – increased susceptibility to infection
• Intolerance to stress
• Achy joints
• Increasing allergies
• Salt cravings
• Sleep problems
• Anxiety
• Reduction in muscle mass and strength
• Diminished libido
• Feeling cold

The Solution: Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy

Dr. Terlinsky first needs to measure your cortisol levels with a saliva test and then can provide you with a customized treatment plan to alleviate your symptoms of adrenal fatigue. Women don’t have to suffer adrenal fatigue from postmenopausal stress. Dr. Terlinsky can easily correct any hormonal deficiencies you may have with bioidentical hormones and get you back on the track of well-being and good health.