PROPER ADRENAL FUNCTION... KEY TO HEALTH AND ENERGY
Ross A. Hauser, M.D.

In alternative health circles, there are many articles on the thyroid gland. If a person takes their temperature when they first get out of bed and it is below 97.6 degrees, they are thought to have hypothyroidism. More commonly, we find that people with low basal body temperatures suffer from adrenal insufficiency.

To appropriately test for low thyroid or adrenal function it is necessary to check the amount of free hormones in the body (not bound by proteins). In the thyroid, we check this with blood and for the adrenal gland hormones we check using saliva test kits.

The following is a common case study:

A patient came in because she had a low temperature and wanted to get started on some thyroid medication. Her basal body temperatures varied from 96.8 to 97.2. Her symptoms included fatigue, losing hair, chronic pain, overweight, constipation, memory difficulties. She was tested and her thyroid tests were within normal limits but her adrenal gland salivary tests showed low cortisol and DHEA. She was started on DHEA and cortisol. After six weeks she was reassessed and stated that her energy was 40% improved, and that she had lost five pounds. Her DHEA dose was increased. After two months she had lost another 7 pounds and her energy continued to improve. She was eventually started on an exercise program. In total she has lost 25 pounds, but more importantly her memory is clear, she has hope for future and her energy level is better than it was 10 years ago.

In a study published in The CFS Research Review in December 2003, researchers found that corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH -- the hormone that stimulates the adrenal gland) caused an increase in an inflammatory hormone called IL-6 (interleukin-6) in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome. Normally CRH will stimulate the adrenal gland to secrete cortisol which is anti-inflammatory, in part, by reducing IL-6 levels. This does not happen in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome because they often have adrenal insufficiency. Chronic fatigue results from insufficient adrenal gland hormones.

The adrenal gland hormone cortisol has many bodily functions including:

Helping with energy production
Helping with heat production
Mobilizing immune cells
Decreasing inflammation
Controlling allergic reactions
Raising blood sugars
Waking you up in the morning
Stimulating thoughts

If you or someone you know has fatigue, concentration difficulties, low blood sugar, achiness, allergies, whole body inflammation (chronic pain), or trouble getting out of bed in the morning, most likely they have adrenal insufficiency. They need to see a natural medicine physician and have adrenal hormone testing. To treat adrenal insufficiency, sometimes hormones are prescribed or herbal remedies are tried.