Are you ready to finally jump out of bed every morning with exuberant energy that keeps going all day long with no afternoon slump and no need for caffeine? And then sleep like a baby every night without tossing and turning or waking up at 3 AM unable to go back to sleep?
The first key to reclaiming your energy is figuring out what is causing the problem. One of the most common modern dis-eases that zap your energy is adrenal dysfunction. Read below to find out if you have it and how you can heal your adrenals using very specific nutritional protocols.
The symptoms of adrenal exhaustion include:
Fatigue (extreme)
Depression ( due to hormonal imbalance)
Insomnia (the body may produce adrenaline in adrenal exhaustion in an attempt to compensate for low cortisol, which leads to insomnia)
Slump in energy in the afternoons
Body aches
Increased chemical sensitivity
“New” allergies
Anxiety
Increased susceptibility to infections
Stomach problems/Constipation/Diarrhea
Accumulation of excess fat in the belly or torso
Craving for salty foods and sweets
Reproductive hormone imbalance symptoms
Thyroid dysfunction ( increased levels of cortisol block the peripheral conversion of T4 to T3
Test your salivary cortisol and DHEA using a simple adrenal hormone test kit. You will need to collect a sample of your saliva during the times listed below. Buy your test kit here: Metametrix Adrenal $197
Adrenal Stress Metametrix Kit (measures cortisol and DHEA)
Receive test results within 5 business days
• Morning Cortisol (7:00 – 8:00 AM)
• Noon Cortisol (11:00 – 12:00 PM)
• Afternoon Cortisol (4:00 – 5:00 PM)
• Nighttime Cortisol (11:00 – 11:59PM)
See a sample adrenal test result
You will need to mail your samples to the testing lab for analysis. When you receive the results of your lab test, here is how to interpret the information. Scroll down to learn how to intelligently read your lab test results and how to choose which supplements you need for your adrenals:
If your total cortisol is less than 23 and/or greater than 85 then you need a pregnenolone supplement.
Week 1: 50 mg/day
Week 2 – 6: 30 mg/day
Week 7: 20 mg/day
Week 8 & 9: 10 mg/day
Week 10: None
Retest your levels after 10 weeks!
If your DHEA is less than 7 ng/ml then you need a DHEA supplement.
(Note: Although the reference range for salivary DHEA is 2 to 10 ng/ml, the ideal
optimal range is 7.0 to 8.0 ng/ml. If you are over the age of 25, it is very likely that your DHEA levels will be decreased. For children under age 14 or who have not reached puberty, it is normal and healthy to have low DHEA levels.)
DHEA Protocol
Guidelines
The recommended dose varies from 17 mg – 50 mg per day depending on your age, sex, and current DHEA levels.
Females:
Week 1: Use 25 mg A.M. only
Week 2: Use 10 mg twice daily thereafter
Males
Week 1: Use 50 mg A.M. only
Week 2: Use 20 mg twice daily
Week 3 and beyond: Use 10 mg twice a day thereafter.
Possible Side Effects include: headaches, light headedness, stomach discomfort,
acne, breast tenderness, excess mucous, female menstrual spotting.
Alternative Protocol in the event of side effects:
In the event patient experiences any of the above side effects it is recommended to
decrease the dose to 1 drop twice a day and gradually titrate up to the optimal dosage.
Are your cortisol levels elevated at specific times of day or night?
If your morning cortisol is elevated
• This could be caused by eating a high-glycemic (high sugar) meal before bedtime.
• This could be caused by 3rd shift occupation (nighttime job) resulting in a circadian reversal.
• This might also be caused by a parasitic infection (check for monocytes > 7 and eosinophils >3).
Elevated cortisols should be treated with Phosphorylated Serine in MentalSharp.
A common dose is 1 dropperful 20 to 30 minutes before each of the elevated cortisols. For
example, if the morning and evening cortisols are elevated then one dropperful should be
taken 20 to 30 minutes before morning cortisol time (7:00 – 8:00 AM) and 20 to 30
minutes before evening cortisol time (11:00 – 11:59PM)
Are your individual cortisols too low?
If yes, then you need ADR Formula from Pure Encapsulations. This product contain licorice, adaptogenic herbs, and adrenal cortex extract.
• If individual cortisol levels are less than 5 nM, nutritional supplementation is likely to NOT be fully
effective because your problem has progressed to a condition that can be life-threatening if not immediately treated. In these cases a prescription of hydrocortisone may be indicated. You will have to visit a medical doctor for hydrocortisone, or if you live in Arizona you can seek out a Naturopathic practitioner, or in New Mexico you can seek out an Acupuncturist with an extended scope of practice that includes prescription drugs.
Cortisol Prescription Protocol
Cortisol prescription doses that usually augments to physiological levels include the
following:
Morning dose – 10 to 15 mg
This dose should be taken between 6AM to 7AM with homemade raw, gluten free “Ritz” crackers and unfluoridated water.
Noon dose – 7.5 – 10 mg
This dose should be taken between 10AM to 11AM with raw, gluten free “Ritz” crackers and unfluoridated water.
Afternoon dose – 5 mg or less
This dose should be taken between 3PM to 4PM with raw, gluten free “Ritz” crackers and unfluoridated water.
Prescription Cortisol and/or Licorice should NOT be used for depressed evening cortisol! Low evening cortisol is what you want! 
