| Stress- What is it? | | | | of cortisol synthesis. Other cortical cells produce |
| When we think of stress, we think of negative | | | | androgens such as testosterone, while some regulate |
| stress, or "distress." Positive events can also elicit the | | | | water and electrolyte concentrations by secreting |
| same physiologic response; wonderful surprises, | | | | aldosterone (important in blood pressure). The cortex |
| getting married, passion, athletic competition, | | | | is regulated by hormones secreted by the pituitary |
| throwing a party - all might create that over | | | | gland and hypothalamus, as well as by the |
| stimulated response. Hans Selye identified the | | | | renin-angiotensin system (blood pressure). |
| responses to stress in a book called, The Stress of | | | | While the brain and nerves control the adrenal glands, |
| Life. Through scientific research, mostly with rats, he | | | | the secretions of hormones from the adrenal glands |
| observed three stages the physical changes the | | | | affect nearly all of the tissues of the body. The |
| body went through and called it general adaptation | | | | adrenal hormones affect how other hormone levels |
| syndrome (GAS). | | | | are managed by other glands and nerves in the body. |
| Do you have GAS? | | | | Adrenal function or dysfunction has its roots in many |
| 1.The alarm reaction, involving increased adrenal | | | | of the diseases we see today. |
| secretions and nervous system stress. | | | | Too much inflammation: Irritable Bowel Syndrome, |
| 2.The stage of resistance, involving the balancing of | | | | Fibromyalgia, arthritits, headaches |
| the adrenal stress hormones affect on water and | | | | Emotional Hormones: Anxiety, Depression, Insomnia, |
| electrolyte balance and carbohydrate metabolism. The | | | | Mood Swings, Irritability, Poor Learning, Poor Short |
| "true adaptation" to stress. | | | | Term Memory |
| 3.The stage of exhaustion, involving the depletion or | | | | Blood Sugar Problems: Hypoglycemia, Chronic Fatigue |
| exhaustion of the adrenal glands' ability to make | | | | Hormone Imbalance: Low Thyroid Function, |
| adrenal hormones. | | | | Hypothyroid, PMS, Infertility, Severe Menopause, |
| Hans Selye simplified this very complex set of | | | | Insulin Hormone Resistance |
| responses, however this three stage model is still the | | | | Metabolism: Fat accumulation around the waist |
| most commonly used in defining the state of the | | | | (Truncal Obesity) |
| human body's level of stress. | | | | Worried about too much adrenal stress? The body |
| What are adrenal glands, exactly? | | | | provides DHEA to save the day. DHEA is important |
| Wikipedia: In mammals, the adrenal glands (also | | | | to modulate many body responses. It promotes |
| known as suprarenal glands) are the triangle-shaped | | | | growth and repair, and acts to negate many of the |
| hormone producing glands that sit on top of the | | | | harmful effects of excess cortisol. The ratio of |
| kidneys; their name indicates that position (ad-, "near" | | | | cortisol and DHEA is critical to keep you safe from |
| or "at" + -renes, "kidneys"). They are chiefly | | | | the negative over dose of cortisol a stressed person |
| responsible for regulating the stress response through | | | | can have. The danger occurs over extended periods |
| the synthesis of corticosteroids and catecholamines, | | | | of time where the cortisol demand is high, DHEA |
| including cortisol and adrenaline. The adrenal gland is | | | | levels decline, and DHEA is no longer able to |
| separated into two distinct structures, both of which | | | | counter-regulate the negative effects of increased |
| receive regulatory input from the nervous system: | | | | cortisol. |
| Adrenal medulla | | | | Your Response to Stress |
| As its name suggests, the adrenal medulla is the | | | | How bad are you? If you are the average American, |
| central core of the adrenal gland, surrounded by the | | | | you are living with many of the above adrenal |
| adrenal cortex. It is the body's main source of the | | | | dysfunction relates problems. You are medicating |
| catecholamine hormones adrenaline (epinephrine) and | | | | your self with over-the-counter drugs or scouring the |
| noradrenaline (norepinephrine). These water-soluble | | | | vitamin store shelves for "help." |
| hormones are part of the fight-or-flight response | | | | Spit in a bottle? Yes, adrenal stage of exhaustion is |
| initiated by the sympathetic (stress) nervous system. | | | | determined with this simple, inexpensive, non-invasive |
| Adrenal cortex | | | | test. The Salivary Adrenal Stress Test. Four samples |
| The adrenal cortex (outer layers) is devoted to | | | | of saliva are donated over a day and evaluated in |
| making corticosteroid hormones from cholesterol. | | | | the lab for adrenal cortisol levels and hormone DHEA |
| Some cells belong to the | | | | levels. |
| hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and are the source | | | | |