More Warning Signals of Adrenal Fatigue

The adrenal glands do not "burn out" because of stress. They lose their ability to function when stress never lets up.

After any severe stress, the adrenal glands need 24 to 48 hours to acquire new raw materials to make enough cortisol to deal with new stresses. The liver has to be nourished with " comfort food ", or at least with carbohydrates, to make more glycogen so it can release glucose needed by the brain and heart the next time there is severe stress. After stress, you need at least a weekend of peace and quiet to recharge.
 

If you never take time to let your adrenal glands recharge, or if you simply are never able to take time to let your adrenal glands recharge, eventually they will tell you "Never again!" A few months to as long as 25 years after the initiation of a stressful period, poor adrenal function causes predictable symptoms.

According to adrenal health expert Dr. Susan Sklar:

• 99% of people who suffer adrenal burnout will experience fatigue.
• 98% of people who suffer adrenal burnout will develop skin spots (age spots, lentigos, or freckles, even where the skin is not exposed to the sun).
• 97% of people who suffer adrenal burnout will experience muscle loss (although, sadly, not necessarily fat loss).
• 34% will develop chronic abdominal pain that does not have any clear connection to changes in the gastrointestinal organs.
• 27% will develop salt cravings.
• 20% will develop chronic diarrhea.
• 19% will develop chronic constipation. Some will develop an alternating pattern of diarrhea and constipation that is "not quite" irritable bowel syndrome.
• 16% will have chronic fainting spells.
• 9% will develop vitiligo, loss of pigmentation in patches of the skin, most commonly on the face and hands. The darker the skin, the more likely it is to affected by vitiligo.

Adrenal burnout also leads to high triglyceride levels that may be a warning of type 2 diabetes . As the liver is less and less able to store the carbohydrates it needs to supply the body with ready fuel, it becomes less and less sensitive to insulin, causing type 2 diabetes.

You can develop adrenal burnout even if you are leading a "wonderful life." Getting married, getting a promotion, making a lot of money from an investment, or having a child are major stressors. Even if you are happy with your life, you can experience adrenal burnout if you do not allow yourself time to relax every week.

What should you do if you believe you are experiencing adrenal burnout?

First of all, it is important to recognize that the symptoms listed above may be part of a deeper problem. Caffeine, nicotine, and taurine (found in energy drinks) may help you get through chronic fatigue for weeks, months, or even years, but eventually your adrenal glands will crash if you do not make a habit of rest and relaxation. Treating age spots, vitiligo, digestive problems, and taking pills for the hypertension caused by your salt cravings may take care of the symptom, but you still need to take care of the underlying problem.

Both medications and nutritional supplements can help restore adrenal function after burnout—but it is a lot better to keep burnout from ever occurring. Make time in your life for peace and quiet , especially when you are having the time of your life.