Because the symptoms of hypothyroidism, or underactive thyroid, are so similar to another condition called adrenal fatigue, the two are often confused. The two conditions may be misdiagnosed in a patient’s journey to understand the root cause of their symptoms.
Like the thyroid gland, the adrenal glands are part of the endocrine system, and they sit just above the kidneys. These glands are responsible for the “fight or flight” response that can be life-saving. Theses glands secrete hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that help us survive stressful situations.
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Under constant stress, the adrenal glands become part of a negative feedback loop with the brain, and they begin to produce an overload of cortisol which results in a whole-body inflammatory and autoimmune response,
said Holtorf Medical Group.
According to Dr. Eric Osansky at Natural Endocrine Solutions, symptoms of adrenal fatigue include extreme tiredness, low sex drive, difficulty sleeping, craving sweets and salty food, and feeling stressed out.
Adrenal fatigue can be the root cause of hypothyroidism, yet traditional doctors are not trained to investigate adrenal fatigue. Instead, there are more likely to run thyroid tests and prescribe hormone medications which will not correct the underlying adrenal fatigue.
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Dr. Frederick Singer told Everyday Health that adrenal fatigue isn’t an accepted diagnosis in the conventional medical field. There isn’t a test for adrenal fatigue, but Singer advised that if you are being treated for hypothyroidism with medication and your symptoms, especially extreme fatigue, are not improving, it is important to consider possible adrenal gland involvement.
You will likely need to visit an integrative or alternative practitioner who specializes in endocrinology, according to Singer.
When Dr. David Borenstein has suspected a thyroid patient may have underlying adrenal fatigue making the problem worse, he suggested lifestyle changes as a start for treatment, according to Everyday Health.
Relaxation techniques, meditation, and deep breathing can help reduce the stress that is causing adrenal fatigue. He also advised making dietary changes, such as eliminating high-fructose corn syrup, gluten, and caffeine.
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