It’s no good talking about adrenal health if you don’t know what the adrenal glands are and what they do. Like most glands, their most prominent role is in creating hormones and sending them out into the body.
There are several main types of hormones produced in the adrenal glands and all have an important role to play. Hormones are messengers, instructing organs, tissue and other parts of the body on how to behave. They control everything about how we grow and change.
First up are the corticosteroids. Of particular note are aldosterone and cortisol. Then there are sex hormones, particularly androgens. Catecholamines include epinephrine and norepinephrine (adrenaline and noradrenaline in other parts of the world).
Aldosterone is what’s known as a mineralocorticoid. It works by sending messages to the kidneys, telling them when they need to absorb salt/sodium or release potassium. It also has an impact on blood volume. Salt and blood volume are both important when it comes to controlling your blood pressure. Aldosterone also has a role regulating electrolytes in the blood.
Cortisol is the most prominent of the glucocorticoids. Its many roles include influencing your glucose levels, partially because of how it controls protein and fat. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and can reduce the amount of bone your body creates. Cortisol is connected to your circadian rhythms, or sleep cycle. Another famous function is giving you an energy boost in times of high stress.
Androgens are male sex hormones, but in the adrenal glands, they aren’t particularly strong. Instead, they can be converted into the more powerful testosterone or estrogen. This happens in the sex organs, the testes and ovaries. Most important of the adrenal androgens is dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA).
Epinephrine and norepinephrine are even more famous than cortisol when it comes to your stress response. They can make your heart rate rise and your blood flow increase. Your blood pressure may go up, and your blood vessels may narrow. It’s also likely to affect your breathing. This is all part of what is commonly called the fight-or-flight response, one of our most natural instincts when we’re facing danger.
We need all of these hormones to function properly, and that means we need to have healthy adrenal glands. Adrenal health may not sound like the most exciting topic, but it is vital.
