What if the body's stress adaptation system becomes malfunction? What if adrenal dsyfunction is not necessarily the result of one thing, but can be caused by many different factors? Is adrenal dysfunction necessarily progressive in nature?
As many of us go through our daily lives for countless days, months and years, how much do we really realize the impact of stress to our health and body? Some of us suffer from chronic stress, for others, the adaptation system for stress becoming less and less functional, and eventually broke down somewhere along our lifespans. From regular partying when we were in high school and college, to eating crap diet most of our lives, and enduring stressful job and relationships, how much do we all know about adrenal glands? The very vital crescent-shaped glands that sit on top of each kidney like a cap. Small glands with huge job, imagine these little glands need to secrete chemical messengers that communicate with our brains, immune system and metabolism for our entire lives!
Firstly, let's get to know cortisol a little better. Although this stress hormone is not as popular as adrenaline, but it is vitally important for a long list of functions in our body. It influences macronutrients metabolism, but if abused in excess, cortisol can lead to metabolic disorder and immunosuppression. This primary stress hormone is largely catabolic in nature, meaning, it generally breaks things down. However, a minimum amount of cortisol is needed for certain anabolic or building, functions such as gut repair. It counteracts inflammation. It can also increases fatty acids in the bloodstream to be used as fuel for energy.
For whoever concern about mood and emotional stability, this particular hormone plays a crucial role. Chronic cortisol secretion inhibit seratonin (happy hormone), GABA (anti-stress neurotransmitter), and deplete your reproductive sex hormones too. When one is often depressed or feels stressed out, GABA and seratonin are the primary neurotransmitters which drop low whenever the brain perceive as stress as cortisol pouring out day in day out, further depleting anti-oxidants levels and stealing sex hormones too.
As how humans have evolved, cortisol help the body cope with emergency by increasing blood sugar level. The liver undergo a process called gluconeogenesis through protein mobilization from peripheral tissues that are converted to glucose. Bear in mind, cortisol is neither good or bad, but it has been made villain by the medical industry. This vital hormone needs to be present in the right amount at the right times to be optimally beneficial to the body. In other words, a healthy rhythm, or some may call it circadian rhythm.
I remember many people asked me "How do I know if my cortisol hormone is regulating optimally?" Firstly, your cortisol level is normally highest in the morning when you first wakes up. If you have to drag your butt off the bed to awaken yourself, that's a sign of adrenal fatigue, or exhausted adrenals. Over the course of the day, cortisol secretion eases and reaches at its lowest point when the darkness increases and during bedtime (9 to 10pm). As one stays awake late at night, your body will perceive as summer or daytime, and cortisol secretion continue to pour out, suppressing melatonin (sleep hormone). The entire hormonal pathways will be affected directly, causing dsyregulation of insulin, ghrelin, leptin and sex hormones.
Throughout the night when we sleep, blood sugar level drops ( in a perfect world ). But, the problem is, most people are eating a high carbs/sugar meal or dinner before they hit the bed, spiking blood sugar and triggering cortisol during sleep period. Wonder why you fall asleep and awake about one of two hours later for possibly no reason? Bear in mind, cortisol is an awakening hormone. We are suppose to have low cortisol at night and during sleep, and increase when we are awake during the sympathetic nervous system regulation.
I have personally known too many people in my life, the ones who want to achieve ideal fitness and lean body, but they scored poorly and neglected the aspect of good circadian rhythm and sleep wake cycles. The body primarily goes into repair, rebuild and rejuvenate when it is is resting mode, especially deep uninterrupted sleep. The 2 phases of repair during sleep is vital, from 10pm to 6am.
Bear in mind, a typical pattern of a circadian rhythm dsyregulation of an individual, similar to roller coaster ride. A classic example would be, the person wakes up feeling tired and exhausted, having the need to drink that cup of coffee or tea to get the morning started. For some, the craving for refined carbs and wheat based foods are very a dependency for breakfast. And yes, even tons of personal trainers and doctors and going through this unrealized adrenals dilemma. Bread, sugars and caffeine, appear to be a norm for most part of the globe, and we are shooting our adrenals even further, as breakfast may well kick-start the 'vicious cycle' for that particular day. For someone who suffer from circadian rhythm dsyregulation, he or she would chronically irritable and agitated, emotionally reactive and having problem winding down at night, and restless when sleep. These type of people, tend to have trouble managing stress in their lives.
This type of circadian rhythm need to be taken seriously and addressed aggressively with diet, and nutrition protocols and support. Dependent on stimulants such as sugars, gluten, alcohol, nicotine and caffeine is definitely not the solution. In fact, these stimulants will destroy your hormones and making the adrenals even more fatigue with prolonged consumption. The 'fake energy' is brief and damaging to the body, not to mention extremely addictive especially coffee and gluten-based foods (wheat) and of course, SUGAR, arguably the no.1 public enemy in terms of health and weight gain.
As for these individuals, they are primarily sugar burners, and have low tolerance to of blood sugar swings. They rely on sugars as primary source of fuel, and I meant simple/refined sugars. You may be asking, how would I know if I'm a sugar burner? It's simple. Try eat a meal primarily consist of fats and perhaps moderate amount of protein, and virtually zero carbs. Once your feel full after the meal, and if you crave for sugars or carb-based foods, you are most likely insulin-resistance and sugar burner. It doesn't matter honey, fruits, starchy vegetables, grains or processed sugars, your brain will still perceive as sugars.
Now, let's shift gear and visit the gym. When we hit the gym, or perform any form of exercise or even play sports, our body breaks down into a catabolic state. Doesn't mater resistance training or running marathon, the longer the body undergo stress (physical), your brain sends signals to the adrenal to secrete cortisol for survival purpose. Wonder why your feel weaker after every set of doing bench press or squat? You get weaker after every rep and set as the workout routine prolonged.
As the main focus for most people is on weight loss or building a nicer toned body, most of us fail to listen to our body, thus, in most cases, endocrine pathway goes haywire, and the body release way more stress hormone then other beneficial hormones when it comes to exercise or 'workout'. In a nutshell, we are hurting our body physiologically and physically too.
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