HPA Axis Dysfunction and Adrenal Fatigue

The hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, or HPA, is part of our body’s endocrine system. Essentially, this is the system that passes messages back and forth around the body whenever we secrete hormones. And when we’re exposed to stressful situations, the axis creates a series of responses that inevitably lead to the release of cortisol, an adrenal steroid hormone often referred to as our “stress hormone.

Cortisol is famously responsible for putting our body in a “fight or flight” mode, which suppresses some system activities while providing us with a large dose of glucose. This is all well and good, having served us humans quite well for thousands of years.

However, you need to understand that this HPA axis works on what can best be described as a “feedback loop.” So if the hypothalamus and pituitary glands get a signal that enough cortisol has been released, they’ll shut down the axis to keep from flooding the system, allowing the body to return to normal.

Unfortunately, in situations of chronic stress exposure, the axis can become dysfunctional. This means that all of the hormones from the H to the P to the A will continue to be released on a near-constant basis. To make matters worse, if this is not corrected, the HPA axis may stop recognizing the signals telling them to shut down.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

When the above happens, we refer to it as “Adrenal Fatigue.” One of the more common diagnoses in the Functional Medicine world over the past few years, this stress-related syndrome is extremely common all over the United States. Of course, despite the name, the adrenal glands are just a part of the problem. If a doctor fails to treat the entire HPA axis, they will most likely be unsuccessful.

Further complicating the situation is the fact that HPA dysfunction includes a wide variety of symptoms that can be hard to categorize, such as:

The biggest problem related to adrenal fatigue is tiredness that you can’t overcome even with high-quality sleep. However, looking at all the symptoms above, you can see where many people might assume they have several dozen different disorders rather than one overarching ailment. In many cases, the sufferer may even appear to be totally healthy despite suffering for years..

Understanding the Stages of Adrenal Fatigue

Cortisol is far more important to our overall function than many of us assume. The production of too much too often cannot only harm our HPA axis but also cause problems on a cellular level. In fact, when combined with low levels of DHEA, elevated cortisol can produce a condition known as Chronic Stress Response. This is where our body essentially loses the ability to modulate various functions, resulting in significant metabolic, immune, and hormonal issues.

Like many such conditions, Adrenal Fatigue has several notable stages. They include:

Treatment Starts at Internal Healing and Wellness MD

At Internal Healing and Wellness MD, we help people from Spring, The Woodlands, Conroe, other Houston-area suburbs recognize and deal with their Adrenal Fatigue. Thanks to modern techniques, we can identify the disorder using simple saliva and urine testing or by monitoring the patient’s neurotransmitters. Once the ailment is confirmed, we will create a specialized treatment plan to restore function to the HPA axis, consisting of herbal support, dietary changes, and stress.