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Is Supporting Adrenals Important With Thyroid?

The adrenals, also known as "the glands of stress," can become dysfunctional before any thyroid problem might be detected. Dysfunction of the adrenal glands alters thyroid function.

  1. Identification

    • Functional Medicine practitioners believe there is a direct connection between adrenal function and thyroid, and any alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal-thyroid-gonadal axis is responsible for the well-being of the others. When adrenal fatigue (the adrenals' inability to produce key hormones like cortisol and DHEA) sets in, the thyroid gland dysfunction often progresses to hypothyroidism.

    Considerations

    • To determine the stage of adrenal dysfunction, it is recommended to measure salivary cortisol levels. This test is often essential since it determines the stage of adrenal exhaustion. Without knowing if cortisol levels are depleted or elevated, an adequate treatment cannot be prescribed.

    Causes

    • Abnormal cortisol levels can develop over a longer period of time or in a relatively short period, after suffering multiple stressors. Usage of pharmaceutical drugs, poor diet and lifestyle habits all contribute to an abnormal cortisol output. Initially, there is an elevated cortisol output that will eventually begin to decrease and become depleted, leading to adrenal exhaustion.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Treatment varies according to the stage of adrenal dysfunction. It usually involves controlling blood sugar levels, use of adaptogens, stress management, balancing DHEA and cortisol levels, decreasing food and environmental allergens, decreasing inflammation, increasing cellular energy production, chiropractic manipulation, intake of vitamins and minerals (vitamin C, B complex, folic acid, potassium, zinc, iron, copper) and adrenal glandular extracts.

    Misconceptions

    • Many conventionally trained doctors don't recognize adrenal fatigue as a condition, and consider serum testing the only valid method for measuring cortisol levels. This testing shows total failure of cortisol levels (Addison's disease) or extreme elevation of cortisol levels (Cushing's syndrome). Nevertheless, research studies show that adrenal fatigue and moderate long-term elevations of cortisol are far more common than Addison's disease and Cushing's syndrome.

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