What is Adrenal Fatigue in Western Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine and How It can be Treated?
Xiang Jun Dr Lim
Singaporean-born Doctorate PhD for Chinese Medicine, Acupuncture, Biomedical Science at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, NTU (SG)
Western Medicine
Adrenal fatigue is a complex dysfunction of the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis in the body which is a pathway of axis that results in production of cortisol or stress hormones and plays an important role in the body’s response to stress.
In a healthy normal body, when something stressful happens to us, the hormone and neurotransmitter called epinephrine and norepinephrine are secreted and then 10 seconds later, the (HPA) axis is stimulated to bring about cortisol secretion from the adrenals which result in changes in the body physiology when stressed or frightened such as increased heart rate and perspiration. These are called the fight-and-flight response of the body activated in order to put the body in a mode to face the dangers that are posed to its survival.
Traditional Chinese Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the five main organs theory do not have adrenals as one of the main organs. But because the adrenal glands are sitting on top of the kidneys, they thus have close relations to the Kidneys, energetically and functionally.
When the adrenals are drained or fatigued, it can sometimes tap into the Kidney reserves. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, the functions of Kidneys are not just for water metabolism but also for reproduction, hair growth, hearing, memory, sex drive, life span. Therefore when the adrenals are drained due to overstimulation from stress, it can hurt the Kidney and affect the functions associated with it.
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