ADRENAL EXHAUSTION?

[67nova]

Im wondering if anyone has adrenal fatigue and had fatigue after eating(any food/no carbs ect..)

I seem to get hit hard around noon and usally only after eating(small or large)
I get up around 5:30am drink 1-2c coffee now im training in evening from morning to see if its helps.I started a routine of medium cardio/abs in morning and lifting in evening(4day split) with a hiit on wed morning.

I eat very clean but been getting strong cravings lately on top of everything,no fatigue or very minor in morning after breakfast.
Its been going on and off for years.I get a few months of none and im able to train and work hard(energy ect...)then this comes on 10fold.With constint fatigue though out day,heaviness and having to lay down after eating like it drains me of life!

Dont think im overtrained as my strength is actually getting better.

 

[RockNRollaX]

If you're crashing around noon after eating I would hypothesize maybe you're crashing from your 6am coffee? Do you tend to have more coffee later in the day to combat this fatigue? And you say you eat clean but what kind of foods are we talking?

 

[67nova]

If you're crashing around noon after eating I would hypothesize maybe you're crashing from your 6am coffee? Do you tend to have more coffee later in the day to combat this fatigue? And you say you eat clean but what kind of foods are we talking?

I try to stick to 1-2c coffee in morning and 1 in afternoon.
Foods i usally eat say for breakfast is 2-3whole free-range eggs,turkey sausage or bacon and either an orange,berries for some fruit and canned pumpkin (1c)with some almonds or coconut oil.

snack might be a chicken breast/pork with an apple and almond butter.
Lunch more or less the same but with veggies(broccoli,salad)
Supper 6-8oz of cod/salmon or sirloin alot of veggies and little olive oil
Bedtime cottage cheese(1c)with some walnuts

Im getting about 50cho in morning40pro,20-25fat
Then i keep lowering cho as day goes on and trying to stay away from all grains.Use 1%organic grass-fed milk at times for pro/cho.

 

[Red Fox]

Once completing my testosterone cycle, I have no appetite at all! Your situation can't be worse than that lol

 

[mikeg313]

I was gonna mention the caffeine too. When I drink caffeine and I crash off it Im drained of life. Even if I try to re caffeinate myself I still feel like crap and get jittery. It's like my body says nope your done.

 

[67nova]

I notice that i only get going in morning with some coffee,i've been cutting back day by day to hopefully be off it in another day or two.
Im now leaning on the overtraining side of things once again,i lost strength in my legs to much for comfort and after my first w/o last week going to evening from morning lifting it completly blew me out and havnt lifted since.

 

[mikeg313]

Try switching to green tea with a teaspoon of raw honey.

 

[GeraldNY181]

adrenal fatigue is almost always from caffiene....dehydrates you, screws with normal energy production and natural rythyms. I had adrenal fatigue really bad for awhile and it was because I was drinkng a rockstar for breakfast evryday- the rest of my measl would be normal but I would be in a coma by 2:30 every single day.....dropped the caffiene, started having a 32oz. mixture of sprite and pineapple juice in the morning instead and no more adrenal fatigue within 10 days.

 

[RockNRollaX]

Yep, very true. people don't realize how that strong morning caffeine can effect their sleep quality. They get crap sleep and then wake up needing a strong pick me up again. And for those that can have an evening coffee and go straight to bed..definite signs of adrenal fatigue.

 

[Jiigzz]

adrenal fatigue is almost always from caffiene....dehydrates you, screws with normal energy production and natural rythyms. I had adrenal fatigue really bad for awhile and it was because I was drinkng a rockstar for breakfast evryday- the rest of my measl would be normal but I would be in a coma by 2:30 every single day.....dropped the caffiene, started having a 32oz. mixture of sprite and pineapple juice in the morning instead and no more adrenal fatigue within 10 days.

No such thing as Adrenal fatigue [ New Fact Sheets Dispel Myths of Adrenal Fatigue and Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome ]and the whole "caffeine causes dehydration" is overrated. It also doesn't interfere greatly with normal energy production; it is an agonist too, as in, it increases neurotransmission via normal pathways.

I swear by caffeine and it has always remained a staple in my regime but I do cycle it much like I cycle everything.

 

[bj22]

I was going to come in and post something similar. Adrenal fatigue is simply bro-science. That's not to say chronically elevated cortisol levels may not have deleterious effects (notice i said chronically elevated), but your adrenals don't get blown out by exercise, stress and drinking caffeine. Diagnosable conditions such as adrenal insufficiency (eg, Addison's) are another story.

Also, long-term consumption of caffeine has been shown in a large-scale meta-analysis to improve longevity. I love my morning coffee and 300mg of caffeine prior to PL sessions provide optimal CNS focus and ergogenic benefit. Plus, caffiene improves glycogen retention PWO. The only reason to cycle off it is because of some downregulation over time, causing a lower response rate. Taking a semi-annual two week washout period may be a good idea to allow you to regain its full effects when you resume taking it. If you have any kind of performance related event coming up, I would suggest taking the break in the weeks leading up to it and then resuming day of said event to get the best bang for your buck.

 

[AntonG42O]

Well there is no official adrenal fatigue diagnosis but your cortisol levels can get really messed up. Very little sleep, over doing caffeine, long bouts of exercise without carbs can all lead to your adrenals being severely depleted. I mean just because doctors don't recognize this as a problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I've exhausted my adrenals pretty bad before, mostly by overtraining jiujitsu and weightlifting together. Cortisol was all efffed up, lots of anxiety and sleep problems. So while it may be some bro science to it, your adrenals arent invincible.

 

[bj22]

^Definitely agree with you. You can definitely overdo it. Lack of sleep, stress and overtraining definitely are not good things. It does seem however as though there is way too much concern regarding something that is perpetuated by supplement companies and bro- scientist. Most people will not run into such issues. For the majority: train smart, rest effectively, and take a break/ de-load when your body calls for it.

 

[LizKing531]

^ Yeah - I was gonna chime in something along the lines of perhaps not adrenal fatigue, but this sounds just like some sort of fatigue - a little r&r & caffeine break may do wonders. I personally cant handle coffee that well - a week at a time, I love it - but chronically drinking coffee (a la office culture) tends to just make me sleepy

 

[saggy321]

No such thing as Adrenal fatigue [ New Fact Sheets Dispel Myths of Adrenal Fatigue and Wilson’s Temperature Syndrome ]and the whole "caffeine causes dehydration" is overrated. It also doesn't interfere greatly with normal energy production; it is an agonist too, as in, it increases neurotransmission via normal pathways.

I swear by caffeine and it has always remained a staple in my regime but I do cycle it much like I cycle everything.

Mere semantics.....hormone dysregulation or whatever you want to call it does exist. I suffered it from last year after a prolonged excessively calorie restricted diet, high training workload and stim use. It took me a solid 3-4 months to start back at the gym. It was awful!

 

[saggy321]

Well there is no official adrenal fatigue diagnosis but your cortisol levels can get really messed up. Very little sleep, over doing caffeine, long bouts of exercise without carbs can all lead to your adrenals being severely depleted. I mean just because doctors don't recognize this as a problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I've exhausted my adrenals pretty bad before, mostly by overtraining jiujitsu and weightlifting together. Cortisol was all efffed up, lots of anxiety and sleep problems. So while it may be some bro science to it, your adrenals arent invincible.

I had the same last year...it was pretty bad. Insommnia, palpitations, depression, anxiety and weight gain! How long before you recovered?

 

[EatMoar]

No such thing as Adrenal fatigue [ New Fact Sheets Dispel Myths of Adrenal Fatigue and Wilson's Temperature Syndrome ]and the whole "caffeine causes dehydration" is overrated. It also doesn't interfere greatly with normal energy production; it is an agonist too, as in, it increases neurotransmission via normal pathways.

I swear by caffeine and it has always remained a staple in my regime but I do cycle it much like I cycle everything.

Yessir jiggZ. Adrenal fatigue can we mistaken from a number of things as well.

 

[67nova]

Thanks guys,i actually just read the adrenal fatigue thing(no such thing)
It doesnt matter if i dont drink coffee or i do,the fatigue is there.

It seems i have a few days with alot of energy then take advantege of it and blow out=overtrained,now im also not training this month to try and get energy back.This mon will be 3rd week and starting to lose hope of recovering.

 

[JudoJosh]

Well there is no official adrenal fatigue diagnosis but your cortisol levels can get really messed up. Very little sleep, over doing caffeine, long bouts of exercise without carbs can all lead to your adrenals being severely depleted. I mean just because doctors don't recognize this as a problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I've exhausted my adrenals pretty bad before, mostly by overtraining jiujitsu and weightlifting together. Cortisol was all efffed up, lots of anxiety and sleep problems. So while it may be some bro science to it, your adrenals arent invincible.

HOLY SH1T!! Where day fuq you been?!

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S™II using Tapatalk 2

 

[AntonG42O]

Haha I'm back baby! Not too much goin on here these days besides the roid talk

 

[dannybbw14]

Hey there...you need to get a 24 salivary cortisol test to see where your cortisol levels are....

If you cortisol levels are low am and afternoon you will need to take adrenal cortex extract and licorice root extract to get levels back to normal...and the caffeine will have to go as this further exhausts the adrenal hormones (ie cortisol, epi, norepi, dhea, etc.)...

if you want real answers you have to get tested...dont waste your time speculating like a meathead knuckledragger

 

[saggy321]

Hey there...you need to get a 24 salivary cortisol test to see where your cortisol levels are....

If you cortisol levels are low am and afternoon you will need to take adrenal cortex extract and licorice root extract to get levels back to normal...and the caffeine will have to go as this further exhausts the adrenal hormones (ie cortisol, epi, norepi, dhea, etc.)...

if you want real answers you have to get tested...dont waste your time speculating like a meathead knuckledragger

Tis true...but there are symptoms to this corrupted cortisol cycle. I didn't and still recovered with dietary and supplementation interventions. But I agree, if possible its always better to know exactly what the issue is.

 

[UCSMiami]

Symptoms of adrenal fatigue read like CNS fatigue from over training/lack of sleep/etc. etc.

 

[Powercage]

Adrenal Fatigue is not real. Adrenal fatigue is not the same as adrenal insufficiency and is not the same as metabolic damage.

You are experiencing stimulant tolerance or your diet is off, it has nothing to do with the adrenal glands.

 

[Epolis13]

Adrenal Fatigue is not real. You can easily find this out with a 2 second internet search.You are experiencing stimulant tolerance, it has nothing to do with the adrenal glands.

This. Adrenals would likely test totally normal in this circumstance. SYMPTOMS are different from diagnosis here. Too much cardio, too few carbs, and too few cals can result in the symptoms mentioned, as well, but adrenal levels can test within normal limits. This is more appropriately called metabolic damage and has nothing to do with adrenal function. It's basically your body giving you the finger after all the f**king abuse through which you've put it. Extremely common in male and female (although it usually affects women) competitors, esp those on a ketogenic diet.

 

[saggy321]

Its a spectrum and the poster is travelling in the direction of adrenal fatigue.

 

[Powercage]

Its a spectrum and the poster is travelling in the direction of adrenal fatigue.

Except adrenal fatigue is a myth.

 

[saggy321]

Except adrenal fatigue is a myth.

Mere semantics my friend. People use it interchangeably with adrenal insuffeciency (the medical term).

 

[Powercage]

Mere semantics my friend. People use it interchangeably with adrenal insuffeciency (the medical term).

No, they dont. The only people that may are uneducated trainers. It is not even remotely close to adrenal insufficiency.

His adrenals are fine unless he was just taken off longterm corticosteroids, has Waterhouse-Friderichson syndrome, tb, aids, adrenoleukodystrophy, autoimmune disease or has a tumor. He is not having any sort of chronic adrenal dysfunction.

 

[Jiigzz]

Its just one of those things people jump to; "oh man i'm so tired, it must be adrenal fatigue" when there may be a plethora of other, unrelated factors that contribute to that feeling.

 

[EatMoar]

Its just one of those things people jump to; "oh man i'm so tired, it must be adrenal fatigue" when there may be a plethora of other, unrelated factors that contribute to that feeling.

Stress and lack of sleep will help prolong that fatigue you're feeling Caffeine and stimulants would just help you get there lol.

 

[saggy321]

I'm not saying that people don't automatically jump to that conclusion, many probably do. All I'm saying, having suffered from it and researched it, chronic overtraining puts tremendous stress on your body and elicits a surge in stress hormones which are produced by the adrenals and that in turn has a plethora of downstream actions upon many sub-systems of the body. The adrenals are working harder, utilising more materials for the manufacture of the hormones. Is it that much of a leap to think that overworked adrenals would begin to tire?

 

[Jiigzz]

I'm not saying that people don't automatically jump to that conclusion, many probably do. All I'm saying, having suffered from it and researched it, chronic overtraining puts tremendous stress on your body and elicits a surge in stress hormones which are produced by the adrenals and that in turn has a plethora of downstream actions upon many sub-systems of the body. The adrenals are working harder, utilising more materials for the manufacture of the hormones. Is it that much of a leap to think that overworked adrenals would begin to tire?

Is this diagnosed by a professional, or by yourself?

 

[saggy321]

Is this diagnosed by a professional, or by yourself?

Self-diagnosed. But it made sense. The major contributor to me getting better was the cortisol connection website- not sure if you've heard of this. It's well researched. Point to note that I was chronically undernourished with a heavy training load whilst on heavy stims over a prolonged over time.

 

[scherbs]

Self-diagnosed. But it made sense.

Stop right there. . .that is a dangerous and highly spurious road to travel down.
Training heavy and being under-nourished will leave you drained: no 'syndrome' necessary.
Avoid diagnosing a 'condition' for what is merely a state of being caused by your behavior.

 

[Jiigzz]

Self-diagnosed. But it made sense. The major contributor to me getting better was the cortisol connection website- not sure if you've heard of this. It's well researched. Point to note that I was chronically undernourished with a heavy training load whilst on heavy stims over a prolonged over time.

Adrenals are hard to mess up and self-diagnosing is definitey not a reliable method.

 

[saggy321]

Adrenals are hard to mess up and self-diagnosing is definitely not a reliable method.

I agree Jigzz. But when my bloods came back within range my GP just wasn't interested, but I know what I felt. I was suffering from bad insomnia, a racing mind at night, palpitations throughout the day, complete loss of appetite, indgestion, loss of cognitive ability and mild depression. So I felt pretty bad, so I had to do something. After I researched it somewhat I created a supplementation regime (nothing too extreme), took a break from the gym and ate well and I recovered. But even following this strictly, it still took me 5 - 6 months before I was able to return to working out.

 

[Powercage]

I'm not saying that people don't automatically jump to that conclusion, many probably do. All I'm saying, having suffered from it and researched it, chronic overtraining puts tremendous stress on your body and elicits a surge in stress hormones which are produced by the adrenals and that in turn has a plethora of downstream actions upon many sub-systems of the body. The adrenals are working harder, utilising more materials for the manufacture of the hormones. Is it that much of a leap to think that overworked adrenals would begin to tire?

Yes, it's a very large leap. You did not suffer this.


You were undernourished and on chronic stim intake. These are the exact symptoms you would have, they have nothing to do with the adrenals.

 

[vassille]

Im wondering if anyone has adrenal fatigue and had fatigue after eating(any food/no carbs ect..)

I seem to get hit hard around noon and usally only after eating(small or large)
I get up around 5:30am drink 1-2c coffee now im training in evening from morning to see if its helps.I started a routine of medium cardio/abs in morning and lifting in evening(4day split) with a hiit on wed morning.

I eat very clean but been getting strong cravings lately on top of everything,no fatigue or very minor in morning after breakfast.
Its been going on and off for years.I get a few months of none and im able to train and work hard(energy ect...)then this comes on 10fold.With constint fatigue though out day,heaviness and having to lay down after eating like it drains me of life!

Dont think im overtrained as my strength is actually getting better.

Classic case of overtraining. You doing too much activity on too little rest and food.
The fact that sometimes you feel better then train heavy and end up in the same spot as before proves it.
How about you rest for a few weeks then hit the gym 3x a week or even 2 if you feel tired. Eat when you hungry a balanced nutritious meal. If you hungry 8 times then eat 8 times, the amount of meals doesnt matter eating when you hungry does. If you are not hungry then dont eat.
When you go to the gym dont max out all the time, lift enough to feel the stress but not too heavy that by the end of the workout you wiped out. If by the end of your workout you dont feel refreshed and feel down right ****ty then you workout too much or too hard.
So if you can bench 225 for 1 rep then do 135 for 10 reps 3 sets. Dont be in the gym for more than 30-45min. Cardio cut it down to 1-2x a week if you still want to do it, on days you not lifting. If you feel tired those days you scheduled to lift or cardio then go home eat something and relax and go to sleep. Save it for another day. Skip that workout and go to the next one coming up.
See how that goes and report back.

 

[saggy321]

Stop right there. . .that is a dangerous and highly spurious road to travel down.
Training heavy and being under-nourished will leave you drained: no 'syndrome' necessary.
Avoid diagnosing a 'condition' for what is merely a state of being caused by your behavior.

It didn't just leave me drained though. If you read my post: For the first time in my life I suffered terrible insommnia, a racing mind at night, palpitations etc etc. Once I stopped the gym I was terrible tired for weeks not just days. If I returned to the gym and did something light the symptoms would reappear for a few days. The only thing that helped was the treatment outlined in the cortisol connection and it took me several months to recover. If you have no one to help you, what else can you do other than self-diagnose?

Final point - this is a recognised condition among top-level exercise and nutritional scientists. There is a paper published by England's rugby nutritionist and excercise scientist.

 

[saggy321]

Yes, it's a very large leap. You did not suffer this.


You were undernourished and on chronic stim intake. These are the exact symptoms you would have, they have nothing to do with the adrenals.

Can I just ask because you seem so certain on this that in your opinion are the adrenals involved at all when one is undernourished and is taking stimulants? Do you think cortisol and NE rise in this particular state?

 

[67nova]

Classic case of overtraining. You doing too much activity on too little rest and food.
The fact that sometimes you feel better then train heavy and end up in the same spot as before proves it.
How about you rest for a few weeks then hit the gym 3x a week or even 2 if you feel tired. Eat when you hungry a balanced nutritious meal. If you hungry 8 times then eat 8 times, the amount of meals doesnt matter eating when you hungry does. If you are not hungry then dont eat.
When you go to the gym dont max out all the time, lift enough to feel the stress but not too heavy that by the end of the workout you wiped out. If by the end of your workout you dont feel refreshed and feel down right ****ty then you workout too much or too hard.
So if you can bench 225 for 1 rep then do 135 for 10 reps 3 sets. Dont be in the gym for more than 30-45min. Cardio cut it down to 1-2x a week if you still want to do it, on days you not lifting. If you feel tired those days you scheduled to lift or cardio then go home eat something and relax and go to sleep. Save it for another day. Skip that workout and go to the next one coming up.
See how that goes and report back.

Took i month off and cut out all grains(oats)and starchs and seem to be slowly,slowly getting back to how i was/want to feel.

 

[RipdnTxs]

Went to my Doc.with some of the same feelings of being burned out. He also said it is not recognized as of yet the Term Adrenal Fatigue, but it will in the future as it becomes more understood. I had the 24 hr. cortisol test done every six months for two years now. The first test I had morning and afternoon cortisol levels that barley showed on the scale (very low), been supplmenting with some of the herbs suggested above in thread. He also suggested to quit pushing so hard in all aspects of life and sleep as much as possible and SLOW down life stresses. My levels have steadly come up over the last two years and also been on C-pap for last 4 months and am starting to really get my energy back. Just my experience so far.......

 

[Powercage]

Went to my Doc.with some of the same feelings of being burned out. He also said it is not recognized as of yet the Term Adrenal Fatigue, but it will in the future as it becomes more understood.

Your doctor is misinformed. No endocrinologist gives credence to adrenal fatigue. It biologically doesnt make sense.

 

[Powercage]

Can I just ask because you seem so certain on this that in your opinion are the adrenals involved at all when one is undernourished and is taking stimulants? Do you think cortisol and NE rise in this particular state?

Adrenal fatigue is 99% fiction, and based on the concept of tolerance. When you supplement with caffeine, the body upregulates hepatic CYP enzymes which are oriented at deactivating caffeine. Naturally, in order to produce an equivalent effect, you have to supplement with more and more caffeine. Similarly, the body upregulates central adenosine receptors and so caffeine literally decreases in potency. If you decrease your dose of caffeine, or cease administration, you will have a withdrawl period (headaches, fatigue) which is simply due to the latter mechanism. Eventually, the adenosine receptors downregulate and you return to baseline.

Fitness "experts" don't understand biology/pharmacology, and blame "adrenal fatigue." Others are trying to make money off of peoples ignorance (i.e. adrenal fatigue supplements).

Animal studies have clearly shown that the only way to produce adrenal medulla insufficiency is to physically denervate the organ. You can produce temporary adrenal medulla atrophy with longstanding absence of leptin, cortisol, or corticotropin. The latter two can be induced with exogenous supplementation of glucocorticoids (i.e. prednisone), although the main effect will be directed towards the adrenal cortex (i.e. actual adrenal insufficiency).

http://www.endo-society.org/media/press/2010/New-Fact-Sheets-Dispel-Myths-of-Adrenal-Fatigue.cfm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adrenal-fatigue/AN01583



Im sure your malnutrition would also account for a whole host of problems as well, including majorly decreased testosterone production.

 

[vassille]

Took i month off and cut out all grains(oats)and starchs and seem to be slowly,slowly getting back to how i was/want to feel.

smart move and many ppl have gluten or insulin issues.

 

[RipdnTxs]

I am going with what my Doc. tells me on this one... I have labs results and the way I feel to go on. I,m no Dr. and doubt U are either so again this is MY results, have U read the bood called Adrenal Fatigue ??? I cant remember th author at the moment, I will find the book and post if anyone is interested.... Its a pretty interesting read.

Your doctor is misinformed. No endocrinologist gives credence to adrenal fatigue. It biologically doesnt make sense.

 

[saggy321]

Adrenal fatigue is 99% fiction, and based on the concept of tolerance. When you supplement with caffeine, the body upregulates hepatic CYP enzymes which are oriented at deactivating caffeine. Naturally, in order to produce an equivalent effect, you have to supplement with more and more caffeine. Similarly, the body upregulates central adenosine receptors and so caffeine literally decreases in potency. If you decrease your dose of caffeine, or cease administration, you will have a withdrawl period (headaches, fatigue) which is simply due to the latter mechanism. Eventually, the adenosine receptors downregulate and you return to baseline.

Fitness "experts" don't understand biology/pharmacology, and blame "adrenal fatigue." Others are trying to make money off of peoples ignorance (i.e. adrenal fatigue supplements).

Animal studies have clearly shown that the only way to produce adrenal medulla insufficiency is to physically denervate the organ. You can produce temporary adrenal medulla atrophy with longstanding absence of leptin, cortisol, or corticotropin. The latter two can be induced with exogenous supplementation of glucocorticoids (i.e. prednisone), although the main effect will be directed towards the adrenal cortex (i.e. actual adrenal insufficiency).

http://www.endo-society.org/media/press/2010/New-Fact-Sheets-Dispel-Myths-of-Adrenal-Fatigue.cfm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/adrenal-fatigue/AN01583



Im sure your malnutrition would also account for a whole host of problems as well, including majorly decreased testosterone production.

I agree with you. I'm certain I had lower levels of testosterone and T3 because of malnutrition. My only point really wasn't anything to do with stim tolerance, but about physiological changes caused by training hard, under-eating, not resting enough and the common set of symptoms these produce. I'm certain my adrenals hormones were constantly elevated because I felt constantly stimulated, almost like I had ephedrine when I hadn't taken any stims. I also had my blood sugar level checked and they were sky high even a several hours after a meal. Now this physological state prevailed for several weeks even after ceasing training, eating and resting. I take your point about using the incorrect term to describe a condition, but it is a particular condition that is brought about by specific circumstances.

 

[Powercage]

I,m no Dr. and doubt U are either

I am a doctor.

 

[RipdnTxs]

Congrats, I stand corrected.......

I am a doctor.