How Does Your Adrenal Health Impact your Gut

You may have heard of Adrenal Fatigue, a buzzword going around in the wellness community. This term isn’t a real medical diagnosis but a common term to indicate your adrenals aren’t doing well.

Your adrenal glands are tiny powerhouses that impact your stress, mental well-being, and overall vitality. 

As a nutritionist, I see a lot of people suffering conditions that impact the adrenals negatively, or their adrenals are driving the perfect storm of physiological, mental, and emotional imbalances. 

Stress, Burnout, and Mental Wellbeing

Are stress and burnout getting the best of you? Your adrenal health might be a contributing factor. Managing stress through self-care, mindfulness, and a nutrient-rich diet can go a long way in nurturing your adrenals and boosting your mental well-being.

How Adrenals Function: Your Body's Stress Managers

Think of your adrenals as your body's frontline responders to stress. These small glands, sitting on top of your kidneys, produce hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that jump into action when you're faced with a demanding situation. Their main goal? Help you tackle stress and keep your body's equilibrium intact. But here's the catch: chronic stress can put them into overdrive, leading to a host of health issues. This is where we see the importance of the relationship between the Hypothalamic-Pituatary-Adrenal Axis and our gut.

The HPA and Gut Microbiota Axis

The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Axis (HPA) has a bidirectional relationship with the gut microbiota. 

Before talking about the relationship between them we need to understand what the HPA does. The HPA axis connects our hormones to the stress response. It is a relationship between the central nervous system (CNS) and our endocrine system. When we feel stressed the hypothalamus will trigger the pituitary gland which will induce adrenal release from the adrenal glands.

This system has a bidirectional relationship with the gut. The vagus nerve which runs from the brain to the gut delivers messages of stress to the gut. As a response, this changes gut functions such as motility, gastrointestinal permeability, and mucosal integrity. It’s important to understand that this relationship between the gut microbiota and the HPA axis is closely interconnected to other systems such as the immune system, the blood-brain barrier, microbial metabolites, gut hormones, and the autonomic nervous system. 

These changes relate to our gut health, mood, sleep, and weight gain or loss. Changes in neurotransmitters responsible for our mood may be impacted, leading to depression, anxiety, and other disorders; In addition to Irritable Bowel Disorder (IBS), and changes in the composition of the gut microbiota. These changes are linked with gut dysbiosis and the opportunity for infections to develop. 

Signs Your Adrenals Need Some Love

Here are some symptoms to keep an eye on:

•  Feeling tired despite getting enough rest which results in consistent fatigue

•  Mood Swings and Irritability, sudden mood changes, depression, and anxiety

•  Cravings and Blood Sugar Rollercoaster: If you're reaching for sugary snacks to keep you going, your adrenals could be struggling to regulate your blood sugar.

• Sleep Disturbances: Trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Your adrenal hormones might be affecting your sleep patterns.

• Low Immunity such as frequent colds and repetitive infections 

Remember, while these symptoms might point to adrenal issues, they can also be related to other health conditions. If you're experiencing several of these signs, it might be a good idea to reach out to a healthcare professional. Taking proactive steps to support your adrenals through nutrition and stress management can make a world of difference.

Nutritional support for your adrenals

1.  Healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts and seeds, extra virgin olive oil, and fatty fish provide a steady source of energy without the blood sugar rollercoaster. Imbalances in blood sugar trigger the adrenals to release cortisol and continue the vicious cycle of energy drops. Foods rich in Omega 3 fatty acids also support the nervous system, are anti-inflammatory, and protect brain health.

2. Food high in magnesium and B vitamins are essential for keeping stress at bay. Magnesium aids adrenal health by playing a vital role in stress response regulation, helping to prevent excess cortisol production. B vitamins contribute by assisting in energy production and nerve function, supporting the adrenals' ability to manage stress and maintain optimal function. Foods high in magnesium and B vitamins: dark leafy greens, grass-fed meat, grain, and nuts. 

3. Vitamin C Rich foods support the adrenal function by reducing the negative effects of stress on the body. High levels of vitamin C can help modulate cortisol levels, preventing excessive production during times of stress. Additionally, it acts as an antioxidant, protecting the adrenals from oxidative damage caused by chronic stress. Foods high in Vitamin C: Red peppers, oranges, strawberries, broccoli, and kiwis.

4. Probiotics: balancing the microflora of the gut may assist in rebalancing the gut microbiota, counteract dysbiosis and inflammation, and offset the negative implications of stress. We know through research that certain bacteria species are associated with improved gut and brain function, thus supporting the microbiome is aiding in overall health.

Stress is the number one common denominator underlying all illnesses. Creating an environment of well-being is a top priority when healing. Seek out stress management strategies if you don’t have any, or try journalling, meditation, and gentle breathwork to bring you into the here and now.

Reach out if you need nutritional support and root-cause medicine.