Fatigue and Adrenal Imbalances

Feeling tired, worn-out, or exhausted? Fatigue can be present in a variety of ways. Fatigue itself can take many forms. Patients may feel tired at certain times of the day, after activities, or have a constant feeling of exhaustion. Other symptoms related to fatigue may include a decreased ability to cope with stress, poor sleep, light-headedness, recurrent infections, fuzzy thinking, low libido, increased irritability, and depression.

Some common causes of fatigue are:

  • Anemia (Iron and B12 deficiencies)
  • Autoimmune disorders
  • Thyroid disorders
  • Adrenal imbalances
  • Hormone imbalances
  • Undiagnosed sleep disorders/sleep apnea
  • Food allergies
  • Vitamin deficiencies

Adrenal imbalance is sometimes referred to as “adrenal fatigue” or adrenal insufficiency. This condition occurs when the adrenal glands are putting out either excess or insufficient levels of stress hormones in relation to the amount the body needs. This imbalance often results in troubling symptoms.

Unfortunately, commonly ordered tests only look at the extremes of adrenal imbalance: Addison’s disease occurs when the body’s cortisol production is severely deficient, and Cushing’s syndrome occurs when the body produces excessively high levels of cortisol.

Many medical tests draw a sharp, dividing line between “healthy” and “unhealthy” based on test result numbers only, ignoring the patient’s symptoms. This is the case with adrenal testing. Because Cushing’s and Addison’s are defined by specific values in conventional blood tests, if your lab results fall anywhere between the cutoff range on the test — even if you’re very close — it is likely you will be told your adrenal function is “normal.” A patient may have significant adrenal imbalances even when conventional blood work is within the normal range. (Reference: Marcelle Pick, WHNP; Women to Women.)

At Rocky Mountain Comprehensive Health, our Integrative medicine approach acknowledges adrenal health exists on a continuum. Our goal is to uncover and treat the root cause of fatigue and adrenal imbalances. As part of a thorough assessment, a physical examination and diagnostic tests are performed. Both traditional and alternative treatments are utilized to help the patient achieve lasting health and balance.

Call Rocky Mountain Comprehensive Health today at 303.731.0525 to start your
journey back to health and vitality!