“Adrenal fatigue” is probably a term you’ve heard before. It’s used to describe a collection of symptoms typically including exhaustion, feeling tired despite adequate sleep, reliance on stimulants like coffee to get you through the day, salt and/or sugar cravings (to name a few) that is thought to be caused by prolonged periods of stress. In other words, long-term mental and emotional stress results in reduced adrenal output or what’s referred to as adrenal fatigue. There’s been a debate as to whether or not “adrenal fatigue” actually exists. Conventional medicine doesn’t recognize adrenal fatigue as a medical diagnosis, but rather a myth. Adrenal insufficiency is an actual medical diagnosis and typically occurs as a result of an autoimmune attack against the adrenal glands known as Addison’s disease. Although adrenal fatigue isn’t “real,” the symptoms of burnout and exhaustion described above are VERY real. Millions of people wake up exhausted and unable to get through the day without the use of caffeine. After years of chronic perceived stress (that naturally comes with wanting to do all the things from career to personal development) and dealing with symptoms of low adrenal output myself, I know firsthand what it’s like to wake up feeling completely wiped out. I believe there’s an answer that lies somewhere in between the simplistic postulation that your adrenals fatigue and the other side of the spectrum that suggests disease. So while your adrenals aren’t fatigued, you might be and here’s why. 

Low cortisol 

Let’s take a step back for a minute and talk about what the adrenals are and why they’re important. Your adrenals are small, triangular-shaped glands that sit on top of the kidneys and they produce hormones that affect everything from your metabolism and blood pressure to your immune system. Cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, is produced by the adrenal cortex (the Zona Fasciculata to be exact). Your adrenal glands control the body’s response to stress. Chronic stressors, whether perceived or real, may blunt the cortisol response resulting in low cortisol. But stress isn’t the only thing that can cause low cortisol, nutrient deficiencies, chronic inflammation, toxins, poor gut health, and mitochondrial dysfunction can too and they are often overlooked. 

Signs you might have low cortisol

Here are some signs suggesting you might have low cortisol: you have low blood pressure, you get dizzy upon standing, you crave salt, you’re fatigued all the time, you take a longer time to recover after exercise, you experience drops in blood sugar often resulting in “hanger,” irritability, and sugar cravings, you drink tons of water and still feel thirsty. If this sounds familiar, keep reading. 

While your poor little adrenal glands aren’t fatigued, they may not be producing sufficient amounts of cortisol for optimal health, or they may be suppressed from environmental toxin exposure for example, resulting in feelings of exhaustion - pass the cup of coffee please! So what is one to do? 

What to do about low cortisol: 4 steps to get you started 

1. Find an Integrative and Functional Dietitian who can uncover the WHY and the HOW

As an Integrative and Functional Dietitian, my first priority is to uncover the “why” behind your symptoms. Taking a root cause approach and identifying where things are going wrong informs the how - what steps need to be taken to get you feeling well again. Maybe your cortisol is low because of an underlying nutrient deficiency or perhaps there’s mitochondrial dysfunction present or intestinal hyperpermeability (i.e. leaky gut). Your underlying root cause is unique and identifying it is the first step in the healing process which brings me to my next point.  

2. Don’t guess, test 

Your story, symptoms, goals, and concerns are so important in helping identify the sources of imbalance within your body and when used alongside functional lab testing, it helps paint a more accurate picture. Confirming that low cortisol is indeed the issue is the first step. Rather than guessing if this is the issue, test to know for sure. When assessing cortisol levels it’s important to look at the diurnal cortisol rhythm. A simple morning blood test that checks serum cortisol levels doesn’t provide an accurate enough picture of cortisol levels throughout the day. 

3. Work on perception 

If low cortisol levels are a result of chronic mental and emotional stressors, the first step you can take is work on your perception. How do you perceive the world around you? How do you perceive stress related to work, family, finance, etc.? Changing the way we think about stress can have a huge impact on our health. Is traffic really that stressful? Does preparing meals need to be stressful? Shifting our thought patterns takes time and effort, but can make a huge difference in how our body perceives and responds to stress. 

4. Start by eating a real, whole foods-based diet

I saved the best for last! Nutrition can have a huge impact when it comes to low cortisol. Start with the basics like focusing on diet quality, eating enough healthy fats and protein,  incorporating nutrient dense whole foods, and prioritizing micronutrient intake that supports the adrenal glands. As I mentioned previously, nutrient deficiencies can be a cause of low cortisol. I suggest working with a Registered Dietitian who can discover the right form of nourishment for you and use functional nutrition and lifestyle approaches to address low cortisol. 

Think your adrenals could use some love? If you suspect low cortisol is the reason behind your unexplained low energy, book a free clarity call with me to learn more about how I can help! I’ve been on this journey before and know exactly what it takes to get you feeling energized, resilient, and in charge of your health again.