The Adrenal Glands and Saliva Tests
The Adrenal Glands
Accumulated stress takes its toll on all of our tissues and eventually leads to illness of all types. The adrenal glands (one on top of each kidney) have a special role to play when it comes to stress. They are the tissues that, if evaluated properly, will tell us just how bad the accumulated stressors are. They are also the tissues that, if treated properly, will help us overcome present illness and future stress.
These glands are extremely important. I often tell patients that if they neglect to care for the adrenal glands, they should not expect to fully recover from their illness or injury and should not be surprised if they have other mysterious problems or conditions in the future.

Why Are The Adrenal Glands So Important?
The adrenal glands are your stress fighters. No matter what the stress, they respond with various types and amounts of hormones. These hormones assist the tissues under stress so that they may continue to perform. The adrenal glands make three categories of hormones:

•Mineralcorticoids (Aldosterone)
•Sex Hormones (Estrogen, Testosterone)
•Glucocorticoids (Cortisol)

When the adrenal glands are functioning properly they provide many benefits such as:
•Moderate the stress response
•Regulate mood
•Aid in blood sugar utilization
•Support the reproductive system
•Strengthen the musculoskeletal system
•Strengthen the immune system
•Promote regular sleep cycles

Adrenal Fatigue
Under longstanding or severe stress the adrenals begin to fatigue. Dr. Hans Selye studied the process of adrenal fatigue and called it the General Adaptive Syndrome. A quick look at the chart below demonstrates how important it is to have healthy adrenal glands.



































DHEA
You can see from the left side of the chart that the hormone DHEA is very important. This is one of the substances that may need to be given as a supplement when attempting to repair the adrenal glands. Like most hormones however, it should not be given for long periods of time, because the adrenal glands may stop producing it all together. Instead, like priming a pump, DHEA is given in small doses and for short periods. When done this way, the adrenals receive some rest and future DHEA production is encouraged.

Cortisol
Cortisol is the hormone we need to concern ourselves with most. If we can control the levels of this hormone we can correct adrenal function and improve health. Cortisol is a regulator and a balancer. Once in the blood stream, cortisol may prevent or encourage the release of hormones from other tissues. This is what it is supposed to do, but stress is not supposed to last indefinitely like it does for many people in this country. When this is the case, cortisol remains in the blood stream at high levels for a long, long time, resulting in some familiar conditions:

•Increased blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
•Increased insulin levels (diabetes).
•Increased protein absorption (muscle atrophy).
•Increased metabolic toxins like lactic acid (fibromyalgia).
•Decreased thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism).
•Decreased bone formation (osteoporosis).
•Delayed tissue healing.
•Loss of sleep (insomnia).
•Abnormal blood pressure regulation (hypertension).
•Fat production in the face and trunk.

Other specific problems that result from adrenal gland fatigue include:

•Fat storage
•Fatigue
•Dizziness upon standing
•Eyes sensitive to light
•Asthma
•Diminished libido
•Physical training burnout
•Inability to fully recover from illness or injury
•Acute pains for no apparent reason

The Adrenal Stress Index
One of the easiest ways to evaluate adrenal gland function is with a simple saliva test. Salivary testing is better than blood testing for two reasons. First of all, you don’t have to draw blood, and second, the active adrenal hormones (the ones that are working) are all found in saliva. This test provides a great deal of important information and is inexpensive as far as laboratory tests go (around $109.00). I suggest that this test be taken by everyone interested in assessing overall health.

Taking the Test
A small kit contains four pieces of cotton, each inside a plastic tube. The tubes are clearly marked with the time of day for collection. The patient simply places the cotton under his tongue for 30-60 seconds until it is fully saturated. Then return the cotton back into the plastic tube and refrigerate. Repeat this process three more times throughout the day at the times indicated. When you are finished, place all four specimens back into the kit, attach the appropriate postage and mail it away. Within two weeks a report will be sent to the doctor for evaluation.


Treating the Adrenal Glands
Specific treatment for the adrenal glands often depends upon the results of the ASI test. Below is a sample graph from a returned ASI test.




























You will notice from the above profile that the cortisol level at midnight is elevated, while all other levels are within the acceptable range. This usually means disrupted sleep, and blood sugar issues. The goal in this case would be to lower the midnight levels only. However, this pattern is just the start of a downward spiral that often takes place when the adrenal glands are not properly treated.

Correcting with Supplements
Phosphorylated serine and Rhodiola are two favorites of mine. These substances have the ability to either raise or lower cortisol levels. Many vitamins, including B vitamins contribute to the health of the adrenal glands as well. In fact, when stress is high, a large number of B vitamins are necessary in order to replenish the adrenal gland’s nutrient pool. I also mentioned DHEA earlier. In more severe cases, adrenal hormones must sometimes be supplemented. Hormones themselves are complex chemicals made up of many other nutritional components found in the diet and in certain nutritional supplements. Diet, however, is not enough.

When the adrenal glands finally reach a depleted state and are thus fatigued, they have exhausted their reserves. Hoping to fix this deficiency by supplying an average amount of nutrients, like those found in a multiple vitamin, will simply not do. The nutrient imbalance must be treated with an imbalance to correct the disproportion. This means supplementing with a high level of proper nutrients – those that refill the nutrient pool. The adrenal glands will only improve when given the correct supplements in their correct amounts.

The other factor to consider with adrenal gland fatigue is “why.” Why is this person experiencing elevated cortisol levels at midnight? What is the cause? Unfortunately, finding out the answer to that question is not so easy since any prolonged stress is a suspect. It is often the case that adrenal fatigue is the result of a combination of several stressors. In the case above, a detailed history revealed emotional, work-related and family stress. These are common. Other major stressors include: poor diet, over training, dependence upon chemical stimulants like coffee and soda, not enough sleep, and physical trauma.

The Whole Person
Whatever the causes, as many as possible must be addressed. If it is not possible to remove or correct all of the causes at one time, then patients must remain on cortisol-regulating and other adrenal supporting supplements until their circumstances change. The good news is that most patients experience high levels of improvement regardless, because enough stress is removed by fixing what can be fixed. Let me illustrate.

The adrenal glands are like a pump that uses water to put out a fire. Stress is the fuel with which the fire burns. Simply put, a fire can be extinguished with lots of water, or a fire can die out by removing the fuel. By supporting the adrenal glands with specific supplements, you in essence provide more water. By reducing stress through diet, exercise, detoxification and other lifestyle changes, you take away the fire’s fuel. Doing both at the same time is a sure way to fix the trouble.

The example above is typical of the kind of findings you can expect from a functional diagnostic test. This information would not have been found in a standard blood test and so, chances are the problem would have gone untreated for many years until something worse developed.