Cortisol
Cortisol is needed to raise blood sugar levels when too low, provide energy and stamina and is your body’s natural cortisone, working as an anti-allergy and anti-inflammatory agent. Too high or too low cortisol levels are problematic and can cause disease states and in balance in the body.
Back up sex hormones
The hormones listed above are secondary hormones to the production by the ovaries in a woman or testes in a man. These are necessary to assess as well.
Aldosterone
This hormone controls water and sodium balance in the body which is important in determining blood volume (by controlling how much liquid is in our circulatory system) thereby controlling an important aspect of maintaining a normal blood pressure.
Adrenal glands can grow into a depleted and weakened state and may go through stages of over and under production of adrenal hormones. Low levels of cortisol can cause fatigue, manifestations of allergies and inflammations, joint pains, tendon inflammation, and hypoglycemia. Low levels of sex hormones can cause hormonal imbalances, worsening menopausal symptoms, low libido, poor stamina, etc. Low aldosterone can show up as the inability to maintain sodium and water balance, urinating too often, low blood pressure, orthostatic hypotension (or “head rushes” when moving from lying down or bending over and getting up quickly).
High levels of cortisol are associated with putting on belly fat, insomnia (especially if the spike is at night), high blood sugars, possibly high blood pressure. Excessive hormones wreak their own havoc. High aldosterone can raise blood pressure and water retention.
Suffice it to say, adrenal hormone imbalances can really wreak havoc on health.
And it is an often-overlooked cause of health challenges. Too often, historically in conventional medicine, the adrenals are seen in very black and white terms. Your adrenals either have no problems whatsoever or can be suffering from Cushing Disease (hallmarked by very high levels of cortisol and a whole series of symptoms that go with that disease, or perhaps someone is suffering from failure of all adrenal gland hormone production known as Addison’s disease. But large portions of our stressed-out populations are affected by adrenal fatigue and hypofunction which is a reversible condition.
Our team of naturopathic physicians know how to accurately assess adrenal hormones and have a plethora of natural strategies to heal and restore adrenal health. This can take several months to turn this all around, but it is well worth the effort.
Renewed energy and vitality, mental and emotional balance restored, everything working well together once again, our patients are very grateful that their health problems have been identified and they are feeling well and whole again.
