Adrenal Balance 101

by Glen Depke, Traditional Naturopath

So many people are reaching out to understand how to properly balance adrenal function, so here you go. 

I first want to bring up something mentioned by Dr Daniel Kalish in the adrenal summit, Dan mentioned that adrenal function is actually becoming a much more popular subject these days, but unfortunately, many people are being tested with little knowledge behind this as far as what to do. And to add, the big what to do is actually assisting the body in resetting the feedback loop also known as the HPA axis or the hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal axis. Understand that this feedback loop is essential to bring your body into a state of relaxation after a stressful event. If the HPA axis is not functioning properly, you can be focusing on your health and actually live with the frustration of very little or no improvement. Yikes!

So knowing that you have to help the body reset the feedback loop, how do you know if your feedback loop is dysfunctional? Testing of course, and how do you test this properly. Testing adrenals properly requires looking at cortisol throughout the day, which is easily accomplished by saliva testing. Yes, it is as easy as spitting in a tube 4 times per day. While some may not feel that this sounds enjoyable, the value of knowing where your adrenal function is, is completely invaluable and this is all because of the fore mentioned HPA axis. If this is burnt out, you want to know! 

I do not recommend blood testing because this will only provide one cortisol level through the day as opposed to four times within the day. Also the saliva testing provides a DHEA average, four cortisol levels along with a total cortisol and cortisol:DHEA ratio. For those using a comprehensive test kit, which is always my recommendation, you would also get a look at estradiol, estriol, progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione and melatonin. This is often invaluable because I cannot tell you the countless times I see estrogen type hormones either too high or low, elevated and often toxic levels of progesterone due to the use of creams and even men that are converting testosterone into estrogens due to an over production of an enzyme referred to as aromatase. This can be some scary stuff but really, only if you do not look at it. As long as you are living and breathing, there is always hope of balancing your adrenals, but you have to know where they're at.

Now once you have the adrenal function assessed you can work on a protocol to balance. The protocols used at Depke Wellness are to work at the beginning of hormone production. This would include the use of the Prime Adrenal Support (vitamin B5) and the two baseline liquid sublingual hormones pregnenolone and DHEA. The vitamin B5 is needed as one of the raw materials to produce the mother hormone pregnenolone and the DHEA and pregnenolone support will allow the adrenals to find their balance and reset that HPA axis discussed above. This way you can eventually get off the protocols and enjoy normal healthy functioning adrenals in the future.

Notice that I did not mention taking bio-identical hormones, progesterone creams or testosterone creams. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen these toxin in clients when we review their saliva test kits due to the use of the hormone creams. Heck, just today I have a women that was taking progesterone creams for only two months that should have a level of approximately 5 to 95 that is actually living with a level over 2,500. No 2,500 was not a typo! I have even seen men that were working with other practitioners recognizing low testosterone, only to take testosterone without knowing that this is being converted into estrogens and they are now toxic in estrogen type hormones. Again, this can be scary stuff if you do not know what you are doing and that is exactly what Dr Daniel Kalish mentioned in his interview.

Now there is other support I would also offer such as a liquid ionized form of zinc, buffered ascorbic acid powder (not corn derived of course), LiquiNutrients and a liquid DHA/EPA-CoQ10. These are all supportive factors but the nuts and bolts of the protocols are the Prime Adrenal Support (vitamin B5) and the liquid sublinguals of DHEA and pregnenolone.

*Very Important!!!

DO NOT take these on your own without testing and under guidance. Hormones require a delicate balance and while you do not want them too low, you do not want them too high either. Please be careful and work with somebody that uses saliva testing that also knows how to assist your body in resetting that HPA axis.

Another important point to make is that when your adrenals are off, this truly is not an adrenal issue. The deeper issue that absolutely has to be addressed is actually the triggers for the adrenal issues. Here are the main triggers.

• (SAD) standard American diet high in sugar, caffeine and processed food
• Food sensitivities
• Chronic infection
• Chronic stress or suppressed emotions
• Chronic inflammatory states
• Poor fundamentals of health

So you see, if you only use an adrenal protocol and do not get to the triggers, this will be an ongoing problem for you. So in the end, address your adrenal function and get to your triggers with somebody that understands this world.  

If you are new to Depke Wellness and you would like to schedule a complimentary 20 minute phone consultation, call our office at (949)954-6226. We would love to assist you in your journey to health and happiness.

Please feel free to post below if you have any questions.