Testing for adrenal fatigue is easy (saliva test) but rarely done my most physicians unless specifically requested. Even more unsettling is that most physicians have no clear cut remedy to treat this illness, as the causes of the adrenal fatigue can be multifactorial. It is not simply a nutritional problem but also a result of our daily poor habitual choices in a highly stressed lifestyle.
The adrenals produce a variety of hormones. They modulate the body's stress response, and are involved in numerous other biological functions including blood pressure control, digestive functions, anti-inflammatory responses, thyroid function and sleep patterns.
These are the major adrenal hormones:
• Cortisol -helps regulate metabolism and helps your body respond to stress
• Aldosterone -helps control blood pressure
• Adrenaline -helps your body respond to stress
• DHEA –precursor to estrogen and testosterone
The most accurate way to assess adrenal function is through a saliva cortisol evaluation. There are other ways to assess adrenal function, including blood tests and Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis. These methods will not give you exact cortisol and DHEA values. Blood tests can measure the adrenal hormones but saliva hormones are considered far more accurate.
The symptoms of adrenal fatigue are said to include:
• Exhaustion, especially in the morning
• Insomnia, trouble getting to sleep
• Craving salt and sugar
• Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
• Reliance on stimulants such as caffeine to get through the day
• Dizziness or lightheadedness upon standing
• Loss of body hair
• Skin discoloration, particularly on the palms of your hands, knees, elbows and knuckles
• Lack of menstrual periods
• Thyroid imbalance
• Depression
• Anxiety
And I must say that this list could easily describe 80% of the new patients that come for consultations. Most come for mercury amalgam removal. Mercury toxicity from their silver fillings may be a partial cause for their health problems, but adrenal fatigue may also be an issue. Which came first can be tough to say.
The causes of adrenal fatigue are due to:
• Chronic emotional stress, worry
• Poor diet (junk food, alcohol, sugar, caffeine, too much chocolate)
• Not enough sleep, staying up too late
• Pollutants in the air and food
• Heavy metals toxicity (mercury fillings, aluminum from pots and foil)
• Reoccurring trauma (PTSD)
• EMFs from cell phones, computers, wifi, cell towers
In terms of dental health and adrenal fatigue, it has been shown in many research papers that mercury has a high affinity for all endocrine glands (adrenal and thyroid inclusive). So replacing your mercury amalgam fillings may be part of the solution in reversing adrenal fatigue.
If you like this post you may also like: Our many posts on Mercury Toxicity or Aluminum Toxicity
