Stress begins with a stage. Stages of stress. Extended model of adaptation syndrome

“In recent decades, it has become very firmly established in everyday use. The term itself refers to emotional dysfunction and tension, which is always accompanied by a negative mood. It came to us from medieval England, where “distress” meant grief or need.

Stress is the body’s ability to adapt to changing living conditions. In the modern rhythm of life, conditions change not only every day, but also every hour. Therefore, we can say with confidence that they have become commonplace.

By stress we mean a feeling of dissatisfaction, bitterness of loss or seasonal blues, but despite the general symptoms, this phenomenon has several types, subtypes, stages of development and phases. Let's take a closer look at them.

Three stages of stress

G. Selye, a Canadian researcher and doctor, found that every body has the same reaction to stress, based on this pattern, he divided the whole process into 3 phases:

1. , in which all the protective functions of the body are mobilized. The body adapts to new conditions of existence. Thanks to the functional integration of organs and vital systems, senses such as memory, attention, touch, and perception are enhanced. The mobilization stage is characterized by the fact that during stress, the degree of thinking increases, options for solving the problem are found, and the person copes with the resulting load. Anxiety stage.
2. Imbalance Resistance, when the body adapts to changes, and all parameters that were out of control at stage 1 are normalized. The individual gets used to the new atmosphere, but if it is difficult for the body to quickly adapt, and the resistance continues for a significantly long time, the last phase of stress begins. Resistance stage.
3. Exhaustion occurs after unsuccessful attempts at adaptation, when physical strength is lost and the mental state begins to malfunction. This phase is divided into 2 stages.

Selye's stages of stress are clearly illustrated

The exhaustion stage under stress goes through two stages:

During the exhaustion phase, various diseases appear that affect:

• gastrointestinal tract;
• cardiovascular system;
• mental state;
• immunity;
• condition of hair, nails and skin.

Classification of stress - types and subtypes

The duration of stress is:

• short-term;
• episodic;

Stress is divided into groups depending on what triggered its occurrence:

• unfulfilled hopes;
• excitement before competitions;
• lost time;
• changes in life;
• monotony of life;
• the emergence of passivity;
• the unattainability of perfection;
• sudden changes;
• satiety with benefits;
• achieving your goals.

Stress depends on many factors that determine the type of emotional stress. These are everyday conflicts, dissatisfaction with life, salary, position, fear of one’s uselessness to society, lack of time, constant change of time zones, hierarchy of relations between employees and management.

There are many reasons and they are divided into 3 groups:

• manageable stressors;
• stressors undergoing attenuation;
• constant stressors.

14 stages of stress development according to Torsunov:

Light and dark side

We are accustomed to the fact that stress always has negative consequences, called distress, but there is also a positive side to this phenomenon - eustress:

1. Distress characterized by an imbalance in the physiological and psychological parameters of the body. It can be short-term and quickly reach the “boiling point”, or it can become chronic and entail failures of all vital systems.
2. Eustress can be determined by a surge of joyful emotions and a person’s positive attitude. This happens when he knows about an approaching problem situation, does not know how to solve it, but hopes for a successful outcome. For example, an interview for a well-paid position or entrance exams to an educational institution. Such stress is necessary to solve everyday problems that arise, because it mobilizes all forces for a positive outcome. For example, despite the hated ringing of the alarm clock in the morning, it makes you cheer up and wake up. Eustress, although weak in strength, is beneficial to human health and positions itself as an “awakening reaction.”

Subtypes of distress

The most common subtype of distress is physiological stress. It occurs when external factors influence the human body. If you get burned or hungry, overheated in the sun and pinch your finger, then you cannot do without stressful shocks. At the physiological level, stress is divided into several groups:

• biological associated with the occurrence of various diseases;
• chemical stress caused by exposure to chemicals, as well as oxygen starvation or excess oxygen);
• physical provoked by excessive physical exertion, professional athletes are susceptible to it;
• mechanical occurs in the postoperative period, when receiving complex injuries that violate the integrity of tissues or organs.

The next subtype is, which is characterized by two types of conflict:

1. Dissatisfaction with oneself associated with a discrepancy between expectations and reality. This conflict most often occurs among people who cannot come to terms with age-related changes in appearance and the body as a whole.
2. Stressful state due to social conflicts within the social unit. For example, intra-family conflicts, quarrels with friends or colleagues.

Interestingly, people with increased stress resistance quickly cope with extreme situations. Those whose indicator is underestimated may experience high blood pressure and disruption of the vital systems of the body. What will suffer the most depends on individual characteristics and the presence of chronic diseases, because the load mainly falls on the weakest link.

Types of people in stressful situations

Each person reacts to sources of stress individually; each phase can last longer or shorter for different people. This depends on a person’s resistance to stress, on his ability to quickly “bend under” the situation and find the right solution to solve the problem.

Experts have found that there are different reactions to stress and have identified 3 types of people:

• those that can withstand stress for a long time being in excellent shape and in an adequate mental state at the same time;
• those that become inoperable when a problem occurs, they find it difficult to find a solution and adapt to new conditions;
• those who can work productively and show high results only under stress, problems “spur them on” and force them to move forward.

Negative effects on humans

The occurrence of stressful situations entails a number of negative aspects.

Many parameters of the normal functioning of the body are disrupted.

Physiological activity decreases:

• anxiety appears;
• coordination is impaired;
• stiffness of movements occurs;
• unexpected tears or laughter arise;
• hyperhidrosis appears;
• disturbance of appetite and daily routine.

The psychological state is disturbed:

• attention is scattered;
• memory functions are impaired;
• speech activity increases or, conversely, slows down;
• thinking speeds up or slows down, including creative thinking;
• the perception of the surrounding reality is disrupted;
• there is an unreasonable desire to argue with another person and find his shortcomings.

Performance deteriorates:

• the quality of work performed decreases;
• Plans and projects are disrupted;
• high emotional arousal (inappropriate outbursts at colleagues).

Stress is a phenomenon that is closely intertwined with all aspects of human life. The emergence of difficult situations does not always have negative consequences.

A small exposure to stressors on a person is useful because it forces him to think quickly, make decisions and do the right things. Mobilizes all forces to remove the problem and makes it stress-resistant.

Absolutely all people, regardless of age, gender and professional activity, are susceptible to stress. It happens the same way for everyone. Therefore, speaking in general terms, we can distinguish 3 stages of stress. This:

• anxiety;
• resistance;
• exhaustion.

The main cause of psychological stress is the frequent impact of negative factors on the body, which are perceived by a person as dangerous and he cannot respond to them adequately. In this case, “negative factors” mean any actions of surrounding people, unforeseen circumstances (illness, DBT, etc.), mental and physical fatigue, etc.

The fight against stress should begin at the first stage. Since frequent emotional stress can affect all processes in the body, which leads to the development of various diseases.

When a person experiences stress, his blood pressure begins to rise, his heart rate increases, and problems arise with digestion and sex life. Therefore, it is very important to know at what stage stress begins and how it manifests itself.

Stage I – anxiety

The first stage of stress development is anxiety. It is characterized by the production of specific hormones by the adrenal glands (adrenaline and norepinephrine), which prepare the body for upcoming defense or flight. They greatly affect the functioning of the digestive and immune systems, as a result of which a person during this period becomes more vulnerable to diseases of various kinds.

Most often, during the development of the first stage of emotional stress, it is the digestive system that suffers, since a person experiencing anxiety either begins to eat constantly or refuses to eat food at all. In the first case, the walls of the stomach are stretched, the pancreas and duodenum experience severe stress. As a result of this, malfunctions occur in their work, which leads to increased production of digestive enzymes, which “eat away” them from the inside.

In the second case (when a person refuses food), the stomach itself suffers greatly, since “material” for processing does not enter it, and the production of gastric juice continues. It also leads to damage to the mucous membranes of the organ, which contributes to the development of peptic ulcers.

The main symptoms of the development of this stage of stress are as follows:

• depression;
• aggressiveness;
• irritability;
• sleep disturbance;
• constant presence of anxiety;
• loss or gain of body weight.

If during this period situations leading to stress are quickly resolved, then the first stage passes on its own. But if it drags on for a long time, the body “turns on the mode” of resistance, after which it becomes exhausted.

Stage II – resistance

After the first phase of stress, stage II of the emotional state begins - resistance or resistance. In other words, the body begins to adapt to environmental conditions. A person gains strength, depression disappears and he is again ready for exploits. And speaking in general terms, at this stage of stress development it may seem that a person is absolutely healthy, his body continues to function normally, and his behavior is no different from normal.

During the period of resistance of the body, almost all signs of psychological stress disappear.

However, it is worth noting that the body’s capabilities are not endless. Sooner or later, prolonged exposure to a stressor will make itself felt.

Stage III – exhaustion

If the stress effect on the body lasts for a very long time, after the second stage of stress development, phase III begins - exhaustion.

In its clinical picture it is similar to the first stage. However, in this case, further mobilization of the body's reserves is impossible. Therefore, we can say that the main manifestation of the “exhaustion” phase is actually a cry for help.

Somatic diseases begin to develop in the body, and all the signs of a psychological disorder appear. With further exposure to stressors, decompensation occurs and severe diseases develop, which can even cause death.

Decompensation in this case manifests itself in the form of deep depression or a nervous breakdown. Unfortunately, the dynamics of stress at the “exhaustion” stage are already irreversible. A person can get out of it only with the help of outside help (medical). The patient needs to take sedatives, as well as the help of a psychologist who will help him overcome difficulties and find a way out of the current situation.

Stress is a dangerous thing that can lead to the development of severe psychological illnesses. Therefore, it is very important, even in the initial stages of its manifestation, to learn how to deal with it on your own.

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The main stages of stress: several scientific approaches

The stages of stress are classified in different ways, but a significant difference in conditions at different stages is recognized by specialists who study human stress conditions. Research into the stages of stress is important, as is research into stress in general. The main classifications of stages remain the works of Hans Selye, but the modern approach - a kind of “tree” and others - allows us to look at the course of stress in a new way.



Physiological stages

The founder of the doctrine of stress and its stages, Hans Selye, is the author of medical works, among which the work “Stress without Distress” is especially famous. The concept of stress began with research during which Selye discovered the so-called “syndrome” - a response to damage. The syndrome was also called the “triad” because it consisted of three main stages:

1. The first stage triggered the mechanisms of increased work of the adrenal glands, including an increase in their cortical layer and a general increase in activity.
2. The second stage was characterized by a decrease or even shrinkage of the thymus gland and the same decrease in the lymph glands.
3. The third is the appearance of pinpoint hemorrhages and the formation of tiny ulcers on the surface of the mucous membrane of the entire stomach and intestines.

Selye's merit in medicine in general and specifically in psychology lies primarily in the fact that he was able to describe these stages of the reaction in relation to almost all diseases to which the body reacts in some way. Hans Selye proved that similar reactions occur in the body under stress. Thus, changes in the adrenal glands, and reduction of glands, and the appearance of ulcers are peculiar stages of stress, its special mechanisms. According to Selye, the three stages of the stress reaction are the body’s responses to external influences and natural changes in certain organs and their activity.

"Tree" - a modern approach

Unlike Selye's theory, this approach does not describe the body's response to a stressor. The “tree” describes the phases of stress from its occurrence to its possible consequences. Like a real plant, the “tree” has quite expected components:

• roots - are the causes of stress, its basis;
• trunk - represents general psychological and physical stress caused by the influence of a stressor, which, by the way, can be absolutely any factor;
• leaves - are peculiar symptoms of the disease;
• fruits - negative consequences of stress, developing diseases.

Of course, without roots (stressors) and a trunk there will be no symptoms or consequences, which, by the way, can be attributed to any disease. It is for this reason that experts are actively studying the occurrence of stress and the possibilities of getting rid of it.

The “Tree” concept helps not only in studying the main stages of stress, but also in a complete analysis of other diseases that also have roots - their sources.

Phases of mental state

Selye considered not only physiological stages. He also identified three stages depending on the characteristics of a person’s emotional state and behavior:

• The alarm phase, in which all the body’s energy resources are mobilized under the influence of a stress factor.
• Resistance phase - mobilized resources are spent as economically as possible to overcome the obstacle that has arisen. During this phase, productivity, the ability to effectively solve assigned tasks, even the most complex ones, and the ability to achieve one’s goals may increase. But, if this phase is not interrupted by quality rest for a long time, the body will work for wear and tear.
• Exhaustion phase or distress. At this time, a person feels general weakness, weakness, and performance is greatly reduced. It is distress that leads to unpleasant, even serious consequences

The phases well describe a person’s state during stress, as well as possible scenarios for the development of events, ranging from strong-willed work and motivation for serious matters, ending with depression and complete indifference to the outside world caused by distress.

Other classification options

The phases of stress can be viewed from other angles - the works of Hans Selye and the concept of “Tree” are not the only views on the development of stress tension.

Step system

This theory does not consider stress itself, but certain stages of release from stress. The step system includes:

• getting rid of any signs and symptoms;
• reduction of overall stress;
• complete relief from existing causes.

The sequence of steps begins with the lowest level - symptoms, and ends with the highest - eliminating the cause of stress, but it is not at all necessary that the patient and the attending physician will go through all three stages. It is possible that getting rid of symptoms will be enough to improve the condition. The absence of tension will give a person the resource to cope with the causes of stress on his own, without resorting to outside help.

Stressor composition

Another gradation is the division of the stressor into its component parts. In this case, the following are distinguished:

• the situation, event or object that causes a stress reaction in a person;
• a person's attitude towards a situation or subject.



Stress curve

The chain of reactions occurring under stress can be represented by a curve familiar to many:

• growth and intensification of general tension;
• stress itself, which can be divided into smaller components described above;
• reduction and easing of general tension.

At the first stage, various symptoms may appear, at the second stage some consequences are already observed. The third stage is getting rid of stress; this stage is not reflected in many other theories, which makes the concept unique.

Each classification characterizes different aspects of the course of stress: emotional, physical or exclusively psychological reactions can equally be a source of knowledge about stress, its stages, as well as the basis for creating means of combating negative consequences.

Video: Torsunov O.G. "Stages of development of stress"


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Three stages of stress

The word “stress” appeared in medical practice in 1936 with the help of scientist Hans Selye. He drew this technical term from the science of strength of materials; it means pressure, tension, pressure. Selye applied it very clearly to man. Since then, the word “stress” has been spoken by all of humanity. It does not pass by any of us; we encounter it every day. This is a systemic reaction of the body to a chemical, physical, biological, psychological effect (stressor).

Selye identified three stages of stress. The first is anxiety, which mobilizes all resources in the body. The second is the stage of resistance, at this stage increased resistance to exposure is established. In the third stage of exhaustion, the body's resistance decreases, and severe cases can lead to its death. It occurs under the influence of super-long and super-strong stimuli.

The hypothalamus is the first to react intensively to any external irritation; it is like a sentinel of the central nervous system. Then the signals enter the pituitary gland, it is he who “commands the parade”, promotes the release of hormones that are captured by many tissues (organs), and primarily by the adrenal glands. In response, they “release” adrenaline into the body - the anxiety hormone. Then the walls of the blood vessels sharply narrow, the pulse and breathing quicken, blood pressure rises, muscle tension increases, and the sugar content in the blood increases.

If the stressor continues, then neurons (nerve cells of the brain) begin to react abnormally to normal physiological processes or stop responding to them altogether. The emotional arousal that arises in the brain travels through the hormonal and nervous systems to all organs, and stress mercilessly bombards them. Its value is assessed by the amount of increase in adrenal hormones in the blood (stress reactivity), as well as by the speed of return to the previous level - stress resistance.

Emotional stress

For people, psychogenic (emotional) stress, which arises as a result of various social conflicts, the impossibility of implementing planned activity programs, and an uncertain prognosis for resolving the situation, is of particular importance.

Chronic and unpredictable (uncontrollable) stress leads to various mental disorders (neuroses) and can cause dysfunction of some body system, which leads to the appearance of psychosomatic diseases. It should be noted that short-term stressful actions of moderate strength are useful (even necessary) for the normal functioning of the body. Often the prerequisites for the appearance of neurosis are laid in childhood (disrespectful attitude towards the individual, quarrels and conflicts in the family), which contributes to the formation of timidity, shyness, indecisiveness, self-doubt and suspiciousness.

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Psychology Center “Kinesia”, Bila Tserkva

Three stages of stress

Stress can manifest itself in three stages.

The first stage of stress - conscious thinking is reduced to a minimum, which prevents a person from thinking, feelings are dulled, consciousness is as if clouded, balance is lost (physical, mental, emotional). If a person is at the 1st stage of stress, it is better for him not to do anything serious, relax, restore balance, sleep at night and allow himself a short nap during the day, drink more water to remove the breakdown products of stress hormones, eat well, and walk during the day.

The second stage of stress - the perception of distance is distorted, a person finds himself in unpleasant situations (knocking, stumbling, etc.) and is not happy about anything, at this stage you need to be very careful while driving. The recommendations are the same as in the previous stage, but it is best to eliminate the cause of stress.

The third stage of stress - stress continues for several days or weeks, a person with an unresolved obsessive problem experiences fear and pain, grief, melancholy, a feeling of “disconnection” with himself, sees only one option for action, but, given the emotional state and reduced thought processes, this option is useless or may worsen the situation, as a result, the problem is unresolved and there are no ways to solve it, therefore, stress continues.

When under stress, the best method is to figure out the problem you are trying to avoid solving. But avoiding a decision only prolongs stress. On the other hand, we have seen that in a state of stress it is quite difficult to think and make the right decision. Here, the action of kinesiology can be compared to scooping up muddy water from the bottom of a well, as a result of which only clean water remains - a harmonious, balanced, light state, agreement with oneself. An adequate perception of reality is restored and different options for exiting the situation open up.

Adrenal glands: 3 stages of stress

Ecology of health: The first link in the complex chain of stress reactions is the release of large amounts of adrenaline into the blood.

Physical stress- hard work or too much physical activity, lack of sleep, etc.

Chemical stress- from environmental pollution, a diet rich in refined carbohydrates, allergies to food or additives, imbalance of the endocrine glands.

Heat stress- overheating or hypothermia of the body.

Emotional or mental stress



General Adaptation Syndrome OSA(General Adaptation Syndrome). There are three stages:

1. Alarm stage.

An initial chain of physical and chemical reactions caused by the interaction of the brain, nervous system and hormones causes a surge in adrenal activity.

They begin to work harder in response to a stressful situation; in fact, this is a state of hyperadrenia (hyperadrenalemia).

After the initial alarm reaction, your body needs a recovery phase that lasts 24-48 hours.

At this time, less cortisol is produced, and the body has less ability to respond to stress. During this stage, you feel tired, lethargic and want to rest. If stress continues long enough, the adrenal glands will eventually become exhausted. Sometimes in such cases, the patient consults a doctor with symptoms of hypoadrenia (adrenal fatigue).

2. Stage of resistance (resistance).

After some time of ongoing stress, the adrenal glands begin to adapt and rebuild. They have a good ability to increase their size and functional activity.

A prolonged anxiety reaction begins as hyperadrenia, leading to hypoadrenia, which then turns back into a state of hyperadrenia at the resistance stage.

This stage of resistance can last for months or even 15-20 years. The adrenal hormone cortisol is responsible for this stage.

It stimulates the conversion of proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy through glucogenesis, providing energy after glucose stores in the liver and muscles are depleted. Cortisol also provides the necessary levels of sodium needed to maintain blood pressure and heart function.

If stress continues for a very long time or is very intense, the resistance stage may progress to the third stage

3. Stage of exhaustion.

This is the stage when a person loses the ability to adapt to stress. The function of the adrenal glands at this stage is sharply limited, and a complete disruption of many body functions is possible.

The two main causes of wasting are loss of sodium ions (due to decreased aldosterone) and decreased levels of glucocorticoid hormones like cortisol, leading to decreased glucogenesis, rapid hypoglycemia, sodium loss, and potassium retention. At the same time, insulin levels are still high. Weakness appears.

When there is a lack of energy, reactions that require energy slow down. This is the stage when a person will probably consult a doctor, since the symptoms are no longer going away.

Adrenal gland:



1 - adrenal gland;
2 - inferior vena cava;
3 - aorta;
4 - kidney;
5 - ureter

The adrenal glands (glandulae suprarenales) are located above the kidneys at the level of the XI-XII thoracic vertebrae and are adjacent to the diaphragm at the back.

The weight of the adrenal glands is 10-20 g.

The left adrenal gland is located above the upper pole of the left kidney and is adjacent to the stomach, pancreas and spleen.

The right adrenal gland is narrower than the left, it lies above the upper pole of the right kidney and is adjacent to the inferior vena cava.

The parenchyma of the adrenal glands is formed by the outer cortex and the inner medulla. The adrenal glands are divided into exocrine (external secretory) and endocrine (internal secretory) parts. The latter is formed by pancreatic islets.

Pancreatic islets are located throughout the thickness of the adrenal gland, their maximum number accumulates in the caudal region. The islands reach a size of 0.1-0.8 mm and have a round or oval shape.

They are formed by epithelial cells, and on the outside they are covered with connective tissue, which contains a dense network of blood capillaries.

The adrenal glands are a paired organ.

They are located on the upper poles of the kidneys (hence their name). If you dissect the adrenal gland, you can see the fatty membrane, underneath it is the connective tissue, then the cortex and, finally, the medulla. In general, a fairly simple anatomical structure.

But the physiological activity of the glands is complex. This is a real hormone factory. Its products include about ten items. Perhaps no other endocrine gland produces such a rich assortment of hormones. Except the pituitary gland. But the pituitary gland is the “supreme” gland that controls the endocrine organs.



Of the adrenal hormones, adrenaline was the first to be discovered. This happened in 1901. It is produced by cells of the adrenal medulla, which are called chromaffin cells for their ability to selectively stain with chromium salts.

Such cells are found not only in the adrenal glands: they are embedded in the walls of blood vessels and accompany the nerve nodes (ganglia) of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. The entire set of these formations is called the chromaffin system.

However, of this entire system, only the adrenal glands produce adrenaline, a hormone with an extremely broad spectrum of action. In particular, it constricts the blood vessels of the internal organs and skin, but dilates the coronary vessels of the heart, increases the frequency and strength of heart contractions, relaxes the smooth muscles of the bronchi, intestines, bladder, helps increase blood glucose levels, etc.

Moreover, the effect of adrenaline is most fully manifested in conditions when the body needs to mobilize all internal reserves. It is no coincidence that adrenaline is called the emergency hormone.

Here, in the medulla, the closest “relative” of adrenaline is formed - norepinephrine(they are combined under the general name catecholamines). Norepinephrine is very similar in chemical structure and action to the emergency hormone; it seems to continue and complete those reactions that occur in the body under the influence of adrenaline.

Modern morphological research methods have made it possible to establish that the cells of the medulla are specialized in the release of hormones: adrenaline is produced by adrenocytes, norepinephrine - by noradrenocytes.

Moreover, the ratio of these cells varies in different animals. Interestingly, noradrenocytes are very numerous in the adrenal glands of predators and are almost never found in their potential victims.

In rabbits and guinea pigs, for example, they are almost completely absent (maybe this is why the lion is the king of animals, and the rabbit is just a rabbit?).

In an adult, adrenocytes predominate in the medulla, while noradrenocytes are much smaller. Perhaps this ratio is explained by the fact that, unlike adrenaline, norepinephrine is produced not only by the adrenal glands. It is also produced by other cells of the chromaffin system.

And in addition, the neurons of the sympathetic department of the autonomic nervous system, which are responsible for adaptation - the adaptation of the body to constantly changing conditions. Norepinephrine, synthesized by nerve cells, as a rule, plays the role not of a hormone, but of a mediator - a chemical transmitter of nervous excitation.

Adrenaline is also used by nerve cells as a mediator, but then they have to capture it from the blood and tissue fluid, since they themselves are not able to synthesize this substance.

Scientists were interested in the question of why norepinephrine is produced by both the adrenal glands and nerve cells. An explanation was found when studying the functions of catecholamine hormones and catecholamine mediators.

When in an experiment some sympathetic neurons were selectively destroyed and the production of norepinephrine decreased, the adrenal glands always increased their activity, compensating for the lack of catecholamines. The hormones were taken up by neurons and used by them to transmit nerve impulses, so that the sympathetic nervous system could function normally.

A similar “mutual assistance” is also observed in cases where the sympathetic department of the autonomic nervous system experiences prolonged and significant stress, which can lead to depletion of norepinephrine reserves in neurons, since they are small there. The cells of the adrenal medulla accumulate significant amounts of hormones in special granules.

In relatively calm conditions, these hormones last for several days, and in extreme situations, cells can use up their entire supply in a matter of hours, increasing the release of hormones into the blood.

Thus, in the body there is a common fund of catecholamines, a single sympatho-adrenal system, including the adrenal glands, the sympathetic department of the autonomic nervous system and chromaffin tissue. The presence of common regulatory centers located in the brain allows all links of this system to work strictly synchronously and in concert.

In addition to catecholamines, the adrenal glands also synthesize corticosteroids. Conventionally, they are divided into three groups. In the outer, zona glomerulosa, the cortex produces mineralocorticoids, which play an important role in the regulation of water-salt metabolism.

By influencing the functioning of the kidneys, they promote the excretion of potassium and the retention of sodium and water in the body. When their production is insufficient, large amounts of water and salts are lost, which leads to disruption of the functioning of vital organs and systems.

Cells of the middle, zona fasciculata synthesize glucocorticoids, which actively influence carbohydrate and protein metabolism, increase glycogen content in the liver and blood sugar levels. They also have the ability to inhibit the development of lymphoid tissue, which is responsible for the formation of immune and allergic reactions.

This property of hormones is widely used in clinical practice: both natural glucocorticoids and their synthetic analogues are used, in particular, in cases where the immune system, instead of a protective function, begins to play the role of a destroyer in allergic and autoimmune diseases.

The inner mesh zone produces androgens and estrogens hormones, close to the genitals and affecting the activity of the genital organs.

The cortex and medulla of the adrenal glands are two independent tissues with different structures, different functions, and producing completely different products. But it’s no coincidence that they are united in one organ?

Research has shown that such proximity is necessary. The cortex and medulla have a certain influence on each other. In particular, it was possible to establish that corticosteroids entering the medulla through the bloodstream promote the conversion of norepinephrine into adrenaline.

There is also reason to believe that corticosteroids stimulate metabolism in adrenocytes and noradrenocytes.

Hormones of the cortex and medulla interact closely not only within the adrenal glands. This interaction is especially pronounced during periods of stress.

The first link in the complex chain of stress reactions is the release into the blood, on the orders of the central nervous system, of a large amount of adrenaline and norepinephrine, as a result of which metabolism and heart function are activated, and blood pressure rises.

Such a switching of body systems to a new level of functioning is necessary. But I would like to draw attention to the fact that frequently repeated emotional and other stimuli for the release of adrenaline into the blood can cause disturbances in the functioning of the heart, especially if the coronary vessels are sclerotic.

Following catecholamines, corticosteroids are also included in the reaction. And here’s what’s interesting: this happens with the participation of adrenaline.

It turned out that in the hypothalamus (the part of the brain where the highest regulatory centers of the autonomic and endocrine systems are located) there are special cells sensitive to the action of adrenaline that secrete specific substances-releasing factors, or liberins.

Liberins travel along nerve fibers from the hypothalamus to the pituitary gland and stimulate the synthesis of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) there. In turn, ACTH promotes increased formation of corticosteroids, especially glucocorticoids. Of course, the reactions that occur in the body under stress are much more complex. Here is only a schematic representation of the interaction of adrenal hormones, which allow the organs and systems of the body to adapt to extremely strong stimuli.

Without adrenal hormones, the body would be defenseless in the face of any danger, be it illness, fear, injury, hypothermia, severe nervous shock, etc.

Numerous experiments confirm this.

Animals from which the adrenal medulla was removed were unable to make any efforts, such as running away from impending danger, defending themselves, or obtaining food.

Animals with the adrenal cortex removed died after five to six days. This is the vital product produced by the tiny hormone factory!

Hypoadrenia (Cortisol deficiency)



The most common symptom of hypoadrenia is lack of energy. The patient may feel tired all the time and have difficulty surviving until the evening. Many middle-aged and older people attribute this decrease in energy to their age.

It is much more accurate to say that they simply had more time to accumulate the negative effects of stress on their health.

A person can slow down over the years, but feeling weak all the time just because someone is over 40, or even 80, is completely abnormal.

Other physiological causes can also lead to weakness, but hypoadrenia should be one of the first considerations when identifying the causes of such weakness. Hypoadrenia should also be considered if symptoms appear shortly after a stressful event such as an accident, influenza, pregnancy, etc.

Symptoms do not necessarily have to develop immediately during or immediately after the events; they may appear several months later. It is also possible that there are no special events, but only prolonged stress.

Hypoadrenia is not easily defined; rather, it is a collection of signs and symptoms defined as a “syndrome.”

People with adrenal weakness often appear and function normally. They have no obvious signs of any disease, and yet they do not feel very well and live with a feeling of illness or a feeling of "everything is gray."

They often use coffee, cola, sugar and other stimulants to start the day in the morning and to sustain them throughout the day. These people may appear lazy and unmotivated, or have lost their ambitions, when in fact the opposite is true; they have to push themselves much harder than people with healthy adrenal function just to complete daily tasks.

People who suffer from hypoadrenia often develop unstable or abnormal blood sugar levels in the form of hypoglycemia.

In fact, people with functional hypoglycemia often actually suffer from decreased adrenal function. With hypoadrenia, there may be a tendency to allergies, arthritis, and decreased immunity. The adrenal glands also have an effect on mental state.

As a result, people with adrenal weakness tend to experience increased fears, anxiety and depression, periods of unclear thinking, and increased problems with concentration and memory. They are often less tolerant and lose their temper more easily. When the adrenal glands do not secrete enough hormones, insomnia is also likely to develop.

Addison's disease, an extreme pathological form of hypoadrenia, is life-threatening without treatment, and actual structural and physiological damage to the adrenal glands can occur.

People with Addison's disease usually need to take corticosteroids for the rest of their lives. Fortunately, this is the rarest form of hypoadrenia. Approximately 70% of Addison's disease cases are the result of autoimmune disorders. The remaining 30% stems from a number of other reasons, including severe stress.

In severe cases of adrenal insufficiency, adrenal activity is so reduced that a person has difficulty getting out of bed for more than a few hours a day. With further decline in adrenal function, every organ and system of the body becomes increasingly affected.

Changes occur in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats, in fluid and electrolyte balance, in the cardiovascular system, and even in libido. Many other changes at the biochemical and cellular level.

Normally functioning adrenal glands secrete tiny but precisely balanced amounts of steroid hormones. But there are many factors that can upset this delicate balance. Too much physical, emotional and/or physiological stress can exhaust the adrenal glands, causing a decrease in the release of hormones, especially cortisol.

Since the adrenal glands are the body's reserve during times of stress, when they are depleted, a person loses his reserve of strength and his resistance to disease decreases. When a person with hypoadrenia gets sick, they are sick longer, more severely, and more likely to have the disease return than if their adrenal glands were working properly.

Hypoadrenia is such a common problem these days and accompanies many disorders that modern doctors do not consider a connection with the adrenal glands if someone comes to them with complaints of constant weakness.

Symptoms

A person may have various complaints depending on which of the adrenal gland functions was most affected, and on those vulnerable areas that are determined by heredity.

The adrenal glands produce a number of hormones, and the same combination of symptoms is rarely repeated in patients with hypoadrenia. In a state of chronic stress, the lymphatic system, especially the thymus, is weakened, and there is also a tendency to develop gastric and duodenal ulcers. Symptoms may also appear due to a decrease in the production of glucocorticoids: cortisol, corticosterone, cortisone. Of these, cortisol is the most important.

Heart sounds and hypoadrenia

Normally, tones I and II sound like “lub-dub”, tone I is louder than tone II. When recording on FCG, the intensity of the second tone should be about one third of the intensity of the first tone. In a person with hypoadrenia, the second tone in the area of ​​the pulmonary trunk is the same or even more intense than the first tone.

This occurs due to hypertension in the pulmonary circulation (pulmonary hypertension).

Adrenaline causes blood vessels throughout the body, including the lungs, to constrict. In the lungs, vasoconstriction leads to contraction of the mucous membrane and inhibition of mucus secretion. Adrenaline also relaxes bronchial smooth muscle, creating bronchodilation.

This is why epinephrine inhalers help patients so much asthma.

Bronchodilation, which normally occurs under the influence of adrenaline, does not occur in a person with hypoadrenia.

Instead, he experiences bronchoconstriction - compression of the muscles of the bronchi with the appearance of corresponding symptoms. Also, in a person with hypoadrenia, there is not enough adrenaline to compress the pulmonary capillaries and mucous membranes, as a result the mucous membrane swells and mucus secretion increases.

With hypoadrenia, physical evidence of this manifests itself as a loud II sound in the region of the pulmonary trunk. Bronchoconstriction, in combination with swelling of the mucosa, creates pressure on the pulmonary circulation, causing increased slamming of the pulmonary valve, which creates a louder second sound over the pulmonary trunk.

Any patient with impaired pulmonary function, especially asthma or bronchitis, should be tested for hypoadrenia. This is especially true if symptoms are significantly relieved by using an epinephrine (epinephrine) inhaler.

Several years ago it was believed that asthma was a purely psychosomatic disease. The patient experienced emotional stress and developed an asthma attack. Therefore, it was concluded that the patient’s asthma was in the head. If the adrenal glands are in a state of exhaustion, they are unable to respond to the additional load of emotional stress.

Adrenaline is not enough for normal functioning and the person experiences bronchoconstriction, swelling of the mucous membranes and increased mucus secretion. The result is an asthma attack, triggered by increased emotional stress. The attack itself has no connection with stress, except that stress affects the adrenal glands. Treat the adrenal glands and a person becomes able to tolerate emotional stress.

It is important to note that pulmonary pathologies such as tumors, tuberculosis, etc. may also produce a louder second sound over the pulmonary artery.

Also, if an increased II tone is noted only in the tricuspid valve area, this usually indicates liver problems.

Haemorrhoids- another problem that is associated with blood flowing into the abdominal region. Hemorrhoids are an abnormal enlargement and often bulging of the veins of the anus or rectum. Treatment of hemorrhoids should proceed in two directions. First, hemorrhoids must be treated locally, and second, the source of increased blood flow into the abdominal and pelvic areas must be corrected.

Often, the cause of such blood flow is hypoadrenia. However, severe stagnation of bile in the liver can cause increased tension in the portal vein and result in the development of hemorrhoids.

It is necessary to distinguish between adrenal and liver problems when determining the causes of hemorrhoids. For this reason, when complaining of hemorrhoids, you should first listen to the heart. A person may not understand this, but one should find the location of the relative volume of the second tone: above the pulmonary vein (adrenal glands) or in the area of ​​the tricuspid valve (liver).

Varicose veins in the lower extremities are often caused by hypoadrenia, for the same reasons as hemorrhoids. This is often observed in pregnant women, in whom varicose veins flare up only during pregnancy.

Blood draining into the abdominal and pelvic areas often leads to other symptoms. The patient may complain of a feeling of fullness in the abdomen. Sometimes poor circulation in the abdominal area actually impairs digestion. Since sufficient blood circulation is necessary not only for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, but also for the absorption of nutrients, it is possible to understand how hypoadrenia affects digestion. Symptoms of poor digestion and absorption may be caused or worsened by hypoadrenia.

Other symptoms of hypoadrenia

One often overlooked source of stress is chronic or acute infection. Adrenal weakness is often preceded by recurrent bronchitis, pneumonia, asthma, sinusitis or other respiratory infections.

The more severe the infection, the more frequently it occurs, and the longer it lasts, the more likely it is that the adrenal glands will be affected. Hypoadrenia may occur after just one episode of particularly severe infection, or may occur gradually as the adrenal glands weaken due to prolonged or repeated infections.

If there are also accompanying stresses, such as a bad marriage, poor nutrition, or a stressful job, the fall will become deeper and deeper.

People who work weekly in different shifts experience increased stress, as the body does not have time to adapt to the new daily cycle due to changes in sleep patterns. People who change shifts more often than three weeks constantly stress the adrenal glands. Each time their sleep/wake pattern changes, it takes several days for the body to adapt to the new pattern.

Glucocorticoids are the body's anti-inflammatory hormones. If patients with inflammations such as arthritis, bursitis and other joint problems injections or oral administration of cortisone or its derivatives help, this may indicate that their own adrenal glands are not producing enough of these hormones. This is especially true for those who were helped by cortisone treatment once or twice, but subsequent attempts at cortisone treatment were ineffective.

Every patient who has benefited from cortisone treatment should be tested for hypoadrenia. This is necessary not only because their cortisone production is obviously reduced, but also because cortisone therapy tends to reduce their own hormone production when used over a long period of time.

Cortisone, by a negative feedback principle, causes a decrease in the production of the hormone Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) by the pituitary gland. With prolonged cortisone therapy, the adrenal glands atrophy, until they stop completely. Because adrenal hormones are essential for life, patients should never stop cortisone therapy abruptly, as this may cause a life-threatening crisis. Cortisone should be removed very gradually to give the adrenal glands time to restore the required level of activity.

The adrenal glands are involved in most types allergic reactions.

Most allergies cause inflammation. Often, the allergen is just the straw that breaks the camel's back.

The allergen would not cause such trouble if the person had sufficient production of anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids.

As the adrenal glands become exhausted, blood glucose level may drop below normal. In an attempt to cope with this drop in sugar, a person may develop cravings for something that quickly raises their blood sugar. This could be candy, a cup of coffee, a cigarette, or a drink like cola. Alcohol abuse, marijuana and hard drugs (cocaine, heroin) also fit into this pattern.

The symptoms of hyperinsulinism/hypoadrenia/hypoglycemia are too numerous to list here. Essentially, epithelial tissues, neural tissues, and the retina of the eyes do not store glucose. Thus, these fabrics take the impact first. Low blood glucose levels cause symptoms of blurred vision, headaches, nervousness, erratic behavior, allergies, and on and on.

Another symptom often found with hypoadrenia is an increase in pigmentation skin.

Unusual brownish spots may appear on the skin. When adrenal function is reduced, the pituitary gland responds by producing ACTH. During the exhaustion stage, the effect of ACTH on the adrenal glands is similar to spurring a tired horse.

Since the adrenal glands can no longer respond to this message from the pituitary gland, the pituitary gland continues to produce ACTH until its levels become excessive.

Excess ACTH affects the entire body. For example, ACTH has an effect on the ovaries, causing increased production of estrogen.

Also, ACTH has 1/100 the effect of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), a pituitary hormone that stimulates melanocytes in the skin to produce the dark pigment melanin. In severe hypoadrenia, this results in darkening of the skin (bronze disease) or areas of hyperpigmentation of the skin.

Although this symptom usually occurs with pathological hypoadrenia, or hypocortisolism (Addison's disease), it is sometimes seen with functional hypoadrenia.

Mercury and the Adrenal Glands

Mercury accumulates in the adrenal glands and disrupts their function. The two main nutrients of the adrenal glands are pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) and vitamin C. Pantothenic acid deficiency can lead to adrenal exhaustion and even destruction. Pantothenic acid deficiency also causes a drop in the levels of hormones produced by the adrenal glands.

The largest reserve of vitamin C is stored in the adrenal glands; more vitamin C is stored only in the pituitary gland. Physical and mental stress increases ACTH release. The increased activity of the adrenal glands, in turn, uses up the supply of vitamin C and pantothenic acid to the point of complete depletion.

The human body cannot synthesize vitamin C.

Therefore, the need of the adrenal glands for vitamin C is met by its reserves in other tissues of the body. If your overall ascorbate levels are low, these supplies may not be enough.

Under these conditions, the normal adrenal hormone response may be insufficient, leading to a failure of immune function. Mercury accumulates in the pituitary gland and thus depletes the adrenal glands of vitamin C and pantothenic acid. Stress and mercury have an extremely negative effect on the production of essential steroids by the adrenal glands.

The ability of the adrenal glands to secrete steroids is called steroidogenesis and depends on reactions working through the enzyme cytochrome P450. When cytochrome P450 reacts with cholesterol, pregnenolone is formed, which is then converted to progesterone.

Cytochrome P450 can then convert progesterone to deoxycorticosterone, which is further converted to corticosterone or aldosterone by other adrenal enzymes. These functions are also affected by mercury ions.

All steroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands are synthesized from cholesterol through a series of enzymatic reactions initially triggered by ACTH. Steroid biosynthesis involves the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, which is then transformed into biologically active corticosteroids.

Cyclic AMP (adenosine monophosphate) is synthesized from ATP (adenosine triphosphate) under the influence of the enzyme adenylate cyclase. The activity of adenylate cyclase in the brain is suppressed by micromolar amounts of lead, mercury and cadmium. The key enzyme in the biosynthesis of cortisol and aldosterone is the enzyme 21-hydroxylase.

Mercury impairs adrenal steroid biosynthesis by inhibiting 21-hydroxylase activity.

The consequences of this suppression include decreased plasma corticosterone levels and increased concentrations of progesterone and dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is a male hormone produced by the adrenal glands.

Because patients with 21-hydroxylase deficiency cannot synthesize cortisol with normal efficiency, a compensatory increase in ACTH occurs, leading to adrenal hyperplasia and excessive secretion of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, which without 21-hydroxylase cannot be converted to cortisol.

Inhibition of the 21-hydroxylase system may be the mechanism underlying mercury-induced adrenal hyperplasia.

Adrenal hyperplasia increases stress by accelerating steroid production to such a level that production begins to decrease and the adrenal glands atrophy. The result is insufficient formation of corticosteroids. Mercury and lead can force changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and gonadal axis (the sex glands that produce eggs and sperm), which can seriously impair reproductive function and organs.

The production, distribution and functioning of leukocytes are markedly altered by the use of glucocorticosteroids. For example, in Addison's disease, neutrophilia (neutrophilic leukocytosis) develops 4-6 hours after a single dose of hydrocorizone, prednisone or dexamethasone.

Neutrophils are so-called polymorphonuclear leukocytes, or polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). Mercury not only suppresses adrenocorticosteroids, which normally stimulate enlargement of PMNs, but at the same time affects the ability of existing PMNs to perform immune functions by suppressing metabolic reactions that destroy foreign substances. And yet, to this day, the ADA (American Dental Association) and other government organizations say that mercury in your mouth, or in vaccines, is completely safe.

Muscles associated with the adrenal glands

Five skeletal muscles depend on adrenal function:

• sartorius- sartorius muscle (thigh muscle, involved in a posture typical of a tailor - with legs crossed in Turkish style),
• gracilis- thin muscle (adducts the thigh, and also takes part in flexing the lower leg, turning the leg outward),
• posterior tibialis- tibialis posterior muscle (flexes, adducts and supinates the foot),
• gastrocnemius- calf muscle,
• soleus- soleus muscle (flexes the foot - plantar flexion). If the adrenal glands are weakened, weakness will be noticeable in one or more of these muscles.

Because the sartorius and gracilis muscles attach to the pelvic bones (the sartorius to the superior anterior ilium and the gracilis to the inferior ramus of the pubis), their weakness coupled with adrenal weakness allows the sacroiliac joint to subluxate. Many patients with hypoadrenia consult a chiropractor for back pain resulting from a lack of pelvic stability normally provided by these muscles.

The sartorius and gracilis muscles converge (together with the semitendinosus) on the medial line of the knee and adduct the thigh and participate in flexion of the tibia. If these muscles are weakened, loss occurs knee stability. These muscles act as a dynamic ligament, protecting and supporting the knee joint during various movements. This function is especially important in situations where ligaments alone are not enough.

It is very important to screen anyone with knee problems for hypoadrenia. It is common to see some hypoadrenics with knee problems, others with back problems, and some with both.

Because of the connection of the tibialis posterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles to leg and ankle stability, many people with hypoadrenia complain of symptoms of tired legs, weak ankles, calf pain. The tibialis posterior muscle supports the inner longitudinal arch of the foot. When this muscle is weakened, the arch flattens, causing tension in the legs and ankles.

Quite often, people who complain of these musculoskeletal problems have weakness in one or more muscles associated with the adrenal glands, and the symptoms improve with treatment for the adrenal glands.

Adrenal hormones

The adrenal cortex produces three types of hormones:

3. Gonadal (sex) hormones (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, etc.)

Depending on the relative deficiency of these hormones, the symptoms of a person suffering from hypoadrenia will vary significantly.

Cortisol and Epinephrine (adrenaline)

The adrenal glands consist of two parts:

• adrenal cortex (cortex),
• medulla (medulla).

Although their functions differ significantly, it is no coincidence that they are located together anatomically, since some of their functions are interdependent.

Epinerphine is a vasoconstrictor (squeezing blood vessels). But in order for epinerphin to exert its effect, the presence of cortisol is necessary. Cortisol makes blood vessels sensitive to the constricting effects of epinerphine. If cortical function is reduced and the amount of cortisol is insufficient, the vasoconstrictor effect of epinerphin will be significantly reduced.

These two hormones together influence blood pressure. Thus, when examining a patient with hypoadrenia, blood pressure problems are often discovered.

Typically, when moving from a horizontal to a vertical position, systolic blood pressure should rise by 4-10 mmHg.

With hypoadrenia, systolic pressure will remain the same or even fall.

This drop is usually between 5 and 10 mmHg. Art., but sometimes even up to 30-40.

This is a classic sign of hypoadrenia, known as the Ragland effect, or postural hypotension, and is observed in 90% of hypoadrenics.

Blood pressure should always be measured in three positions: sitting, then lying down, then standing. When moving from a lying position to a standing position, systolic pressure should rise by 4-10 mm.

If it falls, functional hypoadrenia should be assumed.

The veins in the lower extremities have valves that keep blood from flowing into the legs when a person stands.

Since the veins of the abdomen and pelvis do not have such valves, the only mechanism that prevents such flow of blood when moving to a standing position is vascular vasoconstriction.

When cortisol levels are low, epinerphin cannot act effectively and there will be insufficient vasoconstriction during the transition to a standing position. This leads to blood flowing into the peritoneum and pelvis and systolic pressure in the arms drops. Such a person may complain of dizziness, especially when standing up suddenly. Or he may have periods of dizziness during the day.

The patient may complain of headaches as a result of blood draining into the abdominal region and decreased blood supply to the head. Often these people appear completely normal on neurological examination or may be diagnosed with Meniere's disease.

Some people are unsuccessfully treated with manipulation of the upper spine. But all therapeutic methods in such patients are ineffective before measures are taken to correct hypoadrenia.

Some patients whose blood pressure drops when standing up are treated for hypertension. Hypertension is another paradoxical reaction of the body. When a person gets up from a lying position and his systolic pressure drops by 10, 20, 30 mm, the body registers the decrease in pressure and reacts to it.

The body cannot allow blood to flow into the peritoneum and pelvis, since this reduces the volume of blood in the head and other parts. In an attempt to correct this situation, the body can raise systolic pressure to very high levels. Systolic pressure can increase to 180 mmHg or even more. Then, when standing up, the systolic pressure will drop to only, for example, 150 mmHg.

If blood pressure is measured only while sitting, the person will have a very high systolic pressure.

But when you get up, it will fall. Such patients are often treated with diuretics when the real problem is the adrenal glands. Combining this with the fact that hypoadrenics are often dehydrated, one can see how pointless the diuretic approach is in such cases.

Physiology

Cortisol regulation

The influence of the pituitary gland on both parts of the adrenal glands occurs through different mechanisms. The secretion of glucocorticoids by the adrenal cortex is regulated by negative feedback involving the release of corticotropin-releasing hormone by the hypothalamus. This hormone then acts on the anterior pituitary gland to stimulate the secretion of cortisol by the adrenal cortex.

Normally, almost 80% of cortisol is bound to a protein called corticosteroid binding globulin. Another 15% is bound to albumin and the remainder remains in a free state. Cortisol is essential for many vital functions related to the adrenal glands. Many of the symptoms of adrenal weakness occur due to decreased levels of cortisol in the blood or insufficient levels of cortisol during times of stress when it is most needed.

Excess cortisol secretion leads to Cushing's syndrome. This may occur as a result of excess production of steroid hormones by the adrenal glands or as a result of increased production of ACTH by the pituitary gland due to increased stimulation of the adrenal glands. Patients with Cushing's syndrome develop central obesity (accumulation of fat in the central part of the body), with thinner arms and legs due to loss of muscle mass. Thinning of the skin occurs and increased capillary fragility, leading to easy and often spontaneous bruising.

Effect of cortisol

Blood glucose

Cortisol is necessary to maintain normal blood sugar (glucose) balance. A drop in sugar levels prompts the adrenal glands to produce more cortisol.

Cortisol increases sugar levels by converting fats and proteins into energy through the process of glucogenesis.

In this process, fats are first broken down into fatty acids and proteins into peptides, and then they are all converted into the necessary glucose. This process is vital to maintaining glucose levels at a constant level throughout the day. Your body needs glucose as a source of energy.

Cortisol works in tandem with insulin produced by the pancreas to ensure that there is enough glucose for cells to use for energy. Cortisol ensures a sufficient amount of glucose in the blood, while insulin ensures the permeability of cell membranes to glucose, facilitating its passage into them. When the body experiences stress of any kind, many more different tissues and organs require more glucose to produce increased amounts of energy.

Inflammation

Cortisol is a powerful anti-inflammatory substance, even when secreted at normal levels. Its action in preventing redness and swelling of tissues occurs very quickly. These anti-inflammatory properties keep mosquito bites from turning into huge bumps, eyes and bronchi from swelling from exposure to allergens, and small scratches from appearing as tears.

For any organism to maintain balance, for every inflammatory reaction there must be an opposite and equal in strength anti-inflammatory reaction.

Although there are also other local anti-inflammatory processes, cortisol is your body's main anti-inflammatory agent.

Cortisol exerts similar anti-inflammatory control over autoimmune reactions.

In autoimmune reactions, white blood cells attack parts of the body as if they were foreign. In most autoimmune reactions, the level of cortisol is insufficient compared to the extent of the reaction that has developed.

This is one of the reasons why strong corticosteroids (prednisone, prednisone, etc.) are used for all inflammatory diseases, including autoimmune diseases. They mimic the anti-inflammatory effects of cortisol, although unfortunately with a number of unwanted side effects.

Cortisone affects not only swelling and redness, but also white blood cells (leukocytes).

Immune system

Cortisol affects most cells involved in immune and/or inflammatory responses, especially white blood cells.

It regulates lymphocytes. Cortisol and corticoids (cortisol-like substances) also affect other white blood cells, such as natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, eosnophils, neutrophils, mast cells and basophils.

These cells concentrate for protection at sites of injury or invasion by a foreign agent, and saturate the area with powerful chemicals to attack the invading substance or organism. While this is great protection, all of these substances irritate surrounding tissue, causing redness and swelling.

Cortisol flows into this area to extinguish the fire of inflammation lit by lymphocytes and other white cells. This keeps local white cells from hanging around and releasing their substances, and thus controls the number of lymphocytes and other white cells circulating at the site of inflammation.

This prevents the immune system from overreacting and controls the irritation and tissue destruction that occurs when a large number of white blood cells accumulate in one place.

Cortisol also reduces the rate at which lymphocytes multiply and accelerates their programmed death, which also protects the body from overreacting. It should be noted that when cortisol levels rise during an acute anxiety reaction, lymphocytes in the blood almost disappear.

This is why your immune system is suppressed if you are under stress or taking corticosteroids.

On the other hand, when the amount of circulating cortisol is low, its moderating effect on immune responses is lost and the number of lymphocytes in the circulation becomes excessive. In this situation, the inflammation is more pronounced, with more redness and swelling, and it takes longer for the inflamed tissue to return to normal.

Cardiovascular system

Cortisol has complex and sometimes opposing effects on the cardiovascular system. The most significant of these effects is the control of constriction of arterial walls to regulate blood pressure. The more cortisol circulating, the more the middle arteries constrict.

Thus, people with cortisol deficiency typically have abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension) and a reduced response to the body's other vascular constrictors.

Cortisol also directly affects the heart. It helps regulate sodium and potassium in heart cells and increases the contractile force of the heart muscle. Sodium and potassium levels are important for normal heart function.

Cortisol tends to increase blood pressure, but this effect is moderated by calcium and magnesium. These minerals are essential to prevent spasm when the heart muscle contracts, thus ensuring smooth heart function. They also relax artery walls, counteracting and balancing increased constriction caused by cortisol.

Central nervous system

Cortisol affects behavior, mood, excitability, and even the electrical activity of neurons in the brain. Changes in behavior are often observed in cases of excess or deficiency of cortisol, for example, sleep disturbances are common with both low and high cortisol levels.

Symptoms of hypoadrenia often include increased nervousness, decreased tolerance, decreased clarity of thinking, and memory impairment. This happens because the brain suffers from both an excess and a lack of cortisol. Proper balance is important for normal functioning during times of stress.

Stress

The close connection between cortisol and stress manifests itself in a variety of ways. Regardless of the source of stress, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is stimulated, resulting in increased cortisol secretion.

In animal tests, animals with weakened adrenal glands died even under moderate stress. However, if they were given cortisol, they survived the same stress. People with weakened adrenal glands can often tolerate moderate stress but become victims of severe stress.

As stress increases, higher amounts of cortisol are needed. When this amount of cortisol cannot be produced, the person is unable to respond to stress properly.

Even at normal levels, cortisol has the important function of preparing the body's various mechanisms so that they can respond accordingly when needed. During times of stress, cortisol must at the same time provide more glucose to the blood, mobilize fats and proteins to prepare glucose stores, and alter immune responses, heart rate, blood pressure, brain readiness, and nervous system responses. Without cortisol, these mechanisms cannot respond appropriately to stress.

Cortisol maintains life through two opposing but closely related regulatory functions: releasing and activating existing defense mechanisms and inhibiting these same mechanisms to prevent overreactions that lead to cell damage or death.

When this regulation is disrupted under stress, as occurs when cortisol levels are reduced, animals are in danger or may even die because their defense mechanisms do not respond properly or overreact.

For example, an increase in blood sugar by the adrenal glands during stress helps control insulin-induced hypoglycemia that would occur if more glucose were unavailable.

But cortisol also protects cells from the damaging effects of too much glucose by helping to increase the resistance of cell membranes to insulin, which prevents too much glucose from entering cells.

This moderating effect of cortisol is also seen in cortisol's modification of the immune response, where it controls the level of inflammation and limits the amount of potentially toxic substances released by white blood cells, thus protecting the body from autoimmunity and uncontrolled inflammation.

Cortisol is so important that when the HPA axis fails to increase cortisol activity in response to stress, these mechanisms become overactive and cause harm to the body.

Low cortisol levels, adrenal weakness and hypoglycemia

It has long been known that people who suffer from low blood sugar often also suffer from adrenal weakness. It is also known that people with hypoadrenia almost always exhibit disturbances in maintaining blood sugar levels, of which hypoglycemia is the most common. With hypoglycemia, cravings for sweets often develop, and there is a real physiological reason for this.

When the adrenal glands are weakened, their production of cortisol decreases and the level of cortisol circulating in the blood decreases. With a lack of cortisol, the conversion of glycogen into glucose in the liver becomes difficult. Fats, proteins and carbohydrates that can normally be converted into glucose also stop being converted.

These energy reserves, controlled by cortisol, are critical to achieving and maintaining normal sugar levels, especially during times of stress.

To complicate matters further, during times of stress, insulin levels rise as cells need more energy. Insulin permeabilizes cell membranes to glucose to provide them with more energy during times of stress. Without an adequate amount of cortisol to convert glycogen and prepare fats and proteins to replenish glucose stores, this increased need cannot be met. All this together leads to a decrease in sugar levels.

When a person with hypoadrenia experiences stress, the need for glucose increases, but the weakened adrenal glands cannot produce enough cortisol to produce the required amount of glucose from reserves. In a state of increased insulin and decreased cortisol, blood sugar levels drop rapidly.

In a physical survival situation, this can lead to death as reactions slow, thinking becomes confused, muscle strength declines, and other problems develop, leaving the person helpless and unable to defend himself or save himself.

In our society, when physical survival is not the primary source of stress, people cope with hypoglycemia due to hypoadrenia with a double-edged sword: eating something sweet with a cup of coffee or cola.

This is a fast-acting remedy that temporarily increases sugar levels with almost immediate effects.

They can practically feel the snack hit their head as their sugar levels skyrocket from near zero, relieving symptoms of hypoglycemia for 45 to 90 minutes. However, this is inevitably followed by a rapid drop to an even lower sugar level than before.

Hypoglycemia is a major stressor on the body, causing a constant need for urgent response, which further exhausts the adrenal glands. People who try to manage their hypoglycemia in the manner described above find themselves on a rollercoaster ride, with their sugar levels rising and falling unpredictably throughout the day until the next sugar drug.

This not only throws cortisol and insulin levels into disarray, but also the nervous system and the entire homeostasis of the body.

Thus, at the end of the day, a person may feel completely exhausted, having hardly accomplished anything. It may take him an entire evening or even an entire weekend to recover from this daily roller coaster.

A decrease in sugar levels most often occurs around 10, 2 and between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. It's no coincidence that work breaks are usually tied to this time, and people usually try to eat something sweet and/or drink coffee during these breaks.

Your brain also requires increased amounts of energy during times of stress and is especially affected when there is a lack of glucose. Although the brain uses several different sources of energy, it does not cope very well when there is a lack of glucose.

In essence, most of the mechanisms involved in blood sugar regulation are designed to ensure that the brain gets enough glucose in the first place. Many of the symptoms of hypoadrenia and most of the symptoms of hypoglycemia occur as a result of a lack of glucose in the brain tissue.

Hypoglycemia, if diet and adequate snacking are not followed, leads to overeating when food is finally available.

Overeating leads to rapid weight gain because it increases insulin in the blood, ready to send excess energy (glucose) from excess food into fat cells, where it will be stored as fat. Even if you don't like its effect, it is a perfect mechanism that helps the body survive.

Much of human history is a story of abundance or famine; excess calories have always been a luxury in evolutionary terms.

Therefore, when moving from a state of temporary starvation (hypoglycemia) to a situation with a calorie surplus, our evolutionary history encourages us to subconsciously overeat and our bodies are designed to conserve this energy while it is available. Thus, hypoglycemia creates the preconditions for weight gain.

If you don't want to gain weight, you should avoid these dips in blood sugar, which not only cause you to overeat, but also encourage your body to store energy as fat.

This requires regular exercise and dietary choices that help control hypoglycemia. This also means avoiding those sugar and caffeine-rich foods that send your sugar levels on a rollercoaster ride and thus further worsen hypoadrenia and hypoglycemia.

Starvation

Many people and also doctors are big proponents of fasting. At the same time, some of them have significant problems with prolonged fasting. They explain this by detoxifying the body. However, many of them actually develop symptoms of hypoadrenia, at which time they can cause more harm to the body than good.

During fasting, the body uses the adrenal glands to produce glucocorticoids to maintain blood sugar levels. Glucocorticoids maintain sugar levels by breaking down proteins into carbohydrates through the process of glucogenesis.

During fasting, the adrenal glands are under increased stress, and if a person is already suffering from hypoadrenia, or is close to it, he may experience a number of problems during fasting.

People with severe hypoadrenia should never do a complete fast. If necessary, this can be a juice diet of raw vegetables and fruits, taking the juice at short intervals. It is also better for them to fast for no more than one or two days.

Regulation of adrenal sex hormones

The production of adrenal sex hormones in the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex is mainly triggered by the same signal that initiates the production of aldosterone and cortisol - stimulation of cell membranes as a result of an increase in the amount of the hormone ACTH.

This releases cholesterol and sets off a cascade of reactions where cholesterol is converted into pregnenolone and pregnenolone into various sex hormones.

In the zona reticularis, unlike other adrenal zones, this cascade of reactions can occur in different ways, producing different sex hormones. For example, pregnenolone can be converted to progesterone, which can then be converted to androstenedione, or pregnenolone can be converted to dihydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), which can then be converted to androstenedione and then to estrone or testosterone, each of which can then be converted to estradiol .

Action of adrenal sex hormones and their precursors (precursors)

The adrenal glands produce both male and female sex hormones, regardless of gender. Any acquisition of masculine traits in women or feminine traits in men may be a result of stress on the adrenal glands. In men, the adrenal glands provide a secondary source of testosterone and are the sole source of the female hormone estrogen. In women, the adrenal glands provide a secondary source of estrogen and progesterone, and are the sole supplier of testosterone.

It is known that many women suffering from PMS (premenstrual syndrome) and the effects of menopause have decreased adrenal function. It is also known that when these women take adrenal gland extracts, they often report significant improvement or even disappearance of symptoms associated with PMS or menopause.

In boys during puberty, decreased adrenal function often manifests as less facial hair and less achievement drive, and thinner hair on the legs and arms. Libido with decreased adrenal function is usually reduced in both sexes.

In addition to its effects on secondary sexual characteristics, estrogen performs important metabolic functions at the cellular level in men and women.

Some researchers have linked estrogen to increased rates of coronary heart disease in men compared to women because... the number of such diseases in women after menopause becomes comparable to men of the same age. The only source of estrogen production in men is the adrenal glands, while in women before menopause, large amounts of estrogen are produced by the ovaries.

Women are more likely to exhibit secondary sex characteristics of men than vice versa, although both cases occur.

Women with an increased amount of body hair, especially on the face, or men with gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men) are most likely to seek help.

These symptoms occur due to increased production of sex hormones by the overactive adrenal cortex. The usual medical approach for women with excessive facial hair is to administer prednisone or other cortisone derivatives in an attempt to suppress the effects of the pituitary gland on the adrenal glands, thereby hoping to reduce testosterone production.

Although this sometimes helps, the patient must accept some side effects from taking cortisone-derived medications. If you look at this from the perspective of a global long-term effect, the unreasonableness of such therapy is understandable.

If such patients are examined for decreased adrenal function, it becomes apparent that the disease is stress-related. Typically, such patients fall into the category of the resistance stage of OSA (general adaptation syndrome), when the body responds to stress by increasing adrenal function.

Suppressing the effects of the pituitary gland on the adrenal glands means interfering with the body's attempts to adapt to stress, and as a result, long-term health may be sacrificed for short-term symptomatic relief.

It would be much better to improve the patient's ability to adapt to stress by identifying and eliminating (if possible) sources of stress, and supporting the adrenal glands and the entire endocrine system with available natural remedies.

During menopause, when estrogen levels drop, the adrenal glands may increase their estrogen production to make up for the deficiency. Menopause often occurs very quickly, without giving the adrenal glands sufficient time to increase their activity to meet increased demand. Further complicating matters is the fact that many of the patients are already in the debilitating stage of OSA by this time.

Hypoadrenia associated with menopause can present with a range of symptoms, ranging from simply feeling unwell to full-blown psychosis. This occurs because the adrenal glands are unable to withstand the load dumped on them without any warning by the ovaries. Any woman experiencing rapid menopause and associated symptoms should be tested for hypoadrenia.

They may complain of lower back pain that started around the time of menopause, or knee problems, or their eyes become more sensitive to light, etc. These are diagnostic features that can be obtained from the medical history. And weakening of the adrenal glands can also appear during a kinesiological examination of the muscles.

Pregnancy is a major stressor for many women. However, it often happens that, moving into the third trimester of pregnancy, a woman suddenly declares that she “feels better than she has in many years.”

This often happens in cases where the first two trimesters were particularly difficult. The fetal adrenal glands mature to the point where they can produce hormones in time for the start of the third trimester.

If the mother was in the exhaustion stage of OSA, often the baby's adrenal glands are struggling to produce enough hormones for the baby and mother.

The mother feels great.

The baby's adrenal glands support it.

But the baby’s adrenal glands are under stress even before birth! The result is doubly deplorable. The baby is born with adrenal fatigue and often shows signs of hypoadrenia. Symptoms vary, but the two most common symptoms are allergies and recurring infections. In a state of chronic stress, the thymus and other lymphatic structures atrophy, reducing the capabilities of immune mechanisms.

Likewise, with the loss of the baby's adrenal support, the mother returns to a state of adrenal exhaustion. Quite often, hypoadrenia in both mother and child should be treated.

Protective effect of adrenal sex hormones and their precursors

Adrenal sex hormones and their immediate precursors like DHEA, pregnenolone and androstenedione do more than simply complement or balance other sex hormones. They also help balance the effects of cortisol and act as cellular antioxidants. DHEA is a weak androgen, however it can be converted to testosterone, a more potent androgen.

In this way, sex hormones and DHEA limit the possible damaging effects of cortisol on cells and at the same time function as hormonal antioxidants. These precursors also have their own purpose, in addition to serving as raw materials from which sex hormones are produced. For example, DHEA is delivered to most cells and, once inside the cell, often becomes a resource from which local hormones can be produced to perform various specific tasks.

Physiological effect of stress and aging on adrenal sex hormones

The more the adrenal glands are stimulated by stress and internal needs, the weaker the reaction of the retinal zone. As a result, the release of sex hormones and their precursors by the adrenal glands is reduced under chronic stress and adrenal weakness. When less DHEA-S (Dihydroepiandrosterone Sulfate) is produced in the zona reticularis, less DHEA-S and DHEA are available for use by other cells. This reduces the body's ability to respond to increased demands for DHEA-S and DHEA, in turn increasing the negative effects of chronic stress.

Loss of libido is often associated with adrenal weakness, possibly due in large part to a drop in testosterone production by the adrenal glands (in both men and women). From your body's point of view, when you are stressed, it is not the best time for love because your energy is needed for survival.

The production of adrenal sex hormones and their precursors also decreases with age. Declining DHEA and testosterone levels are responsible for many degenerative aging processes. In fact, levels of these two hormones in men correspond to the degree of biological aging more than any other markers. With the loss of DHEA and testosterone, we lose the ability to counteract the effects of cortisol in our cells.

Regulation and action of aldosterone

Hypoadrenia and salt cravings

Aldosterone is produced in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. Like cortisol, aldosterone production follows a circadian cycle, with its highest peak around 8 a.m. and lowest levels between midnight and 4 a.m. Also, like cortisol, its release increases or decreases in response to stimulation of the adrenal cortex by the hormone ACTH. This means that aldosterone levels rise in stressful situations. However, aldosterone is not a feedback link that controls its release. Instead, its release depends on a negative feedback loop in which cortisol levels push ACTH activity. This means that cortisol determines the amount of ACTH, which in turn determines the production of cortisol and aldosterone, while aldosterone has no effect on this process.

The only thing that aldosterone-producing cells can do to regulate its production is to change their sensitivity to ACTH. Thus, after about 24 hours, cells in the zona glomerulosa become less sensitive to the effects of ACTH and stop producing increased amounts of aldosterone. The amount of circulating aldosterone decreases, even if ACTH levels are still high and there is still a need for increased aldosterone. This reduced production continues until the glomerular cells regain their sensitivity to ACTH, but in the meantime the reduced aldosterone levels cause many of the symptoms of hypoadrenia.

In a person under chronic stress, sodium and chloride levels in the urine should be checked. Chloride is measured by the so-called Koenisburg test, the same test that also provides information on sodium levels excreted in the urine. Excessive amounts of sodium are one of the first signals of the presence of hypoadrenia.

Aldosterone is responsible for maintaining fluid (water) and the concentration of certain minerals (sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride) in the blood, interstitial fluids and inside cells.

Working in conjunction with antidiuretic hormone from the pituitary gland and rennin and angiotensin from the kidneys, aldosterone maintains fluid balance and salt concentrations at approximately the same concentrations as seawater.

In the blood and interstitial fluids, sodium is the most predominant of the four minerals. The highest concentration of potassium is maintained inside the cells.

These four minerals are called electrolytes because they carry electrical impulses.

These electrolytes are very important for normal cell function and must remain in relatively constant proportions. Small changes in the proportion of one element to another, or their concentration in body fluids, mean changes in the properties of the fluid, cell membranes and biochemical reactions within cells. Most physiological reactions of the body depend to some extent on the concentration of electrolytes.

Aldosterone, during stress, appears to be the main link in controlling these connections, due to its effect on sodium and water concentrations.

Although this interaction is quite complex, the overall process is fairly easy to understand if we simply consider sodium in relation to aldosterone.

As aldosterone concentrations increase, sodium concentrations increase in the blood and interstitial fluid. Where sodium moves, so does water.

With adrenal weakness, the craving for salt is a direct result of a lack of aldosterone. As noted above, aldosterone controls sodium, potassium, and fluid volume in the body. When aldosterone secretion is normal, potassium, sodium and water levels are also normal. If aldosterone levels are high, sodium levels in circulating fluids are also high.

However, as circulating aldosterone falls, sodium is lost from the bloodstream, passed through the kidneys and excreted in the urine.

When sodium is eliminated, water is also lost. There is some loss of body fluids initially, but this does not become too severe unless the condition worsens. Once circulating sodium levels drop to approximately 50% of the body's original concentration, even small amounts of sodium loss or sodium restriction in the diet begin to have serious consequences.

If the sodium supply in the blood is not restored by ingesting salty foods or liquids, sodium and water from the interstitial fluid are drawn into the blood to keep sodium and water levels in the blood from falling too low.

If too much sodium or water is drawn out of the interstitial fluid, the sodium inside the cells begins to migrate into the interstitial fluid. The supply of sodium in the cells is small, since the proportion of potassium to sodium is maintained there as 15:1. When sodium is drawn out of cells, water also leaves with it.

As a result, the cell becomes dehydrated in addition to sodium deficiency. Further, to maintain the sodium/potassium ratio inside the cell at a constant level, potassium also begins to migrate out of the cells.

However, each cell has minimum requirements for the absolute content of sodium, potassium and water. If these needs are not met, cell function is impaired, even if the correct proportion of sodium and potassium is provided.

If you suffer from hypoadrenia, you must be very careful about how you restore your body's fluid levels.

Drinking too much water or other liquid without sufficient sodium recovery will make you feel even worse because the available amount of sodium in the blood will be further diluted. Also, cells need sodium to absorb water because there must be a sufficient amount of sodium inside the cell before water is absorbed back into the cell through the cell membranes.

If fluids and electrolytes are already low, you should always add salt.

Avoid drinking colas or sports drinks with electrolytes, as they are high in potassium and low in sodium, the exact opposite combination of what you need.

Commercial electrolyte drinks are designed for those who produce excess cortisol during exercise, not for people with low cortisol and aldosterone levels. Instead, it will be much better to drink a glass of water with ¼ - 1 tsp. salt, or eat something salty with water to restore both sodium and water.

When aldosterone levels are low, the body is dehydrated and lacking sodium, potassium cravings may also develop because the body reports that the cells lack potassium, as well as sodium and water.

However, after consuming only small amounts of food or drinks that contain potassium (fruits, juices, colas, and commercial electrolyte drinks), you may feel even worse because the potassium/sodium ratio is further disrupted.

What is really needed in this situation is a combination of all three, water, salt and potassium in the right proportions.

One easy way to do this is to drink small portions of water with food sprinkled with seaweed powder (kelp). Kelp contains potassium and sodium. Depending on taste and symptoms, you can add more sea salt.

Sea salt is better because it contains additional small amounts of other minerals. Another method is vegetable juice made from celery and chard, diluted with water.

Typically, within 24 to 48 hours, your body's hydration and electrolyte balance will stabilize enough to begin an adrenal-supporting diet.

You should continue to drink salted water or vegetable juices 2-4 times throughout the day, varying the amount of salt according to taste, and also avoid foods high in potassium in the morning when cortisol and aldosterone levels are low.

Never eat or drink foods or drinks that have diuretic properties or that may cause electrolyte loss, such as alcohol and coffee, especially if you have been exposed to the sun or are otherwise dehydrated.

One of the problems people with hypoadrenia have is the need to constantly fight dehydration and sodium loss.

When there is insufficient aldosterone, the kidneys allow sodium, chloride and water to be excreted into the urine and maintain ionic balance by retaining potassium. Some people with low aldosterone levels show signs of dehydration. The appearance of the tongue is one of the most easily observed indicators of dehydration.

Normally, if you run your finger along the protruding tongue, you should feel fairly smooth. Your finger should glide as easily as an ice cube on a damp sheet of wax paper. If your tongue is rough like sandpaper or you feel friction or your finger gets stuck or sticks to the surface of the tongue, this is an indicator of insufficient fluid in the tissues.

A person may report increased urination, up to 15-20 times a day. Also, due to the action of aldosterone on the sweat glands, increased sweating or sweating may occur in the absence of physical activity.

A person with low aldosterone may also experience other symptoms. For normal functioning of the nervous system there must be a sufficient supply of sodium outside the cell membrane and a sufficient supply of potassium inside the cell. They must be balanced.

If this balance is disrupted by sodium loss and potassium retention, the nervous system will not be able to normally generate and conduct electrical impulses (action potentials) and function at normal levels. This can present with a range of symptoms, including muscle twitching and even cardiac arrhythmia.

Pupil effect

With chronic sodium-potassium imbalance, a person develops a paradoxical pupil effect.

Normally, when the eye is illuminated with bright light, the pupil narrows. This pupil constriction must be maintained for at least 30 seconds.

In people with hypoadrenia (especially in the stage of adrenal fatigue), one of the following effects may be found:

1. Pupil size will fluctuate (fluctuate) in response to light. This is actual expansion and contraction, not minor tremors.

2. The pupils initially constrict to light, but then dilate abnormally when light stimulation is continued for more than 30 seconds. Such patients often complain of eye sensitivity to light (for example, when going outside on a sunny day) or wear dark glasses outdoors or even indoors in bright light.

Edema of the extremities

Another problem associated with decreased levels of mineral corticoids during hypoadrenia is swelling of the limbs. When a patient with hypoadrenia loses water and sodium through urine and sweat, he tends to become dehydrated, and we would hardly expect signs of water retention or edema. But this is exactly what we see in some cases of hypoadrenia.

When the body loses large amounts of extracellular sodium and therefore intracellular potassium, we can see how an osmotic gradient develops.

If the osmotic difference (created by increased sodium trying to take its place inside the cell and decreased extracellular sodium) is large enough, the body attempts to correct the osmotic imbalance by passing extracellular fluid into the cells.

The body tries to dilute the potassium inside the cell with water to bring the system into osmotic balance. The cells absorb water and swelling develops.

Often, such patients are prescribed diuretics based only on these symptoms. Diuretics rarely help in such patients and often further aggravate the tendency to dehydration.

Stress is a response to external factors. It is considered one of the main causes of psychosomatic diseases. According to research, the stages of stress at different stages have differences, knowledge of which will become a tool for effectively combating negative consequences.

Types and symptoms of stress

For many, this concept is associated with negative emotions, but according to the nature of a person’s reaction to a stressful situation, two types of conditions are distinguished:

1. Eustress caused by positive emotions helps a person to mobilize and understand the stages of solving a problem in order to prevent complications of the situation.
2. Distress is a negative manifestation that reduces the body's defenses. This condition leads to depletion of the body's resources, as well as significant changes in human health and behavior.

Depending on the nature of the stimulus, stress can be of several types:

• physical - a person is affected by weather or temperature phenomena: heat, cold, rain, wind;
• emotional - arising as a result of strong experiences;
• physiological - occurs due to disruptions in the functioning of individual human organs, injuries, and excessive physical activity.

The duration of the condition varies and can be of 2 types:

• short-term - suddenly appears, develops and goes away after eliminating the source;
• chronic is the most destructive form of the body, lasting for a long time.

Stress hormones affect various indicators of the human body, causing numerous reactions, among which the most common symptoms are the following:

• increased fatigue and reluctance to communicate with others;
• depression;
• constant dissatisfaction and irritation;
• lack of concentration;
• refusal to eat or increased appetite;
• arrhythmia and accelerated pulse;
• attacks of suffocation and dizziness.

The pathological condition includes 3 stages of general adaptation syndrome.

Stages of stress development

Canadian physiologist Hans Selye classified 3 stages of stress that are interconnected. Each phase has its own characteristics. At the moment of exposure to the stimulus, the body’s response appears - the speed of change of stages depends on various factors:

• mental stability to negative changes;
• strength of the stress factor;
• ability to assess the situation;
• state of the central nervous system of the body;
• experience of behavior in a similar situation.

Due to the individual characteristics of the nervous system, people react differently to the same mental stress.

The first stage of stress: anxiety

The first stage, the anxiety reaction, occurs when a stressful situation occurs. At this time, the body's resistance decreases. The state of anxiety prevails over other feelings at this stage. Reacting to hormones, the body prepares to defend itself or flee. This phase of stress is characterized by the following reactions:

• disturbance of appetite and digestion of food;
• loss of ability to evaluate one's own actions or thoughts;
• poor self-control;
• feeling of restlessness, anxiety;
• a change in behavior to the opposite (an emotional and active person withdraws into himself, while a balanced person can flare up or show aggression).

Second stage of stress: resistance

If a person is able to cope with the situation, phase 2 of adaptation begins. During the resistant stage, the defenses are strengthened - the body actively resists the external stimulus. At this moment, it is important to find motivation to cope with the problem that has arisen. The following processes occur:

• mobilization of body systems;
• reduction of psychological manifestations of stress (aggression, arousal process, feelings of anxiety).

If the stressful situation stops, gradually all body functions return to normal. If the source persists, the next stage of stress development begins.

The third stage of stress: exhaustion

This phase of stress development is characterized by exhaustion of the nervous system—the body’s resources are exhausted. The person is unable to cope with the factors that caused the disorder. At this moment, various pathological conditions may appear:

• repeated feelings of anxiety;
• guilt complex;
• cosmetic disorders (skin rashes, hair loss, wrinkles, etc.);
• psychological disorders;
• depression;
• psychosomatic diseases (dermatitis, high blood pressure, bronchial asthma, etc.);
• circulatory disorders;
• in severe cases - death.

Understanding the causes of stress, the stages of which can be traced regardless of the nature of the stimulus, is an important condition for the successful resolution of the situation.

How to recover from stress

It is important for a person who has experienced three stages of stress to overcome psychological discomfort, since prolonged stress is a dangerous condition that destroys the body and leads to a nervous breakdown. Effective recovery measures are needed. There are various ways to do this, from which you can choose one or more options:

• elimination of the stress factor, otherwise negative changes in the person’s condition will continue;
• proper rest to recuperate;
• psychotherapy sessions will help formulate life values ​​and increase psychological stability;
• physical activity will help get rid of negative energy;
• breathing techniques reduce the effects of stress and reduce its impact;
• physiotherapeutic methods have a positive effect on the nervous system: magnetic and acupuncture therapy, acupressure, etc.;
• spa therapy procedures restore in a natural way: balneology, mud therapy, thalassotherapy, etc.;
• meditation is a way by which a person is able to help himself;
• art therapy is a treatment method that helps shift attention to creativity;
• aromatherapy calms the nervous system by affecting the olfactory receptors with aromas;
• travel, during which a person gains new acquaintances, emotions and sensations;
• medications: sedatives, antidepressants, dietary supplements, etc.

In addition to the above, it is important to pay attention to nutrition. A well-designed diet will help the body cope with the negative consequences:

• no overeating;
• refusal of high-calorie foods;
• adding to the diet foods that promote the production of endorphins - happiness hormones: bananas, strawberries, avocados, dark chocolate;
• reducing the consumption of caffeine-containing products: coffee, tea, Coca-cola;
• limiting meat and fish dishes;
• exclusion of alcoholic beverages.

Each person who has experienced a stressful situation is recommended to select an individual recovery method based on his mental state and needs.

Stress is one of the most important reasons for the development of psychosomatic pathologies. It can occur in absolutely every person, regardless of their gender, working conditions, or age. A condition such as distress, which implies a long and intense course, passing through all phases of stress, is a trigger for the development of hypertension and various arrhythmias. It can also cause disruption of the digestive canal, leading to gastritis or colitis. Headaches and decreased libido almost always accompany stress.

The main causes of stress are considered to be a large number of different situations that we perceive as dangerous, and quite often there is an inadequate reaction to them. This triggers mechanisms for mobilizing the protective resources of our body. This causes the development of stress, the stages of which are known to almost all people.

It should be borne in mind that stress is realized through the release of hormones into the bloodstream. The main characters are adrenaline and norepinephrine. This means that the main manifestations of this condition will be those caused by these hormones. The body of absolutely all people reacts to stress in a completely identical way, so there are three stages of stress, described back in 1936 by the scientist Hans Selye.

Main etiological reasons

Experts divide trigger factors for stress into physiological and psychological. The former provoke the development of biological stress, and the latter psycho-emotional.

Physiological causes are considered to be those impacts that can injure a person due to unfavorable environmental conditions or other traumatic impacts. Most often we are talking about temperature conditions, all kinds of damage, insufficient food or water, life-threatening factors, as well as other situations that can undermine health.

However, today much more attention is paid to psychological aspects. They are divided into informational and emotional components, which relate to psychological reasons. They do not harm human health, but the duration of their influence is much longer, which reduces the possibility of a normal, natural reaction to them. This leads to significantly increased stress levels. Psychosomatic pathologies develop precisely under the influence of psychological stress.

All stages of stress development arise under the influence of conflict situations, high workload, the constant need to invent something, or, conversely, from overly monotonous work. A high level of responsibility also implies a high level of stress, since the body is constantly tense, which leads to the depletion of its protective reserves.

Recent research from specialists in this field highlights environmental stress. The body's ability to survive in difficult conditions is studied. This is not just about environmental pollution. For example, living in apartment or high-rise buildings, neglecting physical activity due to the elevator or transport, the presence of all kinds of electrical appliances. All this leads to disruption of normal human biorhythms, provoking a constant high level of stress.

Anxiety

All phases of stress have a typical course. Anxiety is characterized by the fact that the body, having received a surge of hormones, begins its preparation to protect itself from a traumatic factor or to escape from it. This stage develops due to the influence of adrenal hormones; the immune system and digestive organs also take part in it. It should be taken into account that a decrease in the body’s resistance to pathogenic microorganisms also applies to this stage. This also includes processes such as decreased appetite and impaired digestion of food.

If a traumatic, stressful situation was quickly resolved, then all the changes that the body has undergone will pass without any trace or harm. It can be resolved in the following ways:

• Escape;
• Fight;
• Truce;
• Conflict resolution by any means.

With a prolonged course of such a factor, inadequate reactions of the body may begin, which indicate that the body’s reserves are running out. In the case of very strong stressful situations, especially those that have a physiological basis - injuries, overheating, hypothermia, very often lead to death.

Resistance or resistance

The second stage occurs when the level of adaptive capabilities of the human body is significantly exceeded; it cannot cope with such a load on its own. This stage of stress implies the continuation of the functioning of the body, while it is very difficult to distinguish it from normal by external signs. All processes, both physiological and psychological, are mobilized, they move to higher levels. All psychological manifestations, such as anxiety, aggressive behavior, increased excitability, are significantly reduced and may disappear completely.

It should be borne in mind that the human body cannot adapt indefinitely; there are certain levels that cannot be exceeded. If this happens, then the person goes through all the phases of stress development at once, and so-called exhaustion develops.

Exhaustion is somewhat similar to the first stage of severe stress, but has nothing in common with the second. It is important to understand that it is already impossible to mobilize all the body’s reserves. Consequently, right now he is screaming for help, both physiologically and psychologically.

During stage 3, there is a high risk of developing psychosomatic pathologies, and a large number of psychological pathologies also arise. If the stress factor is not eliminated from contact with a person, then his condition is significantly decompensated, and in especially severe cases, death is possible.

Decompensation often manifests itself as long-term severe depression. It is also possible to develop a nervous breakdown. The dynamics of this stage of stress are always negative, that is, in order for a person to win, he needs outside support. Sometimes these can be psychological aspects of help, psychotherapy, and quite often they resort to medications. It is important to promptly eliminate the trigger factor, as well as help the person overcome it.

Treatment

If the level of stress is insignificant, then it can be overcome without outside help. But the second stage requires outside support. Treatment of stress should always be comprehensive. It includes not only psychological support, but also various therapeutic measures. Particular attention should be paid to a person's lifestyle.

Biological stress requires the elimination of the traumatic factor, after which patients are prescribed medicinal procedures or drugs. Quite often they are not required, since the hormonal imbalance is very short-term.

Psychological stress, along with environmental stress, requires the following approaches:

• Rationalization of lifestyle. This is the basis for successful healing. It requires changes in all areas, giving up bad habits, normalizing work and rest, and sleep. You should also pay attention to a nutritious diet and physical activity. Elimination of excess body weight and regular exercise will not be superfluous.
• The second most important approach to stress therapy is the use of adequate physical activity. It is the physiological mechanism for the disposal of stress hormones. With its help, it is also possible to prevent this condition, since it can prevent its development or significantly reduce its intensity. It is also important to note that physical activity promotes the production of hormones of pleasure or joy - endorphins, serotonin. The type of activity should be selected individually by the attending physician; it directly depends on the physical fitness and capabilities of the individual patient.
• Psychological support – psychotherapy sessions. The duration of such treatment is selected by a specialist.
• Drug therapy depends on the severity of stress and the presence of psychosomatic pathology.