Topics Covered:

• What are the adrenals
• Where are the adrenals located
• How to fix the adrenal body type
• Debate within the medical community regarding the concept of "adrenal fatigue."
• Use of natural type remedies

What and Where are the Adrenals?

The adrenal glands are located on top of each kidney. They are small, triangular-shaped glands that play a crucial role in producing hormones that regulate various bodily functions, including metabolism, immune response, and stress reactions.

• Each adrenal gland has two main parts:
  • The outside is called the Adrenal Cortex
  • The inside is called the Adrenal Medulla

Adrenal Medulla

The adrenal medulla is the innermost part of the adrenal glands, situated at the center of each gland, on top of the kidneys. It is one of the two main components of the adrenal glands, with the other being the adrenal cortex.

The adrenal medulla is responsible for producing two important hormones: adrenaline (also known as epinephrine) and norepinephrine. These hormones are part of the body's "fight or flight" response to stress and play a crucial role in preparing the body to respond to immediate threats or challenges. Here's how they work:

• Adrenaline (Epinephrine):
  • Adrenaline is released in response to stress, fear, or excitement. It's often referred to as the "emergency hormone" because it prepares the body for quick action in potentially dangerous situations.
  • Adrenaline increases heart rate, dilates the airways in the lungs to enhance oxygen intake, and redirects blood flow to the muscles and brain, all of which are essential for a rapid response.
  • This hormone helps mobilize energy stores by increasing the breakdown of glycogen (stored glucose) in the liver, providing extra energy for immediate use.
• Norepinephrine:
  • Norepinephrine is similar to adrenaline and is often released alongside it in response to stress.
  • It also contributes to the "fight or flight" response by increasing heart rate, constricting blood vessels to raise blood pressure, and redirecting blood flow to vital organs.
  • Norepinephrine plays a role in maintaining alertness and focus during stressful situations.

Together, adrenaline and norepinephrine help the body respond swiftly and effectively to challenges or threats. Once the stressor is resolved, hormone levels return to baseline as the body returns to its normal state.

Adrenal Cortex

The adrenal cortex produces hormones such as cortisol, aldosterone, and some sex hormones each serving a specific function:

Glucocorticoids (Sugar hormones):

• The primary glucocorticoid produced by the adrenal glands is cortisol, which is often referred to as the "stress hormone."
• Cortisol plays a key role in regulating metabolism, immune response, and blood sugar levels.
• It helps the body respond to stress by increasing glucose production, which provides energy to deal with stressors.

Mineralocorticoids (Salt hormones):

• The main mineralocorticoid produced by the adrenal glands is aldosterone.
• Aldosterone plays a vital role in regulating the balance of electrolytes (sodium and potassium) and fluid levels in the body.
• It helps control blood pressure and the balance of water and salt in the body.

Androgens (Sex hormones):

• The adrenal glands also produce a small amount of sex hormones, including androgens (male sex hormones) like dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
• While the primary production of sex hormones occurs in the gonads (testes in males, ovaries in females), the adrenal glands contribute to the overall hormone balance.

Fight or Flight

The complete adrenal system is closely tied to what we refer to as the "fight or flight" response, serving its purpose of enabling the body to acclimate to a state of stress.

Originally intended for short-term scenarios, this system was designed for immediate responses rather than prolonged use. However, we often find ourselves dealing with extended periods of persistent mental stress.

Our bodies were designed to take more physical stress over mental.

• Our bodies need more blood flow to certain muscles
• More heightened energy in your brain to be able to focus in on certain things.
• Be able to solve certain problems relating to surivve
• quick energy (glucose energey)
• You don't need energy to certain body systems like reproductive organs, immune system, or digestion.

These hormones go through almost every cell in the body and start to change certain things to adapt the body to prepare for this stress situation.

What is the significance of that?

If you are under chronic mental stress or you have major losses in your life (or surgeries and/or trauma)

Note: These stresses above acumulate over time and creates situations where the adrenals become disfunctional to a certain degree. While this isn't necessarily a disease it's more a sub-clinical issue of the adrenal.

At first you have a higher level of these hormones, and then overtime you start developing cortisol resistance just like insulin resistance where now the cortisol doesn't work but you have high levels of cortisol and symptoms of low cortisol.

Potential Symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue

1. Tolerance for stress is lowered - they can't tolerate babysitting a room full of children at a daycare center for more than 8 hours. They can't tolerate a slow driver infront of them for a period of 2.5 hours. Can't tolerate incompetent people. Unless you're in an environment where everything is logical and purposeful, you get impatient and irritable.
2. Excessive thinking and analysis of things (especially when you're trying to sleep)
3. Excessive sugar generation as an energy source for the adrenals: The adrenal hormone cortisole is also known as "glucocorticoids" - you actually turn protein into glucose, so you're running your body on gluose. Your adrenals cause your liver to make more sugar to run on sugar fuel because it's "quick energy". The problem is that stress = sugar and even though you're not eating sugar, you're getting a lot of sugar in the bloodstream and that can cause blood-sugar problems and even diabetes.
   • All that sugar is being converted into cholesterol (not the friendly type), conversion of fat in the liver. Fat in the visceral organs (storing fat is a survival mechanism)
   • Reference: CIBA collection of medical illustrations volume 4 endocrine system
4. Hyperacitity (Gastritis): Can experience ulcers from stress. Stress activates acidity which then burns a hole right through your stomach.
5. Blood pressure inrease
6. increase in heart rate
7. Symptoms of Asthma
8. Increase in inflammation - Inflammation comes from a healing repsonse, trauma, the immune system. The immune system controls inflammation in the body regardless of where it comes from in the body. The unique thing about the adrenal system is that it's shunting energy away from the immune system and this is why the white blood cells is supressed during stress.
   • When you have high levels of stress (increase in cortisol) your immume system becomes suppressed.
   • Very worst case is that this can lead to an auto-immune disease
   • Any condition that involves inflammation, is a condition that involves the adrenal glands
9. You lose calcium and potassium - When you start losing potassium, the PH level in your body changes to a more alkaline state. This can effect breathing (e.g. Hypoxia)
   • Loss of potassium = more alkaline state
10. Loss of Vitamin D - Cortisol is very similar in function to Vitamin D (they are both anti-inflmmatories) and so any condition that you have that has a problem with cortisol, recommend Vitamin D as a remedy.
11. Memory loss and brain fog (you're more awake at 2am then when you are trying to wake up in the mornings)

Adrenal Body Type

This is what an adrenal body type may look like:

With an adrenal body type, you become more active at night, especially around 2am where you wake up and you're thinking about problems etc... Climbing up stairs will cause breathlessness and you may crave salty food.

There are 4 different phases of sleep that a person can go through:

• Deep sleep (delta wave)
• REM (superficial)

The purpose of sleep is to get rid of alot of toxins in the brain, and metabolites that are generated throughout the day. You're also getting a rejuvenation of neurotransmitters.

• Sleep is required for the recovery of stress yet stress inhibits sleep

Cortisol messes up the adrenal circadian wave because everything is backwards with the adrenals. The lower point of cortisol is normally around 2am and the highest point is at 8am in the morning. So with adrenal failure, you'll see it's just the opposite. You're very awake at 2am but want to sleep at 8am

How can someone know when something is wrong in the body in relation to the adrenals?

These hormones travel on the circadian wave. So if you check 1 blood test or saliva test with your cortisol, you're just getting a snapshot of what's happening at that period of time.

The best at-home tests for adrenal fatigue (Ragland's test):

The adrenal glands have no parasympathetic innovation. In other words, the glands have no off switch, only an on switch.

To properly find out you would need to test every 4 hours.

First test is called the Ragland's test - All you need is a blood pressure cuff

• Check your blood pressure laying down while relaxing
  • Systolic is the top number (We are interested in this one): Measures the sympathetic nervous system
  • Diastolic is the bottom number: Measuring the parasympathetic system.
• Then check your blood pressure standing up

When you lie down and then stand up, the top number should go up a certain amount (~6-10 points).

If it goes up more than that or goes down then that normally means there is an adrenal disfunction.:

How does this measure work?

The adrenal glands have no parasympathetic innovation. In other words, the glands have no off switch, only an on switch.

Normally when you lie down and then stand up there is an adrenal adaptation that increases the blood pressure and the pulse rate in order to be able to push the blood into the brain (you may have noticed this before when you stand up very quickly and you feel dizzy - that is because of a failure in the adrenal system to pump the blood pressure up into the brain fast enough).

The second test evaluates your CO2 tolerance:

1. Inhale / exhale 3x (Nose only)
2. 4th inhalation fully fill lungs
3. Measure the time of exhalation:
   • < 20 sec - poor (normally means you have adrenal fatigue)
   • 20-40 sec - average
   • 40-60 sec - intermediate
   • 60-80 sec - advanced

The more exercise and fitness you do get your body in shape, the more you will be able to handle stress.

Best nutrients for adrenal stress

Vitamin C

Cortisol and adrenaline need Vitamin C as a precursor.

- Sauerkraut (700mg)
- Bellpeppers
- leafy greens
- Lemons / limes / berries

Potassium

Calms things down for you

Sodium

Want to get it from sea salt or salt already in your food

1. Electrolyte Balance: Sodium is one of the body's essential electrolytes, and it plays a key role in maintaining proper fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions. Proponents argue that increasing sodium intake may help support electrolyte balance and alleviate some symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue.
2. Blood Pressure Regulation: Adequate sodium intake is important for regulating blood pressure. Some proponents suggest that individuals with adrenal fatigue may experience low blood pressure, and increasing sodium intake could help normalize it.
3. Cortisol Regulation: Sodium is believed to influence cortisol levels, a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. Supporters of this approach argue that higher sodium intake may support better cortisol regulation in individuals with supposed adrenal fatigue.

Vitamin B1

One of the most important nutrients for the autonomic nervous system)

• Nutritional yeast

Best natural remedies for adrenal fatigue

• Find the source of stress and try and fix it
• Change your view point on life in general (keep more relaxed with life in general)
• Ketogenic diet
  • Add a bit more protein
  • Get enough potassium and vitamin C
  • Sea salt and Vitamin B1 (nutritional yeast (unfortified version))
• Exercise in a way that allows you to deal with stress
  • Aerobic exercise
  • Walking
  • Higher intensity exercise
• Add Adaptagines
  • Ashwaganda