Most people have depleted energy reserves and describe their day as running on empty. Having enough energy to lead a happy and productive life is missing for most people.

Mental and emotional demands use energy. And every physical effort requires energy. As energy resources dwindle, they must be re-filled. But for many people, this doesn’t happen. Life is stressful and it drains our energy.

As we experience daily stresses, our hormonal system plays a large role and the adrenal gland is the orchestra leader in instructing the body’s parts what to do. The primary stress handling system is called the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This system turns-on to deal with all the stress we experience. But, after it starts to rev up, it must go back to its resting position.

The Stress Response System Must Turn-On, Then Turn-Off

Unfortunately, for many people, it rarely turns off so it has no chance to recover and heal. The adrenal gland has two parts: the medulla which secretes adrenaline. This is the well-known fight-or-flight hormone. Quick acting, it prepares us to fight or flee from imminent danger.

The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol which acts more slowly and is the primary hormone involved in dealing with chronic stress, such as war. Medical studies of the chronic and extreme fatigue syndromes have implicated the HPA axis as being involved.

It was in the late 1800′s when the idea that a deficient release of cortisol may cause fatigue states. But, today there is little consensus among medical researchers about whether or not cortisol is involved in fatigue.

The primary reason for the lack of a definitive answer about adrenal fatigue syndrome is due to the wide range of variations in measuring adrenal output. People with adrenal insufficiency are at risk for adrenal crisis, usually caused by a major stress, such as severe infection or surgery.

Most People Suffer From Sub-Clinical (No Diagnosis) Fatigue

For most chronically fatigued persons, the medical investigation does not turn-up any specific dysfunction or cause. Only about 1-2% of chronically fatigued persons are diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The lack of a diagnosis and the lack of support of the physician don’t make the condition any less real to the individual.

Recent studies have shown that the HPA axis is likely involved and that, in particular, there is a diminished contribution from the adrenal gland via its production of cortisol. Recent studies have shown that adrenal gland size is reduced by 50% in those diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome.

This evidence supports the idea that adrenal fatigue syndrome arises from a reduced cortisol output because of the reduced size of the adrenal gland. Adrenal gland reduced capacity is likely involved in all cases of chronic and extreme fatigue. From a medical point of view, this understanding has not led to the development of any effective therapies.

In the field of alternative medicine, however, nutritional supplementation plans, such as the use of DHEA, and more complex programs involving exercise, diet, vitamin/mineral complexes, and the judicious use of specific herbal formulations suggest that adrenal fatigue syndrome can be dealt with effectively.

Many people are now turning to alternative medicine because their doctors offer no effective strategies for dealing with fatigue and other medical conditions for which there are no effective treatments. This movement alarms medical doctors who make all kinds or outrageous statements about how dangerous it is to use “unproven” therapies. Patients often undertake alternative treatments and never inform their doctors.

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