Chronic Stress & Fatigue

Stress and fear of imminent danger trigger cortisol release from the adrenal glands and in short doses, this vital lifesaving hormone has numerous important functions, like regulating our immune system, decreasing inflammation, increasing muscle contraction, increasing blood sugar and blood pressure, so that we can have a surge of energy all to ready us for fight or flight. This is all controlled by the hypothalamic-pituitary [HPA] axis. Cortisol serum levels are highest in the morning to help wake us and dip at nighttime to allow us to sleep ¹.

In acute stress, DHEA levels have also been shown to increase, and DHEA serves to counter the adverse effects of cortisol. However, chronic stress has been shown to cause HPA axis dysfunction, which includes cortisol depletion, glucocorticoid receptor resistance (the cortisol receptors do not react to cortisol anymore) or an over-active negative feedback mechanism ¹ (i.e. the normal mechanism of decreasing inflammation stops) along with decreasing DHEA levels over time ². Chronic stress, therefore, can trigger inflammation & chronic pain, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, low back pain, myopathy (muscle pain), temporomandibular joint dysfunction and sciatica.

In addition, dysfunctional cognitive evaluations or beliefs about the perceived threat of potential stressors can lead to an amplified physiological stress reaction, which may trigger, worsen, or prolong the experience of pain. Notably, pain itself can act as a stressor, and when it is viewed as threatening or alarming, this maladaptive perception may intensify the physiological stress response, further contributing to chronic pain and disability ¹.  In addition, HPA axis dysfunction can also impede weight loss and contribute to elevated insulin and diabetes ³. Stress and elevated cortisol can trigger thyroid and female hormone imbalances  by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPO), resulting in declines of progesterone and oestrogen and potentially worsening perimenopause and menopause symptoms ⁴. Incorrect eating habits and deficiencies such as omega 3, vitamins D, B6, B12, folate, C, A, E, magnesium and zinc are all linked to HPA axis dysfunction and stress intolerance ⁵ . 

Although there is often nothing we can do about the ever present work and personal related stress,  there is a lot we can do regarding building stress resilience nutritionally and with lifestyle interventions, thereby improving how our body’s respond to stress. In addition to this, we can also make use of functional testing to assess more in depth how the HPA axis is functioning. If you would like to find out more, click here to book a free 15-minute consultation or a 60-90 minute initial consult to find out more.