Adrenal Hormone Imbalance – A Signal of Deeper Stress
Adrenal hormone assessment has become a popular avenue for health practitioners to evaluate hormone levels and imbalances, symptoms of fatigue, lethargy, and other issues of ill health. It is now recognized that many health conditions such as chronic fatigue, PMS, insomnia, frequent illness, etc. are related to imbalanced adrenal hormone output and reserve. What may cause some confusion about adrenal testing is the premise that adrenal hormone imbalance is the reason for an individual’s ill health, rather than a signal that other functions within a person’s body are declining. I liken it to the engine warning light in your automobile. If the light goes on, it indicates that there is a problem in your engine warranting diagnostic assessment to find the problem(s). This same logic needs to be applied to adrenal hormone assessment. It makes no sense to just treat the adrenal gland itself without finding the causative factor(s) for its imbalance.
The adrenal gland has many functions. It not only regulates sodium and potassium absorption and distribution through our kidneys having an effect on electrolyte balance and blood pressure, but it also produces many chemicals involved in energy production, immune system regulation, inflammation control, blood sugar balance, and sleep regulation. Cortisol is a major component of adrenal hormone output and its ability to impact the majority of body systems has made it an ideal hormone to measure as an indicator of adrenal gland function. Generally, high cortisol levels indicate an overactive adrenal gland while low cortisol levels are indicative of an underactive adrenal gland.
DHEA (dihydroepiandrosterone) is another adrenal hormone that serves as a precursor for the production of the sex hormones testosterone and the 3 estrogens. A balance between DHEA and the total output of cortisol is essential to maintain a balance of adrenal hormone production. This ratio is approximately 5:1 cortisol to DHEA, and deviations from this range are an indication that the body is compensating for underlying stress. This stress is not always emotional or mentally induced, but instead could indicate poor blood sugar control, digestive inflammation, chronic infections, poor diet and environmental toxins. Again, the deviation from normal is a warning that your body is not handling stress very effectively.
For many individuals, this adrenal hormone imbalance can be quite severe. Examples of this are women with irregular menses, PMS, early menopause, infertility, or other female hormone related health issues. The reason for these problems is the lack of adequate sex hormone
Dr. Kurt Woeller is passionate about health. This includes physical, mental, and spiritual health, as well as financial well-being which makes all other three much easier to pursue. He is a physician dedicated to natural living and healing with an emphasis on fitness, nutrition and bringing more joy to yourself and others as the keystone to a Long Full Life. To learn more about Dr. Woeller visit www.Dr.Woeller.com.
