Abstract. Skeletal muscle wasting is a common symptom in the adrenal insufficiency such as Addison's disease.
Despite their size, these organs are very busy regulating many reactions in the body. Most know these glands as our "fight or flight" glands. When we get frightened, these glands produce adrenaline which turbo-charges our muscles to move!
Our studies showed that children with decreased cortisol concentration had increased fat tissue and decreased muscle tissue.
Symptoms said to be due to adrenal fatigue include tiredness, trouble falling asleep at night or waking up in the morning, salt and sugar craving, and needing stimulants like caffeine to get through the day. These symptoms are common and non-specific, meaning they can be found in many diseases.
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.
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.
Full recovery from HPA Dysfunction or adrenal fatigue can take anywhere from three months to two years, depending on the severity and how long the condition has existed. Your adrenals are stressed the most by emotional stress, followed by diet, and, finally, by the hidden stressors I listed earlier.
In either case, excess cortisol production and release can lead to side effects such as skin thinning, weight gain, fat pad in the upper back, and symptoms that you are experiencing, including muscle wasting and psychiatric issues (including insomnia).
Cortisol is the immediate response or your body to stress situations. In the short term, this hormone is in charge of destroying muscle tissue and in the long run this has adverse effects on the metabolism, and it's also responsible for fat accumulation in problem areas depending on the gender.
Since cortisol is catabolic – breaks down molecules – it can inhibit protein synthesis, which means your body will find it harder to build muscle, says McCarthy. “Cortisol can also accelerate the breakdown of protein into amino acids and sugar, which means that you start to use muscle as an energy source,” he says.
The short answer is, yes, you should incorporate some level of physical activity even if you have adrenal fatigue. However, that will look different for each person. Exercise, especially high-intensity exercise, is stressful on the body and it causes your body to release cortisol.
Once you stop taking corticosteriods, your adrenal glands may be slow to start working again. To give them time to start making cortisol again, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose over a period of weeks or even months. Even so, your adrenal glands might not begin to work normally for many months.
In primary adrenal insufficiency, weakness and fatigue are universal while muscle or joint pains occur in 6-13% of patients1. Investigations of muscle usually show nothing abnormal.
When designing an adrenal fatigue workout routine, I recommend starting with three to four days of exercise a week for twenty to thirty minutes each day. Since exercise is not a one size fit's all activity, you will need to experiment and find what works for you. How: Think about exercise as a tool to help uplift you.
Fatigue reduces, palpitation frequently dissipates, and anxiety attack diminishes. Blood pressure starts to stabilize, brain fog starts to dissipate, and functional sleep returns. There might be mini-crashes and setbacks from time to time that last a few days.
Many of us are working at home due to COVID-19; this could be your opportunity for an afternoon catnap. If you are working through adrenal fatigue, you may feel exhausted at this time. Let your body rest! How: When you start to feel exhausted during the day, take a short nap.
Low levels of cortisol can cause weakness, fatigue, and low blood pressure. You may have more symptoms if you have untreated Addison's disease or damaged adrenal glands due to severe stress, such as from a car accident or an infection. These symptoms include sudden dizziness, vomiting, and even loss of consciousness.
If you have adrenal insufficiency, your provider will refer you to an endocrinologist — a hormone specialist. While adrenal insufficiency cannot be cured, it can be effectively managed.
Primary adrenal insufficiency is most often caused when your immune system attacks your healthy adrenal glands by mistake. Other causes may include: Cancer. Fungal infections.
Long-term exposure to excessive stress (emotional or physical, bad or good) can cause the adrenal glands to produce too much cortisol (the main stress hormone). Over time, the adrenal glands can become exhausted and will no longer produce adequate cortisol.