ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH AND VITALITY
1 The adrenal glands secrete hormones such as cortisol, estrogen, and testosterone that are essential to health and vitality and significantly affect total body function. After mid-life, the adrenal glands gradually become the major endogenous source of sex hormones in both men and women. Intense or prolonged physical or emotional stress commonly associated with modern lifestyles or chronic illness can lead to Adrenal Fatigue, which is an important contributing factor in health conditions ranging from allergies to obesity.
1 Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant adrenal hormones like cortisol help to minimize allergic and negative reactions, such as cancer and autoimmune disorders. These hormones closely affect the utilization of carbohydrates and fats, the conversion of fats and proteins into energy, and cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function. Proper adrenal support is essential to complete the hormonal pathway to optimal health, and includes proper nutrition, getting plenty of sleep, regular moderate exercise, stress management, slowing down to regain a proper perspective on life, and replacement of deficient hormones.
1 Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, Chronic Fatigue and Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome, CFIDS) and Fibromyalgia(FM, formerly called fibrositis) may manifest as hypothalamic, pituitary, and immune dysfunction.
1 A study in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology [2000 Jun;84(6):639-40] demonstrated that supplementation with NADH for one month resulted in significant improvement, and other studies have shown some minimal improvement with magnesium.
COMPOUNDED, SUSTAINED-RELEASE T3
2 The combination of pituitary dysfunction, high reverse T3, and thyroid resistance, leads to inadequate thyroid effect in most, if not all, CFIDS/FM patients. T4 (levothyroxine) preparations are often ineffective for CFIDS/FM patients. A T4/T3 combination preparation or straight T3 (triiodothyronine) may be preferable. T3 works the best for many of these patients, but Cytomel, a very short acting T3 available at retail pharmacies, is also a poor choice because the varying blood levels cause problems such as heart palpitations. Compounded, sustained-release T3 may be the best treatment. However, standard blood tests may lead one to dose incorrectly and not obtain significant benefits. Ultimately, it is the expertise and dosing of the T3 or T4/T3 combinations and the makeup of the medications that determines the success of treatment.
2 Natural Therapies for CFIDS/FM: Proper nutritional supplements, proteins, and hormones can protect and enhance the immune system. Antioxidants may also be beneficial because free radicals play a role in causing damage to the immune system.
2 Vitamin B-12 levels are often low in patients with CFIDS/FM. A malfunctioning thyroid or adrenal gland can decrease the ability of the body to absorb and utilize vitamin B-12. Vitamin B-12 is necessary for a healthy nervous system; it has been known for many years that depression and fatigue can be caused by low B-12 levels.
2 D-ribose significantly reduced clinical symptoms in patients suffering from fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, with an average increase in energy on the VAS of 45% and an average improvement in overall well-being of 30%.