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Adrenal Fatigue & Rapid Heart Rate After Exercise

Adrenal fatigue is a commonly occurring condition triggered by overstress on the body's adrenal glands through excessive physiological or emotional pressure. Rapid heart rate after exercise is one sign that your adrenals are overproducing stress hormones, leading to an increased probability of developing this undesirable condition. Fortunately there are steps you can take to minimize your chances of developing adrenal fatigue.

  1. Adrenal Glands

    • According to the experts at Medline Plus, your adrenal glands are small glands located on top of the kidneys responsible for producing a wide range of hormones such as testosterone (in limited quantities), adrenaline and cortisol. The adrenals can easily be overworked by overexposure to stressful situations or stimulant abuse, leading to a condition where they are unable to produce adequate amounts of these necessary hormones.

    Adrenal Fatigue Symptoms and Treatment

    • Common symptoms of adrenal fatigue include chronic lack of energy, jitters, inability to sleep, salt cravings and lack of sex drive. Individual treatment for adrenal fatigue usually consists of stress management techniques coupled with an active attempt to decrease adrenal output through supplementation and a variety of lifestyle changes such as regulating your bedtime and following a partial elimination diet. The best way to treat adrenal fatigue however, is to treat it before it becomes a full-blown problem.

    Rapid Heart Rate

    • Rapid heart rate after training is one sign that your body is overproducing stress hormones in response to exercise. While your heart rate will naturally be elevated to some degree for a period after training, if it remains high for a period longer than 10 to 15 minutes it is likely that your body is overproducing adrenaline. This is the main "fight or flight" hormone that signals to your body that it is time to ramp up energy production in response to a perceived threat.

    Fixing the Problem

    • One of the remedies is to always cool down after completing your main routine. Turn off your music (if you are using an MP3 player or radio) and walk around the track for a bit while focusing on deep breathing. This will signal to your body that the "threat" has ended and perhaps lower its production of stress hormones. Deep, controlled breathing is one way to regulate your heart rate, according to the British Medical Journal.

    Supplementation

    • You can also take certain supplements to ensure that your adrenal gland function is optimized, preventing the development of adrenal fatigue. According to pharmacist Vicki Wade, you should be taking a daily dose of vitamins C, E and B to avoid adrenal fatigue. Aim to consume 2,000 to 4,000mg of vitamin C, 800IUs of vitamin E and a complex containing all of the B vitamins.

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