Microblog: Fasting Is Not the Culprit for Adrenal Insufficiency

I’m not an endocrinologist but I do know that when people blame fasting for adrenal fatigue, I’m sorry but that’s misinformation on so many levels.

☝🏼The term “adrenal fatigue” is outdated. We now know that the endocrine system includes the adrenals byway of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis.

➡️Our adrenals are impacted by many factors. Too many to list here and so I’ll share several graphics to show the complexity of hormones and the endocrine system.

❓How do you even know it’s the adrenals? Which part? The adrenal cortex? The adrenal medulla?

⚠️If you’re already adrenal insufficient and you start extending fasting (24+ Hrs) AND undereating OR eating ANY carbs, have POOR gut health (you can’t breakdown foods to absorb cholesterol to even create hormones like cortisol to manage your stress), then yes, maybe EFing isn’t for you.

⁉️But what if you worked on the gut, ate no carbs and managed stress levels with meditation, breathing, etc.? Do you still think extended fasting is the issue?

💡What we do know is that what puts our adrenals under chronic stress are:
– Refined carbs
– Coffee and alcohol
– Work and emotional stress
– Digestive issues
– Nutritional deficiencies

🕳We also know that elevated cortisol causes insulin resistance and we know that dark rabbit hole (slide 3). One thing this also does is cause poor mineral absorption by cells. Then how do we make cortisol? We need these minerals as cofactors and enzymes to have our body function optimally.

Is it really the fasting?

🚨Many things impact the adrenals and endocrine system. To say it’s fasting is not evidence-based, especially when citing studies where participants are eating a glucose-driven diet. Imagine Day 2 of fasting for a SAD dieter. Do you think they have ideal electrolytes and ketones? Sorry, these studies are so far from ideal.

🍽With extended fasting you may have a SMALL stretch of an argument with the adrenals but to say intermittent fasting causes adrenal insufficiency is completely off the mark.

👩🏻‍⚕️For adrenal fatigue/insufficiency and hormone imbalances, get to the root cause. In these cases, functional testing may be needed. Don’t just blame fasting.