Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Adrenal Exhaustion

My struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been an ongoing experience my entire life.  It has to be one of the most frustrating and debilitating health issues that most doctors will not diagnose correctly.  I have tried the traditional medical route and have seen countless doctors none of which have helped.  I have even gone to a psychiatrist and tried 5 different medications for depression - all of which made me feel worse. 

I wanted to write this article with the intention of helping anyone who is having similar symptoms and has been told by their doctor that it is either psychosomatic or that their blood work is normal and they just need to sleep a little bit more.  In my search for better health I have come across a variety of extremely useful supplements and tests which will help a person who is experiencing chronic fatigue to feel better probably within a few weeks to a month.

All of my life I have been really active and healthy.  Pretty much always sporting the six pack on the outside, but this picture of health has always been a facade.  On the inside I have felt crippled, anti-social, exhausted and really just depressed.  I wasn't’t sure what the cause was but knew that it wasn't’t normal to feel this way.  I wanted to share this information with you so that you won’t experience the same misery or exhaustion that I have felt in my lifetime.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Adrenal Fatigue

Let me better define Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  CFS is an umbrella term which includes many symptoms with an uncertain cause.  From my experience there are two main issues that can cause CFS; they are Candida and Hypoadrenia or Adrenal Exhaustion.  There have been many books written about Candida which you can probably come across on a Google search or search on Amazon.  Candida simply is a yeast overgrowth which can cause a host of debilitating symptoms which include fatigue.  A great book that I read recently on Candida was “The Yeast Syndrome” by Trowbridge and Walker.  There are many others, if you would like to learn more please go to an Integrative Medical Doctor for testing.

The second cause of CFS that I'm aware of is adrenal exhastion. I have personally suffered from Hypoadrenia or Adrenal Exhaustion.  The main causes for Hypoadrenia is severe allergies, stress, and lack of sleep all of which can severely tax your adrenal glands.  Over that past 10 years, or ever since I graduated from UCLA in 1998, adrenal exhaustion has been an ongoing relentless health issue.  It is until recently, or over the past year, that I finally feel better – actually, I feel incredible.  This amazing life changing event has been due to a combination of seeing several Integrative Medical Doctors and my continuing research in this area.

 
Symptoms

The following is a list of symptoms that are common for people who suffer from Adrenal Fatigue:

• Tendency to gain weight and unable to loose it, especially around the waist.
• High frequency of getting the flu and other respiratory diseases and these symptoms tend to last longer than usual.
• Tendency to tremble when under pressure.
• Reduced sex drive.
• Lightheaded when rising from a laying down position.
• Unable to remember things.
• Lack of energy in the mornings and also in the afternoon between 3 to 5 pm.
• Feel better suddenly for a brief period after a meal.
• Often feel tired between 9 - 10 pm, but resist going to bed.
• Need coffee or stimulants to get going in the morning.
• Crave for salty, fatty, and high protein food such as meat and cheese.
• Increase symptoms of PMS for women; period are heavy and then stop, or almost stopped on the 4th day, only to start flow again on the 5th or 6th day.
• Pain in the upper back or neck with no apparent reasons .
• Feels better when stress is relieved, such as on a vacation.
• Difficulties in getting up in the morning
• Lightheaded
• Mild depression
• Food and or inhalant allergies
• Lethargy and lack of energy
• Increased effort to perform daily  tasks
• Decreased ability to handle stress
• Dry and thin skin
• Hypoglycemia
• Low Body Temperature
• Nervousness
• Palpitation
• Unexplained hair loss
• Alternating constipation and diarrhea
• Dyspepsia

If you think you are experiencing CFS please consult a doctor who is experienced in treating this issue.

Tests and Supplements

I would like to share with you several tests and supplements that I feel have been extremely helpful for me to optimize my body and to take my health to the pinnacle.  I feel like a new person and I hope this information will help you with your quest to perfect health.

The first tests is a Neurological Profile by Sanesco. 

http://www.sanesco.net/assessments.php

Specifically focusing on the following tests which are a reflection of your adrenal health:

• Cortisol (AM, noon, afternoon, PM)
• Nor epinephrine
• Epinephrine
• Dopamine

With respect to sleep and recovery, these tests are also important:

• GABA
• Seratonin

For my tests, the two neurotransmitters that were extremely low were Epinephrine and Nor epinephrine which are produced by the adrenal glands.  Both of these neurotransmitters are associated with motivation, energy, alertness, and mood.  These neurotransmitters are extremely popular with coffee drinkers because this is the main reason why people love coffee – it gives you tons of energy.  There are more natural ways to stimulate your brain and adrenal glands (Please research L-Tyrosine).  The problem that adrenal exhaustion causes is a depletion or a deficiency of these two neurotransmitters causing a severe lack of motivation, energy, and feeling depressed.

Two Parts to This Story

The first major part to address adrenal burnout is testing your cortisol levels. The second is testing various neurotransmitters. Over a 5 year period I made the mistake with my doctor by focusing only on cortisol and then with another doctor only focusing on the neurotransmitters. To effectively treat adrenal fatigue you have to focus and address both.

More Tests

The next few tests that are important are:

• DHEA (Hormone)
• Pregnenolone (Hormone)
• Spectracell Test

Dhea and Pregnalone can be checked by performing a standard hormonal panel.  Low DHEA and Pregnenolone are indictive of adrenal fatigue. Please consult with your doctor on how to treat low DHEA and Pregnalone.

For more information on the Spectracell Test please check out this link:

http://www.spectracell.com/index.asp

The Spectracell test is important because it can assess vitamin or mineral deficiencies.  Personally, my B-vitamins were extremely low and some of them were deficient.   This status is typical of adrenal exhaustion.  The B-vitamins are extremely important for recovery.  James Wilson emphasizes this point in his book Adrenal Fatigue.

Food Allergies

Even with the best supplement protocol, food allergies are the trump card causing severe adrenal fatigue. I've personally have seen the dramatic changes that food allergies can cause. For example, last week I was feeling great until I ate eggs. For me, eggs is my achilles heel - I'm severely allergic to eggs and I love eating them.

After feeling so good for so long I felt invulnerable and decided to start eating eggs again. What a mistake!!! This food allergy wiped me out for several days. It took me a few days before I started feeling better again - even with the supplement protocol below. For testing and more information on this topic please go to the Metametrix web site.

Food allergy testing - Metametrix

Also, a great book that discuss this topic in detail, please read: Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson.

Top Supplements for Adrenal Fatigue and Exhaustion

There are several natural supplements that I would like to emphasize.  You can gather more information about the purpose of each supplement online or from your doctor.

• DHEA
• Pregnenolone
• Hydrocortisone
• Siberian Ginseng
• Pantethine
• Adrenal Force
• Licorice
• B Complex spray
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoid
• B complex by Jarrows
• B5 (Pantothenic Acid) by Jarrows
• Niacinamide by Jarrows
• Ashwagandha
• Tyrosine
• 5 htp
  
• L-Theanine
  

My Personal Supplement List for Adrenal Fatigue

Most of these supplements I take throughout the day.  If you would like to learn more about these supplements please talk to your doctor about the benefits and the purpose of each supplement.

And yes, I know this is a long list of supplements.  My case unfortunately was severe.  I would talk to your doctor and let him advise you on the best treatment protocol.  This list can be useful if for some reason your treatment protocol for adrenal fatigue is not working.  If this is the case, please go thru this list and ask your doctor if you should include anymore supplements to help you feel better.

Adrenals (Extremely Important)

• DHEA
• Pregnenolone
• Hydrocortisone
• Siberian Ginseng
• Pantethine
• Adrenal Force
• Ortho B-complex
• Licorice
• B12 spray
• Vitamin C with bioflavonoid
• B complex Jarrows
• B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
• Niacinamide
• Ashwagandha
• B complex and B12 injections

General Health

• Omegas Carlson
• Omega Brite
• Coconut oil
• Borage Oil
• Selenium
• Borage oil (gla)
• Co-Q10
• GTF Chromium
• Revive – Multivitamin

Neurotransmitters (Extremely Important)

• Methylmax
• Tyrosine
• 5 htp

Sleep

• Melatonin
• 5 HTP

Sleep and Meditation

Sleep is extremely important for recovery.  Please don’t underestimate the power of sleep.  I try to go to bed every night around 10PM or 10:30PM and usually wake up at 6:45AM.   Or, if I don’t have morning clients I force myself to sleep till 9AM.

Meditation is another tool to help you with your recovery.  It is a great stress management tool.  For more on this topic I would recommend doing a bit of research on Google and possible buying a meditation CD.

Doctors

The most important part of this process is finding the right doctor.   In Los Angeles there are many Integrative Medical Practitioners.  To find the right doctor in your area I would recommend looking online using the search terms “Integrative Medicine” or “Alternative Medicine” and the area that you live in.  For instance,

“Los Angeles, Integrative Medicine, Doctor” 

Also, Sanesco has doctors that they work with on a regular basis.  I would recommend reviewing their website or calling them for more information to locate a doctor in your area:

http://www.sanesco.net/assessments.php

Great books, references, and links on this subject:

1. Adrenal Fatigue by James Wilson
2. Prescription for Nutritional Healing 2006
3. Dr. Lam: http://www.drlam.com/A3R_brief_in_doc_format/adrenal_fatigue.cfm#13
4. http://www.suffernomore.com/Pain/AdrenalFatigue.htm
5. http://becknatmed.com/106.html
6. http://www.holistichelp.net/chronic-fatigue-syndrome.html
7. http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?pfriendly=1&tname=nutrient&dbid=87
8. http://www.ei-resource.org/store/nutritional-and-herbal-supplements/stress-relief/

Good luck with your pursuit of a healthier body.  It took me about 6 years to gather this information and to finally figure out what works for me.  I really hope that this article will help you feel better and with better health and energy will allow you to enjoy life to its fullest. 

Shawn