The adrenal glands are often referred to as the “stress glands” and allow our bodies to deal with stress. Whether stress comes from the outside world such as an earthquake or inside due to a perceived stress such as anxiety from a job, the adrenal glands help your body adapt to the circumstances. An adrenal stress test assesses your Cortisol and DHEA levels.
High levels of Cortisol often result in insomnia, anxiety, sugar cravings, fatigue, weight gain, and bone loss. A decrease in DHEA sulfate may be due to adrenal gland disorders that produce lower-than-normal amounts of adrenal hormones, including adrenal insufficiency and Addison’s disease, the pituitary gland not producing normal amounts of its hormones (hypopituitarism), and taking glucocorticoid medicines.
Related symptoms include:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Sleep problems
- Weight gain
- Muscle pain
- Sugar cravings
- Depression
- Concentration problems
- Irritability
