Adrenal Hormones and How They Affect Us
When you hear the words “adrenal glands” you might automatically think of “adrenaline”. While that association is correct, your adrenal glands do a lot more than just produce adrenaline. They produce several different hormones that regulate bodily functions and impact our overall health. When the adrenal glands aren’t working properly, producing too much or not enough of a specific hormone, it can cause a lot of problems.
You have two adrenal glands and they sit right on top of your kidneys. One of the main things they do is produce a hormone called aldosterone. This hormone works directly in conjunction with regulating your kidney functions to help maintain hydration. Aldosterone controls the amount of salt and water in the body. Not enough aldosterone and your kidneys will lose salt and subsequently water, leaving you severely dehydrated. Proper hydration is so integrally important to literally every function of the body and even slight dehydration can start to cause problems in organ function.
Another function of the adrenal glands is the production of some male sex hormones like DHEA and testosterone. An imbalance in the production of these hormones could cause problems, both for men and women alike. If a woman’s adrenal glands are producing too much of the male hormones, they could experience problems like excessive hair growth. The male sex hormones created by the adrenal glands are less impactful than other hormone-producing organs in the body and are the most impactful during puberty.
A third and incredibly important function of the adrenal glands is the production of cortisol, or the stress hormone. This descriptor isn’t entirely accurate, as the production of cortisol is much more than just stress-related. It helps control blood sugar levels, manage inflammation, and regulate metabolism, amongst other things. Most cells in the body have cortisol receptors so cortisol levels can affect many different bodily functions. It’s referred to as the stress hormone, however, because elevated levels of stress do correlate to elevated levels of cortisol in the body.
When cortisol is at high levels, people can experience elevated blood pressure, weight gain, changes in the skin, and mood swings. Women often experience changes in libido and menstrual cycle due to high cortisol levels. There is also some evidence that links increased cortisol to anxiety and depression.
There are some adrenal disorders that could cause issues with adrenal hormone secretion, such as Cushing syndrome or Addison’s disease. However, people can experience difficulties with adrenal hormones, especially cortisol, even without a disorder. In these instances, it’s good to look to our holistic health care providers for natural ways to help regulate hormones.
One of the best ways to reduce elevated cortisol levels is exercise. Physical exertion is proven to reduce stress and clear the mind, helping with all exterior sources of stress. Additionally, a healthy diet can make a big difference in hormone levels. Processed and unhealthy foods can mess with the way our bodies function and produce different hormones. Other elements to bring a measure of calm to your life, like a good night’s sleep and a meditation practice, can help with restoring natural order to your body. Your holistic provider might suggest other treatment options as well, like acupuncture or supplements to help your body find balance.
Holistic health care is about more than just prescribing a pill to fix an ailment. If you think you might be dealing with hormone imbalances, you should have options to help you fix the root of the problem. At Denver Holistic Medicine, we make sure to do a comprehensive review of every patient’s total health picture to make sure that we provide the best treatment. Each holistic treatment plan is tailored specifically to each individual’s unique needs. We want to help you live your happiest, healthiest life, so contact us today to get started on your path towards holistic healing.