Adrenal fatigue can lead to problems with processing DHEA and testosterone, which may lead to hair loss in men and women. In other words, adrenal fatigue disrupts the hormones, leading to hormonal imbalances, which can manifest as hair loss.
Adrenals need a steady supply of B complex vitamins and Vitamin C for optimal function, including cortisol regulation. These vitamins are also great for your hair!
Hair loss can be caused by an imbalance in hormone levels. Cortisol is one of the hormones often identified with hair loss.
Hormone therapy
If hormone imbalances due to menopause, for example, cause hair loss, doctors may recommend some form of hormone therapy to correct them. Some possible treatments include birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy for either estrogen or progesterone.
Hormone replacement therapy is among the best hormonal hair loss treatments. Doctors may prescribe birth control pills as a way to stop hormonal hair loss in women. Androgens can lead to excessive hair loss. Hence antiandrogen medications are another effective hormonal hair loss treatment.
The adrenal fatigue theory suggests that prolonged exposure to stress could drain the adrenals leading to a low cortisol state. The adrenal depletion would cause brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other vague symptoms.
Stage 1: Alarm
This first stage is characterized by an increased output of cortisol and adrenaline in response to stress. The body's response is called the “fight or flight” response. As the stress continues, the adrenal glands start to become taxed due to the increasing demands by the body for cortisol production.
Iron Deficiency Anemia
Red blood cells transport oxygen to cells throughout your body, giving you the energy you need. The symptoms: Iron deficiency anemia causes extreme fatigue, weakness, and pale skin. You may also notice headaches, difficulty concentrating, cold hands and feet, and hair loss.
Stress can push hair follicles into a “resting” phase so that they don't produce new hair strands. Over time, hair can fall out more easily, even if you're just washing, combing, or touching it. Telogen effluvium also can be caused by poor nutrition and changes in hormone levels.
Telogen effluvium is a common type of hair loss that affects people after they experience severe stress or a change to their body. Symptoms include thinning hair, usually around the top of your head. Treatment exists to reverse hair loss, but hair will typically grow back in three to six months without treatment.
Vitamin C, which is also known as ascorbic acid, is great for adrenal support. Indeed, high levels of vitamin C are stored in the adrenal glands, and vitamin C helps support the production of cortisol. When your adrenal glands don't have enough vitamin C, they actually try to create even more cortisol.
The adrenal glands require Vitamin C to produce stress hormones and maintain their balance. When you are under chronic stress, Vitamin C can become depleted.
Hormone issues
Although most people think of estrogen or testosterone when they think of a hormone imbalance, issues with your thyroid can also lead to hair thinning. Once your hormonal imbalance is corrected, your hair should begin to grow again -- plus you'll probably feel more energetic and better overall.
Adrenal fatigue is thought to occur when the adrenals have been overworked to a degree that they can no longer secrete levels of cortisol that are adequate for optimal function. Potential stressors include environmental and dietary influences, as well as anxiety and emotional stresses.
Stage 4 (Burnout/Crash)
Our adrenal glands have ceased to function, and little can be done to restore our bodies homeostasis. During the final stage of burnout and individual can suffer from lack of sex drive, depression, restlessness, anxiety and little to no interest in surroundings.
I have personally dealt with adrenal fatigue in the past, and I can vouch for magnesium and cortisol's role in calming stress levels and rehabilitating hormonal systems. Magnesium helps to regulate cortisol levels, allowing for more balanced hormone production which is essential in our fast paced culture.
The adrenal glands, on top of the kidneys, release the hormone during times of stress, and it can dilate the pupils, making it tough for your eyes to focus and causing light sensitivity and blurred vision when you're anxious.
The suggested treatments for healthy adrenal function are a diet low in sugar, caffeine, and junk food, and “targeted nutritional supplementation” that includes vitamins and minerals: Vitamins B5, B6, and B12. Vitamin C. Magnesium.
Signs of Hair Loss
While men usually see a receding hairline, women tend to lose hair from the top of their scalp. The gap on the part of your hair may widen, or you may notice bald spots when you put your hair up.
Bringing estrogen and progesterone levels back into balance contributes to a decrease in hair loss and can improve hair density.
As with male pattern baldness, female pattern baldness comes from hormone imbalances, specifically dihydrotestosterone imbalances, or DHT. This hormone is similar in structure to testosterone, but it is significantly more potent [3]. DHT can attach to receptors on the hair follicles, causing the follicles to shrink.