With stress being an inescapable part of life, problems can arise from being unable to manage it well. When it comes to our health, stress management, along with some healthy lifestyle practices, plays a huge role in the prevention and escalation of many diseases and conditions.
When we say adrenal health, we can never escape the word stress, and that’s because the adrenal glands are the main hormone producers that facilitate the body’s stress responses. When the body is exposed to too much stress and stress is not managed properly, this may result in adrenal health disorders, more commonly known as adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency (in the medical community).
Adrenal Fatigue or Adrenal Insufficiency?
This is where the terms are more or less medically accepted or not.
Most people use the term adrenal fatigue, which is a term used to refer to a group of non-specific symptoms believed to be experienced when people’s adrenal glands are depleted from too much fight-or-flight arousal or stress response.
However, adrenal fatigue is a controversial diagnosis as some of the medical community implies that there is no scientific proof to the claims that the adrenal glands can become depleted due to overexertion or chronic stress.
Without scientific evidence, the medical community sticks to the medically accepted diagnosis known as adrenal insufficiency.
Adrenal insufficiency is a medical diagnosis used to refer to the inadequate production of hormones. Though symptoms of adrenal fatigue and adrenal insufficiency are related and can even overlap, adrenal insufficiency is a recognized condition, while adrenal fatigue is considered not to be.
The adrenal fatigue theorists are quick to point out that there aren’t blood tests or medical examinations that can detect the minuscule changes occurring in the adrenal glands to support an adrenal fatigue diagnosis. However, the body certainly experiences all the symptoms in the form of fatigue, body aches, and similar discomfort.
As adrenal fatigue is not considered an official medical diagnosis, people diagnosed with this condition usually take supplements that address hormonal imbalances or insufficiencies. There are many adrenal fatigue supplements available, and people who take them find them helpful in relieving their symptoms.
Some of the doctors’ major concerns are that people could be self-diagnosing and taking supplements for no reason, or worse, not being diagnosed with the right health issue. This is because symptoms are similar to many other disorders. By simply believing that everything is caused by prolonged stress, other serious health issues could be overlooked and not addressed properly.
Adrenal Insufficiency
Adrenal insufficiency is the medical term that refers to the incapacity of the adrenal glands to produce hormones required by the body to function optimally. Adrenal insufficiency may be diagnosed using special simulation tests or a blood test that can reveal insufficient levels of adrenal hormones.
Adrenal insufficiency is a recognized condition believed by physicians to happen as a result of either surgery or an underlying illness.
Primary and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency
Primary adrenal insufficiency occurs when the adrenal glands are not functioning as they should. They are not producing enough cortisol and aldosterone. Primary adrenal insufficiency may be caused by an autoimmune condition, which is when the immune system attacks the adrenals incorrectly.
Secondary adrenal insufficiency occurs when the pituitary gland cannot produce enough adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) which subsequently results in the adrenals not producing enough cortisol.
Factors that may cause insufficient quantities of the hormone ACTH, leading to secondary adrenal insufficiency include taking steroids for prolonged amounts of time and loss of blood flow. Adrenal insufficiency is medically diagnosed using blood tests and has specified medication and treatment that focuses on the replacement of hormones in the body.
In Closing
Hopefully, that helps explain the differences between the two. So although adrenal fatigue may not be recognized as a medical condition, ask anyone with unhealthy adrenals and they will tell you the symptoms are very real!
However, as always, it is best to seek a complete evaluation from a licensed physician should you be experiencing any of the symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue or adrenal insufficiency. The most important thing is to take action to address it before it’s too late. Proactively caring for your health is a great step to living longer!
Resources
https://www.henryford.com/blog/2018/12/adrenal-fatigue-your-questions-answered
https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/adrenal-fatigue
https://districtendocrine.com/adrenal-fatigue-and-adrenal-insufficiency/
