Your Adrenal Glands: More Than “Fight or Flight”

Medical Wellness

Your adrenal glands are one of the most important glands in your body and responsible for multiple different functions. Perhaps best known for the release of “fight or flight” response hormones, your adrenal glands also:
  • Help regulate sleep with cortisol and glucose regulation
  • Help regulate blood pressure and pH throughout the body
  • Help with your immune system and thyroid-like hormones
Sex hormone regulation can also come through the adrenal glands. The adrenals also play a key role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, or HPA axis, which involves the body’s reaction to stress. Not as well known, but a growing area of study, is the gut-adrenal connection. We are starting to understand how certain bacteria and certain responses in the gut can stimulate the autonomic nervous system, which can then have an effect on the adrenal glands. Many other factors and chronic diseases can affect the adrenal glands, including mold toxicity and pesticides.

Adrenal Gland Conditions and Causes

Adrenal fatigue is real and experts have several different thoughts on the topic. Like any other gland, overuse can lead to the “wearing out” of the adrenals. To the adrenal glands, constant stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system is looked at as stress on the body. Overstimulation of this nervous system pathway can lead to the overstimulation and overproduction of cortisol in the adrenal glands. This can be compared to type II diabetes, which can be caused by the overstimulation of the pancreas from ongoing elevated glucose levels. Similarly, the body can become more adrenal resistant and cortisol resistant, just as someone with type II diabetes becomes insulin resistant. This thought process is shared by physician and author, Dr. Steven Gundry. Many different factors can lead to adrenal fatigue and cortisol resistance, including chronic inflammation in the gut, chronic infection with mold toxins, chronic lyme disease, and any other forms of chronic stress on the body, including sleep apnea, autoimmune disorders, and mental stressors. Cellular resistance comes in many forms but eventually all lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and actual mitochondrial resistance. Toxins, such as mold mycotoxins and pesticides like glyphosate, can all cause dysfunction of the mitochondria. When this happens, it can cause abnormal cellular effects.

Adrenal gland resources

Learn more about your adrenal glands, common conditions, and ways you can keep your adrenals working optimally: Want to learn more about how to support your adrenal glands? Get in touch with Dr. Cas.