Are you ready to get rid of your adrenal fatigue? Frustrated because you can't tolerate the medications? Looking for other ways to heal your adrenals?

Then you're in luck!

Adrenal Transformation Protocol, a new book authored by one of my favorite heroes in holistic medicine, Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, is now available :-)

If you want to know how to get your healthy adrenal function back, read the below article Izabella wrote for us on this very topic.

Adrenal Fatigue

— By Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP

For many years, “adrenal fatigue” was dismissed and conventional medicine only recognized Addison’s disease, a life-threatening condition of adrenal insufficiency. Now HPA axis dysfunction is gaining greater visibility in conventional medicine. Even with debate over the name, there are now plenty of studies that offer evidence for HPA axis dysfunction.

Research shows us that HPA axis dysfunction is often present in those with chronic fatigue syndrome.[1] They tend to have lower levels of cortisol (which indicates more advanced HPA axis dysfunction), dysregulated cortisol patterns, enhanced negative feedback to the HPA axis, and a blunted HPA axis response. Reduced cortisol levels are more common in women with CFS than men. The low cortisol levels may contribute to symptoms, but are often left untreated by conventional medicine. This is where integrative and functional medicine shines.

The scientific term for "adrenal fatigue" is hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction and it is a recognized physiological state that results from chronic stress and inflammation. This condition has been dismissed by conventional medicine for years, with health professionals saying that "adrenal fatigue" isn't real.

More recently, there's debate over the accuracy of the term itself, since the adrenals themselves don't get tired – rather, there's a breakdown of communication in the HPA axis. Regardless of what you call it, it's a very real condition that leads many people to experience symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, pain, depression, and sleep disturbances.

There is now a multitude of scientific research that discusses this phenomenon, and how it may contribute to other health conditions.

HPA Axis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibromyalgia

In 2002, I started my doctorate program in pharmacy and during my first year of pharmacy school I learned about fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), but was told their validity was questionable and there was no evidence that they were "real" conditions!

I believe that fibromyalgia was finally recognized as a "real" condition as the result of an awareness campaign created by the drug company that created the first FDA-approved drug for fibromyalgia. This might be an unpopular opinion, but I am grateful for pharmaceutical companies and the amazing awareness they bring to medical conditions when they create treatments that are recognized by the FDA.

Conditions that don’t have FDA-approved drugs are just as real and often, it is the very people who experience them and the health care professionals who treat them, who are the ones creating awareness and advocating for recognition from the medical world.

For many years, "adrenal fatigue" was dismissed and conventional medicine only recognized Addison's disease, a life-threatening condition of adrenal insufficiency. Now HPA axis dysfunction is gaining greater visibility in conventional medicine. Even with debate over the name, there are now plenty of studies that offer evidence for HPA axis dysfunction.

Research shows us that HPA axis dysfunction is often present in those with CFS.[2] They tend to have lower levels of cortisol (which indicates more advanced HPA axis dysfunction), dysregulated cortisol patterns, enhanced negative feedback to the HPA axis, and a blunted HPA axis response. Reduced cortisol levels are more common in women with CFS than men. The low cortisol levels may contribute to symptoms and interfere with the recommended treatments for CFS.

There is some interesting research around the connection between childhood trauma and its connection to both CFS and HPA axis dysfunction. It's been estimated that childhood trauma increases the risk of developing CFS between 6- and 8-fold, and around 50 percent of CFS patients report at least one type of childhood trauma.[3]

It's well established that adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can impact the HPA axis and increase the risk of dysfunction in adulthood.[4] In fact, animal models of early-life stress reveal HPA axis changes that continue into adulthood. Sometimes these changes don't become evident until later in life. Oxidative stress and decreased antioxidant capacity can also disrupt the HPA axis.

All the research suggests that there are a number of genetic and environmental factors that may predispose someone to develop HPA axis dysfunction or CFS. HPA axis dysfunction has also been linked to FMS, and as we know, there are many overlapping symptoms and mechanisms between CFS and FMS.[5]

Adrenal Support for CFS and FMS

As someone who is both a pharmacist and a person who has experienced adrenal dysfunction (and helped others recover after recovering my own health), I felt compelled to share that HPA axis dysfunction does in fact exist and that there is a way to get better.

My newest book, Adrenal Transformation Protocol, lays out an easy-to-follow 4 week plan to recover from adrenal dysfunction, which very well may help with symptoms of CFS and FMS. Life is too short to live with brain fog, fatigue, sleep issues, pain, anxiety, and irritability.

In the book, I use what I call “safety signals” to let the body know it is safe, and reduce stress on the body. Here is a preview of the first three safety signals:

1. Nutrient-density - Micronutrient or macronutrient depletions, eating highly processed foods, being in a chronic caloric deficit, and irregular and inconsistent mealtimes can signal to the body that food is scarce, triggering our stress response and survival mode and causing the body to downregulate metabolism. I encourage you to eat high-quality, nutrient-dense foods, eat at regular times, and consume enough calories.
   
2. Lowered Inflammation - Poor gut health can be a major source of chronic inflammation, and is a top stressor underlying adrenal imbalance, and can also contribute to CFS and FMS symptoms. We will focus on reducing inflammation in the digestive system by removing the top inflammatory foods, adding gut-supporting foods like bone broth and fermented vegetables, and using targeted supplements like the beneficial yeast Saccharomyces Boulardii.
   
3. Balanced Blood Sugar - Wild swings in blood sugar put stress on the body and contribute to symptoms like fatigue, irritability, anger, or anxiety. People with adrenal issues tend to struggle with hypoglycemia. We balance blood sugar by lowering carbohydrate intake and focusing on protein and healthy fats at meals, eating breakfast, and eating consistently throughout the day.

Over 3,500 people have now been through the program and participants have seen staggering improvements: 92% had reduced mental fog, 89% reported reduced fatigue, 86% reported reduced anxiety, and 76% reduced joint pain.

The protocol outlines a 4-week plan that incorporates 14 powerful safety signals, to help you balance your stress response and gradually build up your resilience, and prevent excess stress from overwhelming your adrenals. I know Dr. T understands the importance of supporting the adrenals in CFS and FMS, and Adrenal Transformation Protocol provides clear and comprehensive support, so you can start feeling better soon!

References

[1] Papadopoulos AS, Cleare AJ. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011;8(1):22-32. Published 2011 Sep 27. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2011.153

[2] Papadopoulos AS, Cleare AJ. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction in chronic fatigue syndrome. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011;8(1):22-32. Published 2011 Sep 27. doi:10.1038/nrendo.2011.153

[3] Tomas C, Newton J, Watson S. A review of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function in chronic fatigue syndrome. ISRN Neurosci. 2013;2013:784520. Published 2013 Sep 30. doi:10.1155/2013/784520

[4] Kalmakis KA, Meyer JS, Chiodo L, Leung K. Adverse childhood experiences and chronic hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal activity. Stress. 2015;18(4):446-450. doi:10.3109/10253890.2015.1023791

[5] Tanriverdi F, Karaca Z, Unluhizarci K, Kelestimur F. The hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis in chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia syndrome. Stress. 2007;10(1):13-25. doi:10.1080/10253890601130823