Chronic Fatigue vs. Adrenal Fatigue — And How to Know What’s Causing Your Exhaustion

Life is full of so many demands, and at times it can feel downright exhausting trying to keep up. But if you’re yawning through every second of the day or can barely keep your eyes open after any amount of exertion, you could be dealing with something beyond your “typical” tiredness.

We’re talking about the kind of fatigue that isn’t just about waking up tired after a bad night’s sleep. It’s a state of extreme weariness that interrupts your daily life to the point where you feel a lack of desire to do things you enjoy; you can’t concentrate or focus; you’re nervous, anxious, or irritable; or you’re suffering from muscle weakness and pain. Worst of all, often you can’t put your finger on why you feel so worn out.

When this kind of extreme tiredness has lasted for at least six months and can’t be fully explained by an underlying medical condition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines it as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or myalgic encephalomyelitis.

Other characteristic symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome, the MayoClinic reports, include difficulties with memory, focus and concentration; post-exertional malaise, where your symptoms get worse after any physical or mental activity; dizziness that worsens with moving from lying down or sitting to standing; sore throat; headaches; enlarged lymph nodes in your neck or armpits; and unexplained muscle or joint pain.

Historically, correctly diagnosing chronic fatigue is often difficult, and too often, people suffer without help. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to get to the root of your issues if you think you could be dealing with CFS. Because certain biomarkers are linked to a lack of energy and fatigue, lab work is often a good place to start.

Deficiencies in vitamin D can lead to fatigue and harmful sleep patterns, while poor memory and the inability to learn and focus can be linked to higher blood sugar levels via an HbA1c test. A lack of B12 is associated with overall energy, concentration, focus, and memory issues, and ferritin levels are key to understanding how efficiently oxygen is getting delivered to all areas of your body.

Irregularities in thyroid hormones like T3, T4, and TSH can affect how your body regulates energy. And measuring certain hormones---including testosterone and cortisol, AKA the “stress hormone”---can identify whether you’re suffering from adrenal issues.

If you’re not sure what’s causing symptoms like lethargy, brain fog, and fatigue, all of these hormones, nutrients and vitamins can be tested at home with the Base Energy Testing Plan. As with all health issues, once you have an accurate diagnosis, you can begin to take the proper steps to heal. In the case of CFS, you can focus on symptom relief, which will be different for everyone but may include tools such as antidepressants that can help improve sleep and relieve pain, medications to regulate blood pressure or heart rhythms, pain relief medication, lifestyle and dietary changes, and therapy.

Before understanding what adrenal fatigue is, you have to know what the adrenal glands do. These two small organs sit on top of each kidney and produce hormones that regulate your immune system, blood pressure, metabolism, and stress response, according to the Endocrine Society. These hormones include cortisol (AKA the “stress hormone,” which triggers the release of energy in your body), aldosterone, and norepinephrine, among others.

However, adrenal fatigue is not a diagnosis like chronic fatigue syndrome. In fact, the Endocrinology Society maintains that “no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition.” And a recent review published in the journal BMC Endocrine Disorders concluded that there is no scientific basis to name adrenal impairment as a cause of fatigue.

That said, the medical term “adrenal insufficiency” refers to inadequate production of one or more of the hormones produced by the adrenal glands. One theory suggests that prolonged exposure to stress can deplete your adrenal glands, putting your body in a state where it’s not producing enough cortisol, reports Harvard Health. As a result, you might experience brain fog, low energy, depressive mood, salt and sweet cravings, lightheadedness, and other symptoms. These are common symptoms, however, which could be attributed to a number of health issues (including---but not limited to---anemia, sleep apnea, autoimmune diseases, infections, other hormonal impairments, mental illnesses, heart and lung problems, and kidney and liver diseases).

Since scientific research hasn’t shown adrenal fatigue to be an official diagnosis, there isn’t a test to identify it. But blood tests that check the levels of hormones produced by your adrenal glands (like cortisol or testosterone, which helps maintain energy) and thyroid (which controls your metabolism, or how your body turns food into energy) can be ordered by doctors to diagnose diseases of the adrenal glands. These levels can also be tested at home with the Base Energy Testing Plan.

It can be incredibly frustrating to deal with symptoms like lethargy, brain fog, and fatigue that affect the quality of your life. But uncovering irregularities related to any of the biomarkers mentioned above can help you resolve your issues. If you’re merely deficient in vitamins D or B12, for example, supplements can help get those levels back up to normal. Likewise, thyroid problems could require medication or may be helped with diet supplements, herbal medicines, and other natural remedies.