Hypothalamo-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Dysfunction in Chronic Fatigue
It is wonderful to see an article address this aspect of fatigue, whether related to CFS or not. Slowing down of the adrenal cortex, most commonly as a result of the nutrient deprived, high stress Western lifestyle, can lead to fatigue. Adrenal function tests are well accepted and easy to do. Salivary analysis of the free hormones (remember that the “free” ones are the form of hormones that do the work…typical bloodwork looks for the bound hormones, which are non-functional) can give a very good picture of the health of the adrenal cortex. Most studies look for levels of dhea and cortisol. Treatment for hypocortisolism in this study looks to low dose hydrocortisone. However, natural treatments to balance out cortisol levels are also quite common and effective.
JCEM — Abstracts: Cleare et al. 86 (8): 3545