ARTICLES

Athletic Training and Its toll on Adrenal Function

By Dr. Justin Lafreniere BSc. ND.

We often think of exercise as a stress-relieving technique, however, the physical stress of athletic training can certainly takes its toll. The phrase “stress + rest = success” is certainly not new to training athletes, but what exactly is going on during exercise? How is the stress of exercise affecting your body and how can you improve your training and performance ability?

When we look at muscle metabolism, we need to consider a few different factors. Muscle metabolism can be divided into two separate categories, anabolism (the building of muscle) and catabolism (the breakdown of muscle). The role of hormones in muscle metabolism has largely focused on anabolic hormones, primarily testosterone. While it is certainly well understood that testosterone will increase muscle anabolism, what about the break down of muscle? Cortisol, the hormone that is largely responsible for catabolism is secreted from your adrenal glands, two small glands that sit above your kidneys. If adrenal function is compromised, it can lead to poor athletic performance as well as a number of other problematic symptoms.

The adrenal glands serve to help the body cope with stress in a couple of different ways. The secretion of the catecholamines, epinephrine and nor-epinephrine (also know as adrenaline), regulate the autonomic nervous system during times of stress. The catecholamines are responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response, which gives the nervous system a stimulant response to increase heart rate, increase muscular activity, and increase breathing rate, so that the body can deal with the stressful event. In addition to catecholamines, the adrenal gland secretes over 50 different hormones in response to stress. The most important of these is cortisol.

Cortisol has a variety of different functions throughout the body. It increase blood sugar to fuel muscles, suppresses inflammation and the immune system, constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure, prevents sleep, and prevents the rebuilding of muscle. All of these effects are necessary to help deal with acute and immediate stress. Cortisol levels should peak around 8 am and gradual decline until its lowest point at midnight. However, problems arise as a result of habitual over-training, in addition to all the other life stressors that we have, and cortisol secretion remains high continuously. Unfortunately, this can lead to serious repercussions that will not only impact your athletic performance, but your overall health. The resulting chronic illness is known as adrenal fatigue and overtraining syndrome.

The following is a list of symptoms associated with adrenal fatigue and overtraining syndrome:

Decreased athletic performance
Weight gain, especially abdominal
Excessive fatigue, and lack of motivation
Difficulty sleeping, despite fatigue
High frequency of respiratory infections such as colds and flu
Muscle soreness, especially after exertion and workouts
Lightheadness, especially when rising from recumbent position
Need for coffee ‘to get going’ in morning
Increased symptoms of PMS and changes in menstruation in women
Cravings for high protein, high fat, and salty foods
Difficulty remembering things
Reduced sex drive

Adrenal fatigue is certainly becoming more prevalent in my clinical practice, likely a result of chronic daily stress and an inability to cope with that stress. Overtraining syndrome is also something commonly seen in athletes, particularly those training for upcoming events. The question remains, how can we diagnose this and what can we do about it?

In addition to basic blood work to rule out other causes of fatigue (such as anemias) I use a hormone test called the adrenal stress index. This test measures salivary cortisol at four points throughout the day to monitor the change in cortisol in a 24hr period. In addition, DHEA and testosterone are measured to evaluate adrenal function. As well, the adrenal stress index looks at how cortisol levels are impacting insulin and blood sugar regulation and immune system function. This diagnostic test can identify the extent of adrenal fatigue and which components of adrenal function need to be addressed in order to restore normal adrenal homeostasis. Treatment then becomes targeted and focused on specific deficiencies or excess. With proper adrenal restoration and support, your athletic performance will dramatically improve, helping you achieve your goals!