Cortisol testing can reveal the need for adrenal fatigue treatment
Women are often told that they feel tired, rundown, and irritable at menopause due to lack of sleep. While insufficient or poor quality sleep can certainly cause fatigue, there may be other factors at play as well. So before you decide to follow your regular doctor’s likely advice and take a sleep aid to fight your fatigue, you may want to consult a true menopause expert like Renew Woman™. We will provide comprehensive testing of all your vital hormones to help pinpoint the true cause of your fatigue and provide the appropriate treatment options.
Why We Test Cortisol
Cortisol can have a very damaging effect on the body, whether you have a deficiency or an excess.
In times of stress, your adrenal glands will release cortisol to help give you the energy and drive to respond to the stress. Unfortunately, over times of prolonged stress the high levels of cortisol can cause damage on a cellular level and contribute to premature aging.
Too little cortisol can also be a big problem. Small amounts of cortisol are necessary for healthy energy production/metabolism and immune function, among other things. But after a lifetime of stress, the adrenal glands may eventually wear out and be unable to produce the cortisol you need on a daily basis. This condition is called adrenal fatigue. Individuals experiencing adrenal fatigue often suffer from chronic fatigue, obesity, depression, diabetes, and hormonal imbalance.
By providing saliva testing for cortisol, our doctors can determine the degree to which adrenal fatigue may be affecting your symptoms and your health. We always recommend pairing cortisol testing with blood serum testing so that we can check levels of your other vital hormones and include them in our treatment recommendations.
Treatment Options to Fight Fatigue and Protect Your Health
Depending on the severity of your adrenal fatigue and your levels of other hormones, we may be able to offer a variety of treatment options to help you conquer your fatigue and restore a healthy balance of cortisol and other hormones. This may include:
- Recommending for nutritional supplements that will help to rejuvenate the adrenal glands
- Prescribing pregnenalone to support cortisol production
- Making sure DHEA levels are healthy, and prescribing DHEA supplementation if necessary
- Prescribing B12 injections if your B12 levels are low
- Providing hormone replacement therapy to restore healthy levels of estrogen, progesterone, etc.
- Offering advice regarding relaxation and stress management techniques
- Providing diet and exercise advice
Want to Learn More?
For more information about cortisol testing and answers to your questions about menopause and healthy aging, please contact Renew Woman™ today.