Underactive Adrenal Glands
- Having underactive adrenals is known as Addison’s disease.
- This ailment affects about 1 to 4 out of every 100,000 people.
- Underactive adrenals will produce less of the hormones necessary for various functions in the body. Thus, it will lead to hormonal imbalance that could cause a host of symptoms and lead to other ailments.
Underactive Adrenal Glands Symptoms
The following are the possible adrenal malfunction symptoms to watch out for:
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of weight
- The patient might also feel fatigued at all times
- Irregular periods for women
- Low blood pressure
- Diarrhea and/or vomiting
- Headache
- Nausea
- Low blood sugar
- Irritability and various mood changes
- Craving for salty foods
Underactive Adrenal Glands Weight Loss
- It is a wonder how hormones are able to regulate various bodily functions.
- Hormones are responsible for regulating such processes as metabolism and appetite. Thus, when the hormones are not in their proper levels, then problems in such processes could occur.
- As in the case of underactive adrenals, the body will produce fewer hormones – not enough to meet the demand. This could lead to loss of appetite and changes in metabolism.When these two occur, they could lead to weight loss.
- This especially holds true in situations when the metabolism is increased by the ailment but the appetite is not. Thus, the patient will consume less food but the body will use it up quickly. This would cause weight loss because the energy that the body requires is not met. Without additional food as fuel to keep the body processes active, the body will use up stored energy in the fats and muscles.
Underactive Adrenal Glands Causes
- Underactive adrenals could be caused by too much stress. In stressful situations, the adrenals produce adrenaline and other hormones to help the person cope with the situation.
- However, if the patient is constantly exposed to high stress levels, the adrenals will be overworked, causing them to collapse or malfunction. This could lead to the glands becoming weakened and underactive.
Treatment for Underactive Adrenal Glands
- It is always important to understand what caused a certain ailment to occur. This will help the doctor provide the proper medications for the patient.
- Possible treatments include:
- Certain medications
- Avoiding stressful situations
- Meditation and yoga
- Taking up a new hobby or activity to deal with the stressful situations