The adrenal glands are small glands that sit above the kidneys.
They produce hormones that help regulate our stress response but also help control metabolism, immune function, and blood pressure.
Hormones
They secrete various hormones, these include cortisol, adrenaline, and Norepinephrine.
Cortisol is considered the primary stress hormone, increasing blood sugar when stress is detected.
This is an essential bodily function, however, when we are constantly stressed this is when problems can occur……
Fight or Flight
Let’s go back to Stone age times…..When a Stone age person was being chased by a wild animal, stress hormones were released to give the person the energy to escape.
The heart rate would increase, blood pressure would rise and more glucose would be released into the bloodstream.
This is known as the fight or flight response and is used to get people out of danger!
Adding to an Already Full Plate!
The problem here is the adrenals can’t differentiate between physiological and psychological stress.
Therefore, this response will occur just the same if we get overwhelmed at work or with family issues, etc.
Problems occur when an individual is chronically stressed, meaning they are constantly pumping out large amounts of stress hormones.
Essentially it is like having a plate full yet you keep adding to it!
Different Stressors
This issue is very common in people with highly pressured jobs and recreational endurance athletes as of course these athletes are releasing a large number of stress hormones when training.
In addition to this if a stressful job is added to the mix, plus family stresses this can certainly lead to compromised adrenal function.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of high stress hormone levels are fatigue (you feel like you’re dragging yourself through the day), irritability, lack of motivation and drive, blood sugar imbalances, sleep disturbances, and increased body fat (especially around the abdomen).
This will all lead to a lack of endurance in both general life and in a sporting context!
How do we Stop This?
How can we stop the overproduction of these hormones?…..By a mixture of diet, lifestyle changes, and supplementation.
A key aspect is balancing blood sugar. Spikes in blood sugar causes these hormones to flood the body.
Therefore, it is wise to build the diet around whole grains like brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, whole wheat bread and quinoa.
Fibre, Protein and Healthy Fats
Consume plenty of vegetables and low-sugar fruits, especially berry fruits including raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and blueberries.
This will add lots of fibre to the diet which will help balance blood sugar, as well as being very nutrient-dense to help support the adrenal glands.
Aim for lean meats like chicken, and turkey and oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna, and sardines.
Healthy fats like nuts and seeds, olive oil, and avocados should also be included. (1)
Foods to Reduce
The foods to reduce are those high in sugar and refined carbohydrates e.g., sugary drinks, cakes, biscuits, and white bread as these will send your blood sugar skyrocketing!
Another tip is to reduce caffeine.
This substance has a big stimulating effect on the adrenal glands, adding to therefore increasing cortisol production.
Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle guidance is focused on stress reduction and therefore slowing the release of adrenal hormones.
For exercise, you could also look at restorative exercises like yoga and Pilates.
If you are an endurance athlete, make sure you are not over training e.g., take rest days and follow a hard day with an easy day, etc.
Try meditation, breathing techniques, and other stress-relieving activities. Try and get out in nature and read a book rather than watch TV before bed.
Supplements
The last area I want to touch on is supplements to support the adrenal glands.
These should be taken to support a healthy diet/lifestyle and certainly not instead of!
A study showed a high dose of Vitamin C has been shown to support adrenal gland function.
The adrenal glands contain a high concentration of vitamin C to operate optimally, this is depleted in highly stressed individuals
Magnesium is also very beneficial, low levels of this nutrient have been linked to increased stress levels, as outlined in the study.
B vitamins are needed throughout the adrenal cascade, B5 is needed for the conversion of glucose into energy (1).
Two herbs that have been shown to support the adrenals are Rhodiola and Ashwagandha, these are adaptogenic herbs meaning they help the body adapt to stress.
A study suggests Ashwagandha can lower cortisol levels in stressed Individual’s and help promote restful sleep.
Take Home
Compromised adrenal function will affect your endurance in all aspects of your life, however, a combination of adapting your diet, and lifestyle and taking beneficial supplements can nourish these tiny glands which will thank you, by increasing your endurance for years to come.
Interested in how I can help manage stress? you can book a Nutrition consultation with me.
Find out more about working with a Nutritionist by clicking the link.
I also offer Corporate Nutrition Workshops to help reduce stress in the workplace through improved nutrition to improve employees well-being.
References
- Nicolle, L. and Beirne, A.W (2010) Biochemical Imbalances in Disease, Singing Dragon. London
