Most people have depleted energy reserves and describe their day as running on empty. Having enough energy to lead a happy and productive life is missing for most people.

We only have so much energy and the demands of physical exertion, mental work, and emotional demands all deplete the limited supply of energy we have available to us. Life for most people is a stressful experience. Our energy supplies are drained and they must be replenished.

As we experience daily stresses, our hormonal system plays a large role and the adrenal gland is the orchestra leader in instructing the body’s parts what to do. The primary stress handling system is called the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. This system turns-on to deal with all the stress we experience. But, after it starts to rev up, it must go back to its resting position.

The Stress Response System Must Turn-On, Then Turn-Off

Unfortunately, for many people, it rarely turns off so it has no chance to recover and heal. The adrenal gland has two parts: the medulla which secretes adrenaline. This is the well-known fight-or-flight hormone. Quick acting, it prepares us to fight or flee from imminent danger.

The adrenal cortex secretes cortisol which acts more slowly and is the primary hormone involved in dealing with chronic stress, such as war. Medical studies of the chronic and extreme fatigue syndromes have implicated the HPA axis as being involved.

It was in the late 1800′s when the idea that a deficient release of cortisol may cause fatigue states. But, today there is little consensus among medical researchers about whether or not cortisol is involved in fatigue.

The ability to define the overall functional capacity of the adrenal gland is not well understood. An adrenal crisis might occur if one experienced a too high stress that overwhelmed the functional capacity of the adrenal output of cortisol. A divorce, surgery, shock, or infection are examples of what could overwhelm the adrenal.

Sub-Clinical (No Diagnosis) is What Most People Suffer From

For most chronically fatigued persons, the medical investigation does not turn-up any specific dysfunction or cause. Only about 1-2% of chronically fatigued persons are diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). The lack of a diagnosis and the lack of support of the physician don’t make the condition any less real to the individual.

Current investigations have shown that the HPA axis is involved and that the primary defect is a reduced output of cortisol from the adrenal gland. Studies have shown that adrenal gland size is reduced by about half in those diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome showing a functional reason for less cortisol output.

This evidence supports the idea that adrenal fatigue syndrome arises from a reduced cortisol output because of the reduced size of the adrenal gland. Adrenal gland reduced capacity is likely involved in all cases of chronic and extreme fatigue. From a medical point of view, this understanding has not led to the development of any effective therapies.

In the field of alternative medicine, however, nutritional supplementation plans, such as the use of DHEA, and more complex programs involving exercise, diet, vitamin/mineral complexes, and the judicious use of specific herbal formulations suggest that adrenal fatigue syndrome can be dealt with effectively.

This, of course, occurs outside of mainstream medicine, and without its approval. This creates a difficult environment for individuals who most often rely on their doctor’s guidance and are unwilling to take health care into their own hands. Yet, surveys show that many people are now turning to alternative medicine because their doctors offer no effective strategies for dealing with the ever-increasing epidemic of fatigue in our modern times.