Welcome to the Holistic Wellness Center of the Carolinas – Research Based Functional Wellness

704.308.2557

Is chronic stress damaging you? Take an adrenal test

Many of us are too stressed out these days and this can have negative consequences on our bodies and brains, promoting chronic disease and rapid brain degeneration. If you’re concerned about the effects of stress on your body and how to manage it, an adrenal salivary test is an important ally. It can show you whether your stress hormone cortisol is too high or too low and whether this has affected your sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm.

Symptoms of low adrenal hormones

  • Fatigue
  • Slow starter in the mornings
  • Crash in the afternoon
  • Crave sweets, caffeine, or nicotine to keep going
  • Prone to moodiness
  • Become shaky, light-headed, or irritable if go too long without eating
  • Wake up at 3 or 4 a.m.; inability to stay asleep
  • Become dizzy when move from sitting to standing

Symptoms of high adrenal hormones

  • Excess belly fat
  • Insulin resistance (high blood sugar)
  • Trouble falling asleep
  • Wake up not feeling rested
  • Women grow facial hair; men grow breasts
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

How to do an adrenal salivary test

To perform the adrenal salivary test, simply collect a small vial of saliva several times throughout the day using the vials in your test kit. The lab will then analyze your saliva for cortisol levels and how much cortisol you produce in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Do not something unusual or stressful on the day of your test.

It’s important to understand that low or high adrenal hormones usually don’t reflect a problem solely with the adrenal glands, two glands that sit atop each kidney and secrete adrenal hormones. Instead, chronic stress affects stress pathways in the brain, which start to dysfunction when stress is chronic.

It isn’t just being too busy, a bad job, a bad relationship, and so forth that cause chronic stress. Lesser known factors of chronic stress can include unstable blood sugar (usually from too many carbs), a chronic infection, leaky gut, or an autoimmune disease. Using second and third adrenal salivary tests allow you to track whether you’re successfully managing your condition; adrenal health should improve as these conditions resolve. If adrenal health does not improve, it means you must keep investigating to find out what is causing the body stress.

Measuring the sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm

A sleep-wake cycle, or circadian rhythm, that is out of whack is one symptom of adrenal stress. If the circadian rhythm is normal, then cortisol is highest in the morning and lowest at night. This is what allows us to feel alert when we wake up and sleepy before bed. Many people with altered circadian rhythms notice they are more awake at night. Or they may notice an energy crash in the afternoon and being wide awake in the middle of the night.

The stages of stress

The adrenal salivary test measures circadian rhythm, the cortisol precursor hormones DHEA and 17 hydroxyprogesterone, and cortisol levels. It can tell you where you fall on the spectrum of adrenal fatigue to high adrenal hormones. People don’t necessarily progress from high adrenal hormone to low; adrenal function can jump back and forth between phases or stay stuck in one phase.

The adrenal salivary test also measures total secretory Ig antibodies, or (SIgA). Low SIgA levels reflect poor and dysfunctional immunity. If your SIgA levels are low, you are more prone to food intolerances, chemical sensitivities, autoimmune disease, infections, and other assaults on the immune system.

Ask my office about functional medicine protocols that can profoundly influence your adrenal health. We will also search for and manage the root causes of your adrenal stress.

Meet the Author

Dr. Matz DC

Dr. Jeffrey E. Matz, DC, MS, is a Board Certified Chiropractic Physician. He is licensed to practice in SC, NC, and GA. Dr. Matz is passionate about functional medicine and strives to help patients achieve optimal health. His focus is on helping our members with hormone imbalances, autoimmune conditions, chronic pain conditions, and diabetes. Among the thousands of people Dr. Matz has treated include Carolina Panthers football players, PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfers, collegiate athletes, and local and international celebrities. Dr. Matz was a semiprofessional cyclist, and has competed in triathlons for the last 7 years, including completing an IRONMAN triathlon.

Latest from the Blog

Navigating Vertigo: A Holistic Exploration of Balance and Well-being

Vertigo, a disorienting sensation of spinning or dizziness, can be a challenging condition to navigate, impacting both physical equilibrium and emotional well-being. While conventional medicine often focuses on symptom management through medications, a holistic approach offers a deeper exploration of the root causes of vertigo, guiding individuals toward greater balance and vitality. In this journey […] Read more

Latest from the Blog

Embracing Holistic Pathways: A Journey Through Sjögren’s Syndrome and Healing Possibilities

Sjögren’s Syndrome stands as a testament to the intricate dance between our immune system and the delicate balance within our bodies. While conventional medicine offers symptomatic relief through medications, a holistic perspective delves deeper into the underlying causes of this autoimmune condition, paving the way for comprehensive healing and well-being. In this exploration, we embark […] Read more

WATCH OUR WEBINAR

Prospective clinic members can attend a life-changing educational talk to learn more about our holistic approach to healthcare.

SIGN UP NOW »

Holistic Wellness Center of the Carolinas
Holistic Wellness Center - charlotte hormone imbalance treatment