2024-04-20 00:22:13
Fatigue has many causes. Too little or poor sleep is usually to blame. But in some cases there may also be a serious organ problem.
Are you constantly tired and exhausted, no matter how well or how long you slept? Sometimes this is an indication that the body is not healthy. The symptoms may be due to adrenal fatigue. The disease often remains undetected for a long time due to its non-specific symptoms. But fatigue and inner restlessness can develop into serious health problems – even life-threatening shock.
Dangerous cortisol deficiency: When the adrenal glands fail
Adrenal fatigue is not a new disease, but it has only been studied for a few years. There are correspondingly few studies and investigations into its origins to date. It is believed that excessive stress levels cause the symptoms.
One thing is certain: the adrenal glands play a crucial role in our body. They produce the stress hormone cortisol, which helps to stabilize circulation and blood sugar and adapt to stress. It also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
In brief: The adrenal glands and their function
The adrenal glands sit like two little hats on the kidneys and have nothing to do with the actual organ. While the kidneys are responsible for urine production, the adrenal glands are an important part of the hormonal system. The adrenal cortex produces important hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
If these hormones are missing, those affected develop what is known as adrenal fatigue. It mostly affects older people. Their small glands no longer function optimally and their hormonal balance is disrupted. According to the German Society for Endocrinology (DGE), the noticeable consequences are low blood pressure, low blood sugar and an uninhibited, excessive inflammatory reaction. In the worst case scenario, there is a risk of shock. “A timely diagnosis can be life-saving,” says the DGE.
At a glance: Symptoms of adrenal fatigue
But how does a deficiency of adrenal hormones become noticeable? In addition to initial signs such as constant fatigue, there are many other symptoms that indicate adrenal fatigue. The most common include:
- Daytime tiredness
- Trouble getting out of bed in the morning
- sleep disorders
- chronic fatigue
- Loss of performance
- Concentration problems
- inner unrest
- nausea and weight loss
- chronic inflammation and muscle pain
- Allergies and skin diseases
- initially high blood pressure, later low blood pressure
- Confusion, depression
- Erectile dysfunction, decreased libido
If you notice these symptoms and suspect you have adrenal fatigue, you should seek medical advice. If a diagnosis is made, various hormone preparations and nutritional supplements can be used for treatment. It is also important that patients reduce or eliminate their stress factors. Read here how this can work.