Adrenal insufficiencies can be either caused by stress, trauma, or malnutrition. In some cases they are also caused by hereditary causes. The symptoms of adrenal exhaustion are the same symptoms as those of fatigue.
Adrenal exhaustion is usually characterized by severe weakness, exhaustion, and increased blood pressure. The most common symptoms of chronic adrenal failure are fatigue. Other symptoms of adrenal fatigue can include depression, irritability, weight loss, and diarrhea. Sometimes fatigue affects only one side of your body. At other times it affects both sides. This type of fatigue can last for several days or even a week.
Adrenals are small pituitary glands located in the center of the brain. Adrenals produce the hormones that help regulate your body's response to stress, hormones involved in metabolism, and substances that help you fight infection. These hormones release chemicals into your bloodstream, which are responsible for keeping your body alive. They help make it possible for you to have an active and healthy life.
Adrenals produce cortisol in your blood when you are exposed to physical and emotional stress. Cortisol helps make your body use its resources to cope with stress. When you do not get enough cortisol, your body is able to adapt by increasing production of the stress-related hormones and by slowing down the metabolism.
Adrenals are essential because they help your body fight disease and infections
However, over time, adrenals can become impaired if your adrenals do not work as well as they should. This can cause symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, depression, and irritability.
Adrenals can deteriorate in other ways, too. One way in which adrenal weakness occurs is when your adrenals fail to release the proper amount of cortisol in your blood. This is called glucocorticoid deficiency and it can also lead to symptoms such as depression and stress-related fatigue.
Adrenals can also go into shock. They stop producing the chemicals that help to make your muscles tense, known as glucocorticoids, which help your body fight infection. It is not always clear why this happens, but it is believed that when the body does not produce enough glucocorticoids, your brain has difficulty sending signals to the adrenals to make them release enough of the hormones that help make your immune system strong. The result is that your body is left with more stress and more inflammation than usual. This can result in a weakened immune system and an over-all feeling of tiredness, pain, and weakness.
Adrenals can also deteriorate if your immune system becomes compromised. When the body has an overactive response, it attacks healthy tissues and functions instead of fighting infection, which results in a loss of energy and an inability to fight infection.
Another way in which adrenal insufficiency may occur is if your adrenal glands are unable to produce the necessary hormones to help with the maintenance of blood sugar levels. If your adrenal glands are not working as hard as they should, they are unable to produce the amount of the hormones that help to make blood sugar levels normal. Insufficient blood sugar can result in fatigue and depression.
Finally, adrenal insufficiency may occur because of problems with the pituitary gland. When the pituitary gland produces fewer hormone receptors than it should, it is less effective at responding to signals from the adrenal glands to make the adrenals produce the cortisol and other stress-related hormones. This can lead to a weakening of the adrenals.
Adrenal insufficiencies can also occur if the adrenals are injured or damaged by injury. Because adrenal hormones produce more estrogen when your adrenals are injured, this can also weaken the adrenals, which can lead to symptoms such as depression. An example of an injury to the adrenals is a sports injury or an accident.
If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor. These are the main symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, and any one of these can lead to fatigue, depression, irritability, and weakness.