The adrenal glands are central to the endocrine (hormonal) system and are located on top of the kidneys. The adrenals manage our body's ability to cope with internal and external stresses, and they produce a variety of hormones such as cortisol/cortisone, aldosterone, epinephrine, testosterone and DHEA, which are responsible for many life-sustaining functions. It is extemely important that your adrenals work adequately so your body can cope with stress properly.

How do the adrenals affect your body?

We often don't realize that subtle changes in our daily routine can upset the balance of our endocrine/hormonal systems. If the adrenal glands are overfunctioning or underfunctioning, the rest of our body will be affected, for instance:

The adrenal glands are particularly weakened by chronic stress, autointoxication, and infection. Some medical researchers even claim that dysfunctional adrenals can lead to premature aging and a shortened life span.

Common adrenal stressors

Even if you feel your life isn't very stressful and that you handle everyday life pretty well, your adrenals are still at work coping with stressors. Remember, all your organs have an internal clock that is synchronized with the brain, your "master clock". These clocks are all influenced greatly by changes in amount of sunlight, length of day, and change of season. Your brain's master clock is also related to the nutritional and metabolic status of the body.

Take our Self-Test to assess your adrenal stress...