Naturopathic Adrenal Dysfunction Treatment

It’s important to remember that not all stressors are life threatening. Physical exertion in the form of working out, inadequate or disrupted sleep, sex hormone changes inherent in menopause, overtraining, under-eating, inflammation, and blood sugar dysregulation are all forms of stress in the body. Your adrenal glands can’t differentiate between a real threat to your survival and apprehension about an upcoming event. It’s all perceived as stress, and your adrenals will respond by releasing cortisol and other stress hormones.

If you spend too much time in a stress state, also called a sympathetic nervous system state, further imbalances and problems can develop throughout your body. Ideally, you go back and forth between an alert or sympathetic state and a restful or parasympathetic state. This allows your body to respond, then recover and, ultimately, maintain balance.

When stress is persistent, regardless of the source, your adrenals begin to downregulate their response. This is called adrenal dysfunction. It does not lower your body’s stress; your body upregulates numerous compensation tactics that produce even more symptoms.

Adrenal dysfunction symptoms include insomnia, daytime fatigue, headaches, anxiety, digestive upset, menstrual changes, worsening menopausal symptoms, brain fog, forgetfulness, slow healing or recurring injuries, poor performance and recovery, thyroid disorders, high blood pressure, and even high blood sugars.

Menopause increases your sympathetic nervous system activity, meaning there is more stress just by being in menopause. All other stressors in your life only compound your adrenal load. Adrenal dysfunction leads to very disruptive symptoms. It’s not always an easy or quick fix, but there are solutions.

Balancing your hormones, managing the stressors you have control over, dialing in your nutrition, and prioritizing sleep and recovery are all ways you can optimize adrenal function. Your adrenals will influence your thyroid and overall sex hormone balance, too. All three areas need evaluation and support.

Adrenal dysfunction is real and disruptive. If you have questions about your adrenal status, especially if you’re perimenopausal or menopausal, schedule a visit with Dr. Hamilton to discuss appropriate testing and support options to get your adrenals optimized. Dr. Hamilton offers virtual appointments for all Oregon and Washington residents and in-person visits in Milwaukie, OR.