In This Article
What is Adrenal Fatigue?
According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than one million Americans suffer from severe fatigue, and many more suffer from general tiredness. While there are several contributing factors, perhaps the most common explanation is what many call “adrenal fatigue.”
The true name of the adrenal condition that can lead to fatigue, among other symptoms, including brain fog, nausea, and dizziness, is hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysfunction. This axis is the one that stress hormones like cortisol travel along when your fight-or-flight response is activated.
Unfortunately, in our culture, we’re constantly stimulated to be in fight-or-flight, so we wear out this protective measure with a constant demand for stress hormones. A busy work environment and competing demands for attention may now trigger the same response as being chased by a tiger, sending our systems into overdrive and exhaustion.
PLEASE NOTE: Visit a doctor to confirm that your exhaustion is HPA-axis dysregulation and not symptoms of an underlying issue like hypothyroidism, anemia, or depression.
See also The Stress-Lymph Connection: Balance Cortisol with Ayurveda
Herbs to Consider for Adrenal Fatigue
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb known for its ability to combat stress and promote relaxation.
In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, sixty-four adults took 300 mg extract of ashwagandha twice a day for 60 days. Compared to the placebo group, the ashwagandha group saw significantly lower cortisol levels along with improved resistance to stress and self-assessed quality of life.
Suggested dosing of LifeSpa’s Whole Herb Organic Ashwagandha:
2 capsules twice per day
Rhodiola Rosea
Rhodiola Rosea is another adaptogenic herb that helps the body adapt to stress and fatigue while enhancing mental performance.
In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, rhodiola was tested on 60 individuals complaining of stress-related fatigue. In comparison to the placebo group, the group taking rhodiola saw less burnout and lower cortisol levels while under stress. They concluded that rhodiola has an anti-fatigue effect that increases mental performance, with particular benefits in the area of concentration.
Rhodiola is an important ingredient in LifeSpa’s Adrenal Boost.
See also Top 5 Herbs to Stabilize Energy and Nourish your Adrenals
The Stress-Worry-Fatigue Connection
While anxiety is a complex condition associated with excessive worry, it can be caused by various factors, including genetics, brain chemistry, stress, personality, and trauma. Thus, it should be evaluated by a medical professional.
One of the main causes of fatigue can be excessive amounts of stress causing uncomfortable levels of worry. Work pressure, relationship issues, financial problems, or traumatic events, can trigger worry and lead to fatigue, burnout, and exhaustion. Studies show that more than one-third of the population is experiencing fatigue as a result of excess stress.
How Stress Changes Hormones
Certainly stress can induce significant changes in hormone levels, impacting various physiological processes in the body. Here’s a brief overview of how stress affects hormones:
Cortisol: Stress activates the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, leading to the release of cortisol, often referred to as the “stress hormone.”
Adrenaline and Norepinephrine: Stress triggers the release of adrenaline and norepinephrine, which can deplete the adrenal glands and over stimulate the sympathetic nervous system.
Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH): Stress stimulates the release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland, which then over-produces excess cortisol secretion from the adrenal glands resulting in fatigue.
Growth Hormone (GH): Chronic stress can suppress the secretion of growth hormone (GH) from the pituitary gland, negatively affecting growth, metabolism, and tissue repair processes.
Thyroid Hormones: Stress can disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis, leading to alterations in thyroid hormone levels.
Understanding the intricate interplay between stress and hormone regulation is essential for managing stress-related disorders effectively. By adopting stress-reduction techniques, lifestyle modifications, and seeking professional support when needed, individuals can mitigate the adverse effects of stress on hormone balance and overall well-being.
Learn how to support healthy testosterone levels.
Herbs to Consider for Energy + Anxiety
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata)
Passionflower has been found to support healthy mood and energy during the day while also supporting normal sleep cycles at night. For centuries, it has been used as a nervous system, mood, and sleep tonic. It has been popular in recent years as a dietary supplement used to combat anxiety and nervousness, usually in combination with other herbs.
Recent studies using animal models have confirmed that the herb has a positive effect on spatial memory, cortisol levels, and overall cognitive function under stress via GABA receptors. In another study on elderly individuals with nervous restlessness, treatment for 12 weeks with passion flower resulted in significant improvement in self-reported overall quality of life and resilience (ability to adapt to changes in their lives).
It is still unclear which chemical compounds in the herb are responsible for these changes. This suggests supplementation should be with a whole herb instead of a standardized constituent extract.
LifeSpa offers whole-herb passionflower in our Happy Caps formula.
Shankhpushpi (Convolvulus pluricaulis)
Also known as dwarf morning glory, this herb is a fellow nervine superstar. It is traditionally understood to help calm the entire nervous system and support memory and learning. It addresses imbalances by directing vata downward (upwards-moving vata being a common problem in the Western cultures). Recent studies in animal models have confirmed its ability to positively affect adrenal health, catalase activity, and blood/brain levels of superoxide dismutase and glutathione. This suggests it can support the body’s natural ability to protect the nervous system against oxidative stress.
Shankhpushpi is another important ingredient in LifeSpa’s Happy Caps.
An Ayurvedic Warning about Stimulants
In our culture of immediate gratification, we’ve been conditioned to reach for a stimulant to boost energy when we’re fatigued.
Dark chocolate, 5-Hour Energy, or a cup of coffee are commonly used to battle waves of tiredness. Ayurveda has long warned about the long-term risks of stimulants like coffee.
In a June 2021 study, published in Nutritional Neuroscience, researchers found that high coffee consumption was associated with an increased risk of dementia and decreased brain volume. In the largest study of its kind, 398,646 coffee drinkers ages 37-73 were evaluated and 17,702 were given MRIs.
Of the participants, who ranged from ages 37-73, those who drank more than 6 cups of coffee a day had a 53% increased risk of dementia.
See also Decaffeinate Yourself
These stimulants may offer temporary relief, but, in reality, are only driving the already-exhausted adrenals to scramble for energy they don’t really have. In short order, the body finds itself even deeper into a state of exhaustion and energy debt.
Sadly, the same approach has been adopted by both Western and natural medicine systems. If you tell your doctor you’re tired, you are prescribed a stimulating drug or herb to mitigate your symptoms. Such stimulants rarely address the underlying cause of fatigue, and typically drive the body into a state of chronic exhaustion. In Ayurveda, we fight fatigue by building ojas, or sustainable vitality. You can build ojas by meditating, having a regular sleep schedule, spending time in nature, eating and drinking ojas-promoting foods (including saffron, milk of any kind, coconut, or dates), taking adaptogens (such as Ashwagandha), and rejuvenating herbs (like Shatavari).
I’m an 87 yr. old champion bicycle rider that is getting ready for nationals(track ) racing .Lately
I’ve noticed a drop in energy and attitude also a little stiffness in the morning which is not usual for me. I’m not in an over trained or over reaching state. Your article on stimulants was an alert to look over some ideas. I’m planning to watch your program tonight. Carl grove P S. { I’ve read your books and practice your Darth Vader breathing with some success) Any Ideas? I’m in UCI and nationals records for your info.
When I had my hormone levels checked, the results indicated my levels are normal for a woman my age (70) but my coritsol is low in the A.M. and stays low throughout the day. The test showed that there is enough cortisol being produced but my body is not using it.
Ive just been watching Ari Whittens Energy Blueprint webinars and he has studied ” adrenal exhaustion ” for many years.He cites lots of studies that have been done on cortisol levels of people with chronic fatigue and the results are mixed -some have higher than normal cortisol , some have lower and most have normal. His hypothesis revolves around circadian rhythm and mitochondrial dysfunction.
Thanks for sharing valuable information !
Regarding adrenal fatigue, the best book I have read was endorsed by Dr. Douillard. It’s “Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda” by Dr. Marianne Teitelbaum. Here’s what Dr. Douillard said. “Healing the Thyroid with Ayurveda is finally here. Understanding the individual nature of thyroid disease is the only prescription for a cure. Now we can stop treating with blood tests and symptoms and address the source intelligently and Ayurvedically.”