Mild adrenal insufficiency or “Adrenal Fatigue” has been found in medical research studies, to occur in a number of chronic diseases and inflammatory conditions. These include asthma, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatic diseases affecting the muscles and/or joints (i.e., fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis). The mild adrenal insufficient states found in these conditions, were concluded by the findings of low DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) and/or low cortisol (adrenocortical), the two major adrenal hormones that regulate sex hormone production, stress coping and anti-inflammatory responses in the body.
Adrenal Fatigue and Thyroid Disease
While thyroid disease is not often mentioned in medical studies, as a condition that can result in mild adrenal insufficiency, low adrenal function is listed as a potential symptom of hypothyroidism on many medical information sources. If the hypothyroidism has “thyroid autoimmunity” as the cause this places further demand on the under-functioning adrenal glands which serve as part of their purpose, the moderating of inflammation in the body, via the natural anti-inflammatory properties of the hormone-cortisol.
Following is the link to a research study, in which mention of “low cortisol” is a concluded finding in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (autoimmune hypothyroidism):
Cortisol levels lower in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis
Hypothyroidism and Slowed Adrenal Function
When a patient experiences the onset of hypothyroidism, all organs in the body also begin to hypo-function, including the endocrine glands. The adrenals also being a part of the endocrine system can be affected resulting is slowed hormone output from them as well. The endocrine system as a whole, works in synchronization and the thyroid glands depend on the adrenal cortisol hormone, which aids in converting T4 thyroid hormone into the more metabolically active T3.
Some medical researchers also believe that cortisol helps thyroid hormone to perform its metabolic-regulating effect on the tissues and cells of the body. Medical sources who do recognize and study mild adrenal insufficiency, state that Adrenal Fatigue occurs after a hyper-functioning phase of the adrenal glands. Any condition including chronic stress, disease or inflammatory response in the body, places an abnormally high demand on the adrenal glands for cortisol output, which can be followed by a fatigue-stage or what might be referred to as “exhausted adrenal reserves”.
Autoimmune Thyroid Disease and Inflammation
The majority of thyroid disease patients in industrialized countries, experience the resulting hypothyroid or hyperthyroid conditions, due to “thyroid autoimmunity”. As mentioned previously, thyroid diseases of this type cause an inflammatory response in the thyroid gland. This requires a response from the adrenal glands, to send more cortisol to moderate the inflammation that occurs due to the autoimmune response. The immune system is creating auto-antibodies, sent to attack thyroid proteins that are mistakenly recognized as invaders in the body that need to be destroyed. As thyroid tissue begins to become damaged and as its cells begin to die, inflammation develops in the gland. This can occur even before thyroid hormone levels become imbalanced, evident by the fact that autoimmune thyroid patients often develop goiters (thyroid swelling) in advance of hypothyroid or hyperthyroid hormone levels.
These facts demonstrate that thyroid disease can create a high demand for cortisol output by the adrenals. It would seem obvious that this would result in mild adrenal insufficient states in some thyroid patients, especially those whose adrenal function is less sufficient than that of the average healthy person.
Autoimmune Thyroiditis: Evidence for a Systemic Immune Alteration
Jim Lowrance - James M. (Jim) Lowrance has authored over 100 book and ebook publications since year 2004.
